You Can’t Say That! Writers for Young People Talk About Censorship, Free Expression, and the Stories They Have to Tell is a 2021 young adult non-fiction book edited by young adult author and literary critic Leonard S. Marcus. The book is a collection of interviews of popular children's and young adult writers about their experiences with book censorship. It was published by Candlewick Press.

You Can’t Say That! Writers for Young People Talk About Censorship, Free Expression, and the Stories They Have to Tell
AuthorLeonard S. Marcus
GenreYoung adult non-fiction
PublisherCandlewick Press
Publication date
September 16, 2021
ISBN9780763690366

Authors interviewed

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Critical reception

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You Can't Say That! received starred reviews from School Library Journal and Publishers Weekly.[1][2] Publishers Weekly reviewed, "Marcus’s 13 interviews with writers whose works have provoked controversy deliver more than the book’s title suggests".[2]

Kirkus Reviews called it "a calm, cohesive take on a hot-button issue".[3] A review in The Horn Book noted, "Marcus provides welcome context in each author’s work and life as a whole, demonstrating that intellectual freedom is a right that permeates all creative work".[4]

A New York Times review by Suzanne Nossel said, "Marcus’s interviews spotlight what is at stake when books are challenged".[5] The book received a positive review from the Intellectual Freedom Blog of the American Library Association.[6]

Audio adaptation

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The audio adaptation of You Can't Say That! was narrated by Tom Parks, Thom Rivera, Janet Metzger, Roxanne Hernandez, Arthur Morey, and Susan Dalian.[7]

References

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