A Virginia legislator is suing Barnes & Noble to block the book chain from selling two "obscene" books to minors without parental consent. The move comes as conservative lawmakers across the country seek to ban schools and libraries from offering books with content they find objectionable.

Tim Anderson, a Republican lawyer who serves in the Virginia House of Delegates, said he filed a lawsuit on behalf of his client, Tommy Altman, who is running for Congress. Altman, who describes himself as a disabled veteran, states in a campaign video on his website that he is running to protect freedom, including the right to free speech.

In a May 18 Facebook post, Anderson said he is seeking "a restraining order against Barnes and Noble and Virginia Beach Schools to enjoin them from selling or loaning these books to minors without parent consent." The books in question are "Gender Queer," a memoir by Maia Kobabe; and "A Court of Mist and Fury," a fantasy novel by Sarah J. Maas.