Banned Books Week!

[Divia]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v437/PaganMoon/bannedbooks1.jpg

Its that time of year again when we enter banned books week.

The most challenged books of 2007 are:

Its that time of year again when we enter banned books week.

The most challenged books of 2007 are:

1. “And Tango Makes Three,” by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell Reasons: Anti-Ethnic, Sexism, Homosexuality, Anti-Family, Religious Viewpoint,

2. "The Chocolate War,” by Robert Cormier Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Violence

3. “Olive’s Ocean,” by Kevin Henkes Reasons: Sexually Explicit and Offensive Language

4. “The Golden Compass,” by Philip Pullman Reasons: Religious Viewpoint

5. “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” by Mark Twain Reasons: Racism

6. "The Color Purple,” by Alice Walker Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language,

7. "TTYL,” by Lauren Myracle Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

8. "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” by Maya Angelou Reasons: Sexually Explicit

9. “It’s Perfectly Normal,” by Robie HarrisReasons: Sex Education, Sexually Explicit

10. "The Perks of Being A Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

[princess garnet]

We've got a table of banned titles in the main lobby at the library. The Young Adult Division put up a display of their own. I like the theme that ALA picked for this year.

[Divia]

I cant do anything fun cause I have elementary kids this year. blah! :(

[Ash]

Nah, you can suggest that they go to the library and look at the books that have been banned! You aren't saying to read them....

We also have a table at our local used bookstore.

A list banned books (not comprehensive, but you get a taste of some of the titles. )

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_banned_books

This might be better

http://title.forbiddenlibrary.com/

[SonjaMarie]

Ages ago I saw a TV movie, might have been an afternoon specials they were so fond of when I was a teen, about banned books. One book being talked about at a meeting was said to have all this sex and violence in it and the parents were saying it should be banned, even though they didn't know the title, and then they were shocked to find out it was the BIBLE.

SM

[Susan]

I cant do anything fun cause I have elementary kids this year. blah! :(

For the older elementary students, the banning of the Harry Potter books could be discussed. I just saw on a website about banned children's books that the popular Captain Underpants series has been a target of banning. The picture books In the Night Kitchen and Where the Wild Things by Maurice Sendak (two of my favorites when my kids were young and when I taught preschool) have also been targets. The following site lists some challenged books from picture books to chapter books to young adult books. There are some classics on the list and there are even books that are in the curriculum of my school district.
http://www.library.uiuc.edu/edx/challenged.htm

[Divia]

Yeah, but I dont like teaching the little kids, and I always have to be careful with what I say. Its not as much fun. I'll just stick to dull ol' genres.

I'll be the first confess I'm a sucky elementary librarian. But I was damn good at my job at the high school. That's where I belong. Ahhh, budget cuts...

[LCW]

What I want to know is who is trying to ban all these books??

[Divia]

What I want to know is who is trying to ban all these books??

Well angry parents. There was a case last year at one of the local highschools about a nonfiction book that about a young girl and online sex or something like that. A parent got very offended that their 11th grader was reading it :rolleyes: I'm thinking..do you know what they hear in the hallway..anyway it was challanged but I dunno if it was banned.

[Ash]

Often parents, or religious groups, who have never read the book but have heard something about it. Also interestingly, some minority groups because they feel that a certain book shows a stereotyped character.

[boswellbaxter]

There was a woman in my hometown in high school who was on a one-woman crusade to ban the film adaptation of Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery." She never succeeded, because I saw the film at least three times in high school--our teachers always made us watch it when there was a substitute or for some reason the normal lesson couldn't be taught.

[SonjaMarie]

I read that book in college.

SM

[Alaric]

Banning books, of any kind (with the exception of erotic fiction of course), always seems counterproductive to a person's education to me. Nobody should be deprived of reading something if they wish.

[princess garnet]

I too read "The Lottery" in college.
We're showing movie adaptations of banned books at the library all this week.

[Ash]

Banning books, of any kind (with the exception of erotic fiction of course), always seems counterproductive to a person's education to me. Nobody should be deprived of reading something if they wish.


I agree, when you are talking about adults. I think the issue gets dicier with kids reading. My parents never censored what I read (I still remember hiding Valley of the Dolls under my bed at 12, and my dad asking to read it after I was finished!). The did discourage certain tv programs, but thats because they knew I was easily frightened, so Outer Limits was off limits. So it pays to know your child when selecting books. But I know many parents who'd like to have some control over what their child reads. Im ok with that to a point. But when those parents decide that their control over their children should extend to all children in the community, I start seeing many shades of red.