milk and honey Part 1: Why It’s Banned

In this episode we discover why Rupi Kaur’s book of poetry, milk and honey, consistently makes lists of banned books. Kaur self-published milk and honey in November of 2014 and it was later picked up by publisher Andrews McMeel. According to their web site, the book spent more than three years on the New York Times bestseller list. It’s been published in over 40 languages and has sold over 6 million copies globally. The magazine, The New Republic, named Rupi Kaur the “writer of the decade.”

milk and honey has been targeted by book banners, particularly in Missouri and Texas, due to its exploration of themes like love, trauma, and sexual assault. Primarily, the book has been challenged in school libraries. Some parents and some officials claim concern about discussions of sexual assault in the book.

Our Banned Bits segment features the book Banned Together: Our Fight for Readers’ Rights, By Ashley Hope Perez, here is a link to our Bookshop.org store, and because that link wasn’t working I was writing this, here is one from Barnes & Noble.

Check out our interviews with two of the book’s contributors:

Rogue Librarians – Bonus: Alana K. Arnold , 11/21/23

Rogue Librarians – Out of Darkness: Interview With Ashley Hope Perez, 2/28/2023,

For More information on Rupi Kaur, you can visit her web site at rupikaur.com or check out her instagram @rupikaur_