Ugh! It's Banned Book Week this week and I thought I'd post a link to some of the most banned books in the country:
www.publishersweekly.com/blogs/beyondherbooks
What drives me nuts is that some of the most popular books-- and some of the best books I've ever read-- are on the list this year (as they are most years). And the fact that most of them are objected to have to do with content appropriate for age group (Twilight, Catcher in the Rye, To Kill a Mockingbird, ttyl). Seriously?
Seriously?
Our kids can play M video games, see R rated movies loaded with violence, but they can't read a book with content that makes them think because it might corrupt them? Ugh! Really? And we wonder why our youth lack critical thinking skills ...
Anyway, I don't get on my soapbox often, but banned books are one of those things that bring out my inner ACLU member. How about you guys? How do you feel about this list? Are there any books on there that you enjoy? I challenge you to kick up your feet for a while this week and read or re-read one of the books on this list this week. Let me know which one you choose-- and why. There's a $10 gift certificate to BN in it for one lucky reader ...
Okay, I'm off to get the boys to school and then I think I'm going to curl up with one of my copies of Catcher in the Rye. I love that book!
I have not read any of the top ten banned books but I think Too Kill a Mockingbird would be interesting. Have been thinking about Speak which recently received press. Had never heard of the book until this month because someone wants to ban it. I do not recall which YA author wanted his books banned to get all the publicity but the "zealots" keep ignoring his books. Thank you for spotlighting this issue. I will have to go to the bookstore.
ReplyDeleteI've read the Twilight series and "Catcher in the Rye". I've probably read some of the others but have forgotten by now.
ReplyDeleteFrankly, I quite liked "Catcher" when I was a teen since I still remember it. Not that I see myself in Holden or anything; I was into depressing reads at the time ("Death of a Salesman", "Long Days Journey into Night", "The Glass Menagerie").
On one hand, banning books (the dictionary for having the entry "oral sex"?!) is just mind boggling. With the Internet, anything the kids want to find out can be found. On the other, banning a book does bring that book to the attention of many people. Besides, even if a book is banned in the school, how about the library or the local bookstore? How about online retailers? Only kids without book budgets would suffer.
Lauren Myracle is on the list? Really? Although I have not read that particular series, I have enjoyed some of her other YA books in the past. I think I'll pick up one of that series (I sure don't want to re-read "Twilight").
I tried to get this but unfortunately not get.
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