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Reading is a freedom to explore in-numerous fantasies and quests, whether they be for knowledge, entertainment or simple companionship.
Infringement of this freedom is a crippling of our potential, as both a person and a society.
Banned Book Week is a reminder.
A reminder that those traitorous bindings still lurk around the corner. No matter what embellishment of well-meaning misguided intent they might wear, they still wrap tight around our minds and close the doors to new thoughts and strange ideas.
Do you know what books have been banned near you?
This map marks a selection of books banned throughout the country in 2007-2010.
The American Library Associate keeps a running list of books banned or challenged within the United States. Their website is a great resource and they have some awesome graphics for Banned Book Week. The header and robots you see at the top of this blog post are from their website (and are actually a really awesome bookmark).
I took a look at the ALA list for banned books from 2000-2009 and found I had read three titles on the list, and those when I was a child. Huh.
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle
A glance at the 2009-2010 list showed I have read one title from the list.
- Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyers
How about you?
7 comments:
Seriously? Harry Potter? WTF?
Okay, from the 200-2009 list I've read:
Harry Potter (series), by J.K. Rowling Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey (stupid but I wouldn't say bannable)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
Junie B. Jones (series), by Barbara Park
Goosebumps (series), by R.L. Stine
I didn't read this but my daughter read it as a school novel maybe Grade 5 or 6.
Bridge To Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson
From the second list I haven't read again, but my daughter read it in Grade 7 I think.
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
My kid again. Darn, I'm letting her read bad stuff huh? ;-)
Vampire Academy series, by Richelle Mead
Twilight series, by Stephanie Meyer
ttyl, by Myracle, Lauren
There was a dictionary on the second list? LOL A dictionary? Seriously?
Tam - The school is actually putting together a committee to review whether or not to pull the dictionary from general student access.
From the 2000-2009 list I've read:
Harry Potter (series), by J.K. Rowling
Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
Bridge To Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey
A Time to Kill, by John Grisham
Junie B. Jones (series), by Barbara Park
The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood
The House of the Spirits, by Isabel Allende
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume
On the other list,
Anne Frank
Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Wells
That's more than I thought, actually.
Carol - You've got a lot of classics in there.
Reminds me that I have been meaning to catch up on all the books I was supposed to read in grade school but somehow missed in the curriculum.
Or maybe I just wasn't paying attention!
It's interesting how many of the banned books are Newbury (YA) or other award winners... Anyway, 28 off the 2000-2009 list.
Harry Potter (series), by J.K. Rowling
The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
His Dark Materials (series), by Philip Pullman
The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison
Forever, by Judy Blume
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
Go Ask Alice, by Anonymous
Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
The Giver, by Lois Lowry
Killing Mr. Griffen, by Lois Duncan
Beloved, by Toni Morrison
My Brother Sam Is Dead, by James Lincoln Collier
Snow Falling on Cedars, by David Guterson
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
Blubber, by Judy Blume
Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey
Summer of My German Soldier, by Bette Green
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred Taylor
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison
A Day No Pigs Would Die, by Robert Newton Peck
The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeline L’Engle
Julie of the Wolves, by Jean Craighead George
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume
From the first list...
Harry Potter (series), by J.K. Rowling
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
Goosebumps (series), by R.L. Stine (read a few with my kids)
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume
Beloved, by Toni Morrison
Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
And from the second...
Anne Frank
I can't believe the dictionary is banned. :)
Wow! You guys are really showing me up.
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Thanks so much for delving into my head. It's scary in here sometimes, so it is nice to have company! Don't step on the zephyr...