Happy Banned Books Week!
Yes, it's that time of year again, when the American Library Association brings our attention to the issue of challenged and banned books.
As a writer and former English teacher, I have some very strong opinions about the practice of banning books. I'll let you guess what they are. :)
Anyway, I was noodling around on the ALA website and came upon the top 100 challenged books list, and was shocked once again to see so many author names I recognized. JK Rowling! Lois Lowry! Chris Crutcher! Caroline Cooney! Judy Blume!
Maya Angelou.
Toni Morrison.
Mark Twain.
Isabel Allende.
Kurt Vonnegut.
It pains me to think how bare the shelves would be without those voices. How slim my childhood reading list would have been without many of the books on that list.
So here's my contest. Just post in the comments what your favorite banned book is. One random poster will win a download of my newest book, Lessons In Love.
And for more Banned Books discussion, stop by the Samhain Cafe now through Friday. A bunch of Samhain authors will be talking banned books, sharing excerpts of their own work, and giving away prizes.
3 comments:
OMG, poor Judy Blume. I loved her books growing up, and just about every one is on this list. And some of the books about sex education and understanding your body? How sad is that?
"How to Eat Fried Worms"? You're kidding me. I read that like in the 4th grade. Harry Potter? Okay, maybe for the whole witchcraft angle, but come on, that book had (has) millions of people reading. "Pillars of the Earth"? I never read it but I have it, somewhere, cuz it sounded interesting to me. Wow, just wow.
I have already read Lessons in love, so I wont enter the contst, but I can't believe some of the books that have been banned.
Where have they been banned from though?
I read the Sex book by Madonna. It has cool picture, lol.
Hi Stacy! It always blows my mind to see Judy Blume on these lists. My DD is currently reading Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great, and loving it.
Chantal, I think most of the books have been banned from school libraries, although I suspect Madonna's "Sex" was banned from a public library. :) I can't imagine any school district in the country buying that for its shelves! LOL
And thanks for reading LiL. I had a question for you about it -- could you contact me off-blog at kate AT kate-davies DOT com? Thanks!
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