Jodi Picoult

In recent months you could argue that Florida has become the de facto ground zero for book banning in schools. Hundreds of titles, ranging from the extreme to the innocuous, have been deemed unsatisfactory for students in Florida public schools. Recently, the school board in Martin county, Florida banned 20 books by best-selling author Jodi Picoult. Her books are best sellers because she directly and maturely treats subjects such as race, gender, sexuality, even abortion rights in weaving, dramatic stories. I've interviewed Jody Pico several times, including in 2004, when we talked about one of the books that has now been banned in Martin county, a book called my sister's keeper.