Happy Banned Books Week! - Why it's Important to Read Banned Books

Happy Banned Books Week guys! I love Banned Books Week and the ALA, so I like to make a post celebrating the week each year, and discussing some of my favorite banned books and why it's important to read banned books. But first I've got some important links for you.

The American Library Association (This is the place to go for info. on Banned Book Week. reporting the challenge or removal of a book in your local area, and info on what books are most frequently challenged)

The books that were challenged the most in the past year (just in case you forgot or were unaware that books are still being removed from public libraries and schools)

Last year's Banned Books Week Post
2013's Banned Books Week Post

A few of my favorite challenged or banned books:
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov 
The Awakening by Kate Chopin 
Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut 
Blubber by Judy Blume 
Speak By Laurie Halse Anderson
The Handmaid's Tale by Maragaret Atwood
Howl by Allen Ginsberg

Why Read Banned Books? 
If you look at the lists on the ALA website of the most frequently banned and challenged books, they all (or mostly) have something in common: they tell the story of a minority experience or bring to light issues that we as a society would rather ignore. If a book has been challenged, there is a pretty good chance it is an amazing read that will challenge the way you think, see the world, and think about the others around you. Pay attention to the books that make some members of society uncomfortable enough that they try to remove them from the shelves, those are the books that need to be on the shelves most of all.

Art is crucial to humanity; it allows the sharing of stories and everyone's story should be heard (or read!). I hope you can support Banned Book Week by checking out the ALA website, or reading a banned or challenged book!

Happy free reading!