Storytelling is a powerful tool for connection, learning, and empowerment evidenced by our current need to protect our freedom to read and to ensure that all voices are heard. This is where supporting local libraries and championing the telling of diverse stories comes into play—especially when books challenge the status quo or share marginalized perspectives. Aida Sálazar author of banned The Moon Within and other challenged stories penned a book that embodies this fight and deserves to be celebrated, Pura Belpré Award Honor book Ultraviolet.

Ultraviolet is a dynamic Spanglish novel written in verse, intertwining poetry and narrative while capturing the nuanced experience of U.S. Latinos. As I reflect on my experience reading this multitasking text I'm in awe of the book, the author and the librarians that keep it on the self. Aida Sálazar’s verses dance across the page, weaving beautiful imagery and unprocessed emotions pulling readers into a experiences that feel deeply personal and universally relatable all at once.

Sálazar’s writing engages all the senses creating a palpable and complete teenage world. The language used in Ultraviolet is not only alluring but also thoroughly evocative. Verses from the initial chapter signaled that I was in for a treat. The text read: "I jumped off, my hand shooting streaks of pain, turning on the siren of my wail fire-engine red blasting through my boca." This kind of visceral imagery grabs you, highlighting the power and artistry of storytelling.

As I read, I surprised myself by laughing out loud at the hilarious sibling antics, especially the "moco wars"—those shenanigans we can all recall from our own family dynamics, where humor and love coexist in the most chaotic yet tender ways. Sálazar brilliantly captures these familial moments, allowing readers to authentically feel a full range of human emotions, from joy to pain.

Beyond the humor, Ultraviolet is an exploration of deeper societal issues, particularly the ways in which patriarchal ideology manifests as toxic masculinity and misogyny. Through the lens of a teenage boy navigating high school, love, and heartache, the novel explores how toxic masculinity evolves in boys and men—how it shapes their identities, interactions, and limits their emotional expressions. Sálazar faces head on uncomfortable truths about heteronormative gender dynamics to provide a framework for understanding and challenging this and other harmful behaviors. She highlights how toxic ideals can be deconstructed and reimagined in ways that uplift all genders and relationships, using Indigenous knowledge and practices as a foundation for transformation and solidarity building.

The story also sheds light on the emotional intelligence that many of us lack, especially when it comes to expressing vulnerability and dealing with overwhelmingly big feelings. Sálazar’s portrayal of youth managing first love and heartache, shows how the lack of permission to feel and understand can quickly evolve leading individuals down destructive and abusive paths. It is a poignant reminder that emotional support and tools to navigate big feelings are essential for both the young and the experienced in cultivating confident individuals, productive relationships and, a more compassionate world.

I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Aida Sálazar for addressing significant and complex issues in her storytelling. Ultraviolet is just one example of her uplifting diverse voices and challenging mainstream narratives. Her picture book Jovita Wore Pants/ Jovita llevaba pantalones highlights her great-aunt's bravery and achievements while empowering women and girls to defend their beliefs. The history told not only fascinated me but excited students from my Spanish picture books course by demonstrating how stories can inspire readers to action. Calling the Moon is another book by Aida undertaking a complex and oft taboo topic. Rather than use euphemisms, Aida boldly brings to light diverse menstruation experiences, practices, and beliefs, offering much-needed diverse perspectives and thoughtful discussion.

And I must also express my gratitude for The Moon Within, which was gifted to me by Aida herself after a brief meeting at the Tucson Book Festival, before the book was available for purchase. Her kindness and generosity have allowed me to discover her compelling discourse and given me the opportunity to experience firsthand the importance of supporting and sharing the work of authors who bring new, often underrepresented voices into the literary world.

As Isaac Asimov famously said, "Any book worth banning is a book worth reading." This sentiment is particularly true for Aida's banned and challenged stories. Like Ultraviolet, books that face censorship challenge dominant societal norms or give voice to marginalized experiences. Banning books attempts to extinguish those ways of being in the world, to suppress stories that hold the power to ignite change and promote understanding. This is why protecting local libraries is more important than ever. They provide access to these stories, ensuring that all people—regardless of background—have the opportunity to engage with diverse narratives and unfamiliar experiences.

It’s essential that we continue to support our local libraries, not just as spaces for borrowing books, but as community and cultural hubs where new ideas and perspectives are shared. By advocating for the freedom to choose what we read and demanding distinct and varied stories, we honor human diversity and create a more inclusive world where all voices are valued and heard.

Aida Sálazar’s work is exemplary storytelling and provides diverse representation. Her books encourage us to embrace our differences, pay homage to our cultures, and question harmful ideologies. They highlight the power of stories goes beyond entertainment; they are social justice tools for understanding, growth, and transformation.

Join me in uplifting banned and challenged books, supporting our local libraries, and celebrating the diverse stories that make us who we are. Thank you, Aida, for all that you do to bare witness and document an array of genders, orientations, languages, communities and cultures as well as all those whose experiences still need stories told.

*“Any book worth banning is a book worth reading.”* — Isaac Asimov