Are you ready for Banned Books Week, September 21-28? It is hard to imagine that such books as "Huckleberry Finn," "Harry Potter," "Of Mice and Men," and "Where's Waldo?" are offensive enough to ban, but those are just a few on the American Library Association's list of the Top 100 Banned Books, 1990-2000.
Do your part. Read a banned book. Or contribute by visiting the resource page of the ALA.
And check out the Banned Books Project from Michele at A Small Victory.
I'm not one to do things by half. If it's an insane project, I'm there, baby. So, when I was trying to think of something to write about for the Banned Books Project, I couldn't resist the crazy idea that popped into my well-aerated cranium: 100 Mini Reviews of 100 Banned Books.
Not reviews, actually, more like added detail to the list--Why was it banned? Who banned it? What's it about?
If anyone's interested in writing one-sentence reviews for any of the books, I'll be happy to add them to this project. Maybe a certain person that's already reading all 100 books anyway....hint, hint....
I don't know what I'm worried about. The ALA is just being alarmist. All you have to do is go to the Family Friendly Libraries page to see the truth.
I did.
And now I feel all icky...
[ As seen on Solonor's Ink Well ]
Article comments
1 - Solonor
I wouldn't "get all hot and bothered" if all we were talking about was making sure Madonna's "Sex" was kept out of the kindergarten library, but that's not the main thrust of the argument. If you allow people to dictate what can and cannot be available for reading, then EVERY SINGLE BOOK PUBLISHED can be found objectionable by someone and challenged.
For crying out loud, "Where's Waldo?" (admittedly, not the height of great literature) was pulled from a school district in Michigan, because some fool found what might, maybe, if ya look at it close..*gasp!* a topless sunbather!
If that's the minimum standard, it's no wonder that you get people trying to keep "1984", "To Kill A Mockingbird", "Of Mice and Men" and even the Bible out of the school library.
(Per your blog posting, since there are no comments allowed there, the reason it's called "Banned Books Week" and not "Challenged Books Week" is that most of these books have been banned some place, some time, and if the challenges were allowed, they would all be banned.)
2 - Jeremy
Im doing a report on why a book should not be banned, how ever i could not find any true reasons on why the book is banned im wondering if theres some kind of rubric solonor uses to judge just weather a novels context is suitable for readers. And if i can find it on the internet
3 - SEAN!
WASSA HOMIES
4 - cooldawg
can u gimme reasons WHY to kill a mockingbird shouldnt be banned?
5 - Dillion Hamilton
I dont get it! My english teacher is so hot! she gave us this project on some stupid book and she wants it due tommorow! I like men! YAY
6 - Scottish-at-Heart
"can u gimme reasons WHY to kill a mockingbird shouldnt be banned?"
1) It has proven one of the most effective books for educating people about the evils of racism.
2) Atticus Finch, from the film adaptation, is consistently rated by the American Film Institute as the greatest hero in film history.
3) It teaches morals such as tolerance, honesty, respect for others (even those you disagree with).
4) It provided a new hopeful vision of the South to replace the old one that is tainted by slavery and racism.
5) We have a principle in America of "Innnocent until proven guilty." Thus, the burden of evidence always rests first with the prosecution. You must provide evidence of why a book should be banned before you can demand evidence of why it shouldn't.