Artwork courtesy of the ALA
As per tradition, I'm here to share a quick post in support of Banned Books Weeks sponsored by the American Library Association. I have always been a reader of banned and challenged books, but as of this year, I am also a teacher of banned and challenged books. In our current political climate, which seems to be made up of extremes, discussing censorship and information withholding is more important than ever.
Looking at the list of the most frequently challenged books of the past year from the ALA website, makes it clear that book challenging is not about protecting children as it is so often sited as, but about restricting reader's abilities to see themselves and others that differ from themselves in literature. Of the top ten, half were challenged because of their honest portrayal of gender and sexual orientation diversity. While this is not surprising, it is disheartening.
As always, I encourage you to check out the American Library Association's website (linked above under the picture) and I will leave the link to report the removal or ban of a book or piece of work in your area.
Have a happy week (and life) of reading banned books!
Banned Books Week Posts:
