FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

About the books

What kind of books will I receive?

We send out a lot of titles written for young adults. However, we send out others that aren't necessarily written for teen readers, for example, Marriage of a Thousand Lies by SJ Sindu, The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee, and Heavy by Kiese Laymon. Also, you can expect to encounter genres of all sorts — past boxes have contained graphic novels and memoirs as well as historical fiction, urban fantasy, and contemporary novels, to name a few. Many of the books we send are literary award winners, but some aren’t. Regardless, they’re all books of considerable merit, brand new, and worthy of your distinguished bookshelf.

What books have been in past boxes?

You can view the full list of past titles here. If you’d like to purchase one, we encourage you to do so through our Bookshop.org site, which helps support independent booksellers like us.

Why do you send out so many LGBTQIA+ books?

Because LGBTQIA+ stories are among the most frequently targeted by far-right extremists calling for book removals. They’re often wrongly accused of being “pornographic” or “sexually explicit."

What should I do if I receive a book I already have?

If you get a duplicate, we encourage you to pass the book along — slip it into a book-sharing box near you or gift it to a friend. The more these stories circulate, the better! We don't currently offer refunds or exchanges, but please reach out if there's an issue.

Can I choose what books I receive in my subscription?

Banned Books Box is a curated experience, so no. We thoughtfully select titles each month to be powerful, meaningful, and relevant.

Is Banned Books Box appropriate for children/teenagers?

That's a bit tricky. Some of our selections are perfect for younger readers — for example, The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang and Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook and Ryan Estrada, both of which our pre-teens have loved. Tbh, there are definitely a few we’re not handing over to our kids anytime soon — either because we don’t think they’re ready, or they're just not interested. That said, generally speaking, publishers consider “young adult” to mean ages 12–18. But as we mentioned, we also send out books written for adult audiences. We should add — we looove YA ourselves, and we know plenty of other full-grown humans who do, too.

About book bans

If I can easily buy a book somewhere, how is it considered banned?

A book ban happens when a book is removed, restricted, or made difficult to access in schools, libraries, or public spaces due to objections about its content. Unlike a personal or parental choice not to read a book, a ban affects access.

When a book is banned, isn’t that good for the author because people will want to read it?
Unfortunately, no. While a handful of authors have gained attention from high-profile bans, most are harmed. Book bans reduce sales, limit exposure, and result in canceled school and library events. We're also aware of many authors who have suffered in other ways as a result of book bans. There really isn't anything good to be said about book bans.

Subscriptions and Billing

What is a monthly book subscription box?

It works like this: You sign up and then a box of books (and bookish items, if you choose the Original or Slim option) is delivered to your doorstep. The next month, you will be automatically re-billed and receive another box containing different items. And so it continues. You can join or unsubscribe at any time.

How will I be re-billed?

You will be charged your first payment upon signing up. That covers the cost of your first box. Thereafter, you will be re-billed on the 12th of each month unless you log into your account to cancel BEFORE that date.

How do I cancel my subscription?

Log into your account to cancel BEFORE you are automatically re-billed for the next month. You can unsubscribe at any time, no questions asked.

Can I pause my subscription instead of canceling?

Yes! You can easily pause your subscription from your account page whenever you need a break. You won’t be charged while your subscription is on hold, and you can restart anytime.

Shipping

When will my box ship?

Boxes ship around the 15th of each month. You'll receive an email when your box is on its way.
If you sign up after the 12th of any given month, your first box will arrive the following month — unless we have extras, in which case we'll email to ask if you'd like to receive it sooner.
When you purchase a single box, it ships within 3 business days.

How much is shipping?

Shipping is always free within the United States. International shipping is charged at checkout.

What if my box is lost or damaged in transit?

If something happens to your box along the way, reach out to us at bannedbooksbox@gmail.com. We'll work with you to sort things out.

Gifting

I want to send someone a gift. How does that work?

Just mark it as a gift during the checkout process. If you provide your recipient’s email address at checkout, they will receive a shipping notification email letting them know the gift is from you, along with tracking information (which you will also receive). If you include a gift message at checkout, we’ll print it on a little card and tuck it inside their box so they see it the moment they open it.