Banned Books

Banned Books Week was September 27 - October 4 2008 this year. I only knew about this because the library at Makena's school posted a list of banned/challenged books from the last 50 years or so and tried to have many of the books available for the students. Makena and I were talking about the book she chose - Fade by Robert Cormier - as it was banned due to the fact that the boy can make himself invisible and then there are some descriptions of a murder. He actually had a few other books banned in schools as well. She said "I couldn't believe some of the books on the list and why they were banned." She started naming some off and came to 'Are you there God? It's Me, Margaret' by Judy Blume and I said "WHAT?!? I loved that book in middle school!" She proceeds to tell me that because "God" is in the title and the book talks about her starting her period that it was banned in several schools. Now, I realize that this was 20 years ago (or so...cuz I was in middle school) and that not all of these are in the US but, again, "WHAT?!?" I told Makena that if she got the chance to read 'Are you there God? It's Me, Margaret' that she should - that it's a great book! Or, any book by Judy Blume for that matter! And that she could read any book that she wanted as long as she felt comfortable reading it. We both very much enjoy reading, and she has no problem not finishing a book if she doesn't like it. And, I have no problem with her reading to experience different points of views or stories...I think that's what made me an open-minded person. (Unfortunately, I'm not too 'open-minded' to 'close-minded' people, but that's for another blog...)

So I started looking into other banned books and continued to be surprised. Especially since many of these books were made into movies - the Harry Potter series for instance. I went to the American Library Association and found a list of the Top 100 Novels banned and/or challenged in the 20 Century. Some of the other books that I have enjoyed reading, and am glad that they were available for me to read:

• The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger
• The Color Purple by Alice Walker (great movie too)
• The Lord of the Flies by William Golding (great movie too)
• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (cried during the book & movie)
• The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien (great movies)

Some other authors that I suggest that have books banned:

• Maya Angelou
• Mark Twain
• Stephen King
• Shel Silverstein
• Edgar Allen Poe
• Voltaire
• The Freedom Writers

And two that cracked me up:

• 'And Tango Makes Three' by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell - because two male penguins are caring for an orphaned egg
• 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' by Eric Carle - because the school was doing a healthy eating campaign and the 'caterpillar' is promoting over-consumption and obesity

There are SO many books out there that I'll never even know about, won't have time to read or have no interest in reading. But, at least I have that option.

"Why I smiled today" - because I have Shel Silverstein (thanks T) on my book shelf and I'm going to read it again; cover to cover.