Although it is a time of year I treasure in terms of sharing why it matters, I wish it was not necessary to commemorate Banned Books Week. The annual call to celebrate reading and intellectual freedom began Sunday.
Every year, public and school librarians, booksellers, journalists and publishers who are concerned about access to materials shine a light on attempts by those who would limit that access. The American Library Association has a wonderful site about the annual event. YouTube has a great number of Virtual Read-out videos that celebrate reading freedom -- here's one of my favorites from last year:
Although my day job focuses on children's and young adults books that are frequently challenged or banned -- including the brilliant Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, Dav Pilkey's Captain Underpants books and the Hunger Games and Twilight series -- books written for adult readers also face censorship attempts.
That probably shouldn't come as much of a surprise in a country where the right-wing wants to control nearly every aspect of society that involves personal choice, but I'm always taken aback when small-minded adults decide that just because they don't want to read something, no one else should be able to read it either.
Last year, the most-challenged adult book was E.L. James's Fifty Shades of Grey. One would think that such a highly publicized book would mean readers would know what to expect, but not every one does. I even get requests for the book at my middle school library -- not from students trying to shock me, but from students who have heard the title and want to be in on something popular. One even asked if we had the book because her mother wanted to read it. Those who want to have the book banned are certainly coming from the opposite end of the spectrum from that parent!
Toni Morrison's Beloved also made the top 10 list last year. Another of Morrison's works drew the wrath of the Ohio School Board president, who thinks high school juniors shouldn't have to readthe "pornographic" novel.
The idea that teens who are about a year away from voting and serving in the armed forces are too young to take on a book that deals with rape and incest in a society in which these acts take place multiple times daily, and that older teens should not employ critical thinking skills while engaging with the work of a Nobel Laureate before many are encouraged to go on to university courses is well, pitiful.
Bebe Terhar, who called the novel pornography, is as misguided about what that word means as those who apply it to Laurie Halse Anderson's brilliant YA novel Speak. That book deals with the aftermath of a teen rape. If anyone thinks rape is pornography, they need to spend time helping rape victims and learn the difference.
These days, when the Koch brothers, Ted Cruz and Rand Paul can convince people that up is down and night is day, we need critical thinking and banned books more than ever. Reading a banned book is one way to shine a light on the darkness of ignorance.
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