The American Library Association’s Banned Book Week starts this coming Sunday, September 27, and runs through October 3, 2020. This annual event celebrates the freedom to read.
Typically held during the last week of September, Banned Book Week spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. It brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.
This year’s Banned Books Week theme is “Censorship is a Dead End. Find Your Freedom to Read.” Censorship limits exploration and creates barriers to access information. The path toward the freedom to read starts at the library.
Every year hundreds of books in schools and libraries are “challenged” around the United States, mostly by parents trying to keep their kids from coming across values they disagree with. These challenges are tracked by the American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF), which compiles the annual list. Many books are challenged because of diverse content by or about people of color, LGBT people, and/or people with disabilities. Others are banned because of religion, cultural sensitivity, offensive language, sexual content, sexism, anti-family, drugs, gambling, violence, suicide, satanism, alcohol, smoking, nudity, gangs, politics, inaccuracy, and being unsuited for an age group.
Click Here to check out the list of challenged and banned books from the American Library Association (ALA). Here are a few books that have been censored in recent years:
What are your favorite banned books? Please comment!
And now for my Recipes for Readers recommendation:
Mini Rum Cakes
I remember when we hosted author Buzz Bissinger at the Mansfield library years ago. His book “Friday Night Lights” had been banned in some places, because it included the “N” word. He only included it in reference to actual dialogue spoke by others. The word is indeed offensive, but it was used in the story to show the lack of regard some had for black football players. Sometimes harsh and offensive language has to be used for realism and to properly make the points.
It is interesting how many banned books, such as Friday Night Lights, have become popular television shows and movies.
Interesting list Kerrin. Thanks for sharing.I have to say some of the reasons that they ban the books seem ridiculous, especially something like, “If I Ran The Zoo”. I mean as if kids and even adults would pick up that line, “all wear their eyes at a slant” or even be offended by it. I must say though I did get a lot of satisfaction from seeing that “Fifty Shades Of Grey” is on the list for “and other (“poorly written,”. It should be banned for that reason alone. Not that I’ve ever read it. Nor will I. I love seeing what recipe you’ll come up with too. I’m missing all that yummy southern food!!!
Elaine, I decided that Fifty Shades of Grey isn’t “age appropriate” for an old lady like me.