About this book
Magic meets the Manhattan Project in this prequel to the award-winning novel, The Girl with the Red Balloon.
Censorship history
In 2024, "The Spy with the Red Balloon" by Katherine Locke faced bans at the school level across several districts in the United States due to its LGBTQ+ and political content. Notably, in April 2024, a formal complaint was filed by a local parent group in the Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland, leading to a school board vote that resulted in the book being removed from the curriculum. The decision sparked protests from advocacy organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), but as of October 2024, the ban remains upheld in those districts.
Bans
| Country | Year | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 2024 | LGBTQ+Political |