Banned Books Week!
Celebrate the Freedom to Read
Why Have Banned Books Week?
Banned Books Week is a week dedicated to your freedom to read whatever you want to. Lots of libraries and schools in America still ban or challenge certain books, and Banned Books Week is about raising awareness of this, and to help bring a stop to it. Voltaire once said, "Think for yourselves, and let others enjoy the privilege to do so, too."
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Even if you didn't know it was a book, you've probably seen this beloved family classic in its' movie form. Since it was published, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has been challenged and attacked by all sorts of people. The common accusations are that it's "unwholesome" and "ungodly" ("Banned Books Awareness:"). Parents, Christians, and educators alike had a problem with the fact that a fictional, fantasy children's book portrayed witches as having the ability to be good, or that it had witches at all. Another big problem with the book was that it had an independent female lead. Don't want little girls getting the idea that they can be anything they want to be! It's been over a hundred years since this book was published in 1900, and it's still one of the most beloved books and movies in America, which is obviously proof that trying to ban a book because you don't agree with it will accomplish nothing for you.
Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Racially offensive (it was written and set in the mid 1800's), and for Tom having "questionable" morals.
Bridge to Terebithia
The Occult/Satanism, & offensive language
The Hunger Games
For being sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, & violent
Stephen Chbosky, Author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Why Not To Ban Books
Go Read a Book!
Whether in print or digital format, books are a precious resource, providing us with information, entertainment, opinions, ideas, and a window into lives far different from our own (Raphael, "Banned Books Week Reminds Us That Censorship Is Alive and Well in the Internet Age"). People should never be able to take away someone's right to read a book just because something about the book offends them. If you don't like a book, what's the point in banning it? Just don't read that book. Don't let your child read it if you feel it's not appropriate for them. But don't try and legally force people to follow your opinions. Everyone has the freedom to read, and everyone has the freedom to not read. There's always going to be something out there for everyone, so go read a book!
Sources & Picture Sources
- http://bannedbooks.world.edu/2013/03/04/banned-books-awareness-the-wonderful-wizard-of-oz/
- https://www.bookish.com/articles/22-authors-on-censorship-and-banned-books/
- http://www.ala.org/bbooks/bannedbooksweek
- http://libguides.aurora.edu/c.php?g=6961&p=33103
- http://www.newtonlibrary.org/discover/suggested-reading-lists/banned-books
- http://bannedbooks.world.edu/tag/tom-sawyer/
- http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/molly-raphael/banned-books-week-censorship_b_977058.html
- Wizard of Oz picture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wonderful_Wizard_of_Oz
- Adventures of Tom Sawyar picture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventures_of_Tom_Sawyer
- Bridge to Terebithia picture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_to_Terabithia_(novel)
- The Hunger Games picture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_to_Terabithia_(novel)