Banned Books Week 2016

Let's celebrate the 34th year of Banned Books Week. Banned Books Week starts today on Sunday, September 25th and ends on Saturday, October 1st. Often many books are frequently challenged or banned due to the content within the books. A good portion of these books contain diverse content. Did you know that hundreds of books are banned or are challenged in schools and libraries in the United States every year? Some of these books include popular books that are read in school or are popular books that are loved by the masses. Check out what I had to say about Banned Books Week last year.

Banned Books Week is about spreading the awareness of the freedom to read. I am a big advocate for people of all ages to gain the access to books. By banning books, we are prohibiting people to exercise the rights as citizens. What happened to freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of the press? Sure, it's okay to write and publish a book but what's the point of it if no one can read the book? Books are published for people to read the words of the author. This person's ideas and thoughts are important.

People are always encouraging children and teens to read. How are we suppose to encourage them to read when people are banning and challenging books? We are censoring the youth of real life matters. Why sugarcoat life? They need to know the truth! Let's celebrate the freedom to read!

Many books that I grew up on as a child, as a teen and even as an adult were banned or challenged at one time in the past. Check out the list below for some of these titles.

BANNED/CHALLENGED BOOKS

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
1984 by George Orwell
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Giver by Lois Lowry
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Holes by Louis Sachar
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
A Separate Peace by John Knowles 

Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

What do you think about Banned Books Week? Have you read any of the books listed above? Did you enjoy any of them? Do you have recommendations of books that were once banned or challenged?

Banned Books Week 2015

Image from www.tamusa.edu

Banned Books Week is being held September 27th - October 3rd. Every time I think about censorship, I always think about Fahrenheit 451 with Guy Montag and the historical role of book burning. By censoring books or even films and music, we are creating an environment where people cannot have the freedom of speech. The government and authority like to censor things because they are fearful of the ideas portrayed in these mediums. They think the ideas will corrupt the masses and they fear the masses will go against authority. By censoring they believe they have control over everyone. Censorship shows how authority lacks the confidence and trust of its people.

Not only has many good books have been censored but the reasoning why the books are being censored are ridiculous. This year it the 33rd annual Banned Books Week and it is important to spread the awareness of the freedom to read. We need to protect the rights to be able to write, read, watch and listen to some of the most fantastic literary ideas. This is our past, present and future. We need to preserve history! We need to protect the freedom to read and access to open information. We should be able to encourage children to read. Literacy rates are important and by denying children access to certain books, we are denying them access to education.

“We must teach students about their First Amendment rights rather than restrict their use of particular books and materials. As educators, we must encourage students to express their own opinions while respecting the views of others.”— Pat Scales

What are your thoughts about censorship?  Are there any banned books that you enjoyed reading?