Banned Books Week

Uh oh! We are in the middle of Banned Books Week. This week, we celebrate the freedom to read what we want, even if it may be unorthodox or unpopular. Across the country, many amazing books have been banned in schools and libraries because they challenge societal rules or involve subject matter that some people believe is wrong. We are lucky to be in a school that supports our freedoms, but many schools continue to censor, or limit the amount of choices students can make when in the library.

I've researched some lists of banned books in the past, and thought you'd be interested to know that many of them are in our library and are available to check out. Captain Underpants, for example, has been banned in schools for offensive language. We carry a few books from this silly series in English and Spanish. The Hunger Games is constantly under fire for being too violent, but has been banned for being "anti-family", "anti-ethnic", and "Satanic". Twilight and Harry Potter have also been banned for violence and challenging religious beliefs. The last book I'll mention is one that our very own Language Arts teacher uses in her classroom! Bridge to Terabithia has been banned for having offensive language, violence, and Satanism!

The list of banned books seems to go on forever. Many life-changing classics have been on the list as well. I can't even imagine a life without  A Brave New World or To Kill a Mockingbird, which are both great books that I was lucky enough to have read in school. They taught me lessons about identity, oppression, and racism that I'll never forget.

So, do me a favor and exercise your freedom of choice this week. Click on the banned books link below and find a book that looks interesting. Check it out from the library and READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

ALA's 100 Most Banned Books This Decade