When Clay finds a package of cassette tapes on his doorstep in Jay Asher’s debut novel THIRTEEN REASONS WHY, he never imagines they’re from Hannah, his late classmate who recently committed suicide. As Clay listens to Hannah outline the 13 people and events that led to her death, you feel the pain, enlightenment, shock and sorrow cutting to his very core.

The award-winning THIRTEEN REASONS WHY has been praised for being “compelling”, “remarkable” and having “dizzying emotion” and it was an international bestseller, but people have attempted to ban the book time and time again; it was the third most banned book in 2012.

Below, YA author Patty Blount (SOME BOYS, NOTHING LEFT TO BURN) and Teen Board member Leanna R. talk about their own connection to THIRTEEN REASONS WHY and what they would say to those trying to challenge the book.

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