Banned Books Week kicks off this Saturday, 9/26/09, and already there are some great posts talking about banned books and the importance of protecting our and our children's freedom to read.
This one by Laurie Halse Anderson really struck a chord with me. In the post, Anderson discusses three recent attempts schools and parents made to get two of her books banned from high school classrooms. Anderson says,
"If you are looking to get a head start on observing Banned Books Week, feel free to write to the schools involved with these challenges. PLEASE, I BEG YOU: be civilized and polite!! Our country is suffering an influenza of rudeness. Calling names and heaping scorn does not further discussions or change attitudes. It just builds the barricades higher.
If you have personal experience with TWISTED, as a reader, a parent, an educator, or a librarian, please share those experiences (in a positive, constructive way) with these people."
If you are interested in participating in Banned Books Week, check out the ALA's Ideas and Resources page to get even more ideas for addressing the issue and taking action.
Thanks for this - all very interesting, though fortunately here in the UK we haven't had too much book banning. On a lighter book banning note I came across this banned book bracelet the other day:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theliterarygiftcompany.com/banned-books-bracelet-12-p.asp
It made me smile - the books that have been banned in the past and now are considered to be great literature... A lesson for now?
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Kids book giveaway currently at Playing by the book:
http://www.kuvik.net/ztoft/playingbythebook/