This week is Banned Books Week. What does that mean?
It means celebrate your freedom to read by picking up a book that has been challenged or banned from a public or school library. I think you will be surprised at what's on the list of books that someone wanted to forbid you to read. Copy and paste this link to see a list of banned or challenged classics:
http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/challengedclassics/reasonsbanned/index.cfm
I am not suggesting that you should read books that offend you. I am suggesting that you should not be prohibited from reading books that offend others. (Unless it's your mom or dad - I will assume they have good reason for suggesting a book is inappropriate for you)
Censor for yourself. I often skip passages that make me uncomfortable for one reason or another. If someone told me I couldn't read something it might make it even more desirable. Imagine that and consider this quote from The Tragedy of Puddin'head Wilson by Mark Twain:
"Adam was but human--this explains it all. He did not want the apple for the apple's sake, he wanted it only because it was forbidden. The mistake was in not forbidding the serpent; then he would have eaten the serpent."
Think on that one for a bit...and discuss it at the dinner table or in the lunchroom tomorrow.
Or:
Check out this puppet video put out by The Office of Intellectual Freedom for another explanation of Banned Books Week.
http://bannedbooksweek.org/bbw%20videos.htm
Enjoy your freedom to read any book you like this week (and always!)
Peace,
Michelle
