Celebrating the Freedom to Read

Banned Books Week: October 5-11

In 1982, the American Library Association (ALA) initiated an annual campaign to highlight the value of reading freedom and emphasize the significance of diverse viewpoints in literature. This week-long event was established in response to a surge in book challenges and bans in the early 1980s. It might surprise you to learn that many cherished childhood books by authors like Dr. Seuss and Maurice Sendak have been deemed unfit for young readers. In fact, thousands of books face challenges or are removed from the shelves of schools and libraries every year. The most common challengers of books are groups of parents and members of the community. The reasons for book challenges run the gamut – offensive language, violence, sexual content, religious viewpoint, LGBTQAI+ themes, magic or the supernatural, political themes and racial/cultural inequality. Fortunately, bookstores remain steadfast defenders of literary freedom and ensure these powerful works – banned in schools and libraries – remain accessible to readers.

Censorship is a dead end. It limits exploration and creates barriers to access information.

~ Stacey Penney

Books on Trial

Challenged Book – A book that individuals or groups attempt to remove or limit access to within schools or libraries due to content they find objectionable. A challenge to a title may result in it being relocated to a section in the library intended for an older age group than the one the book is intended for, labeling it with a prejudicial content warning or rating, taking it out of the online catalog so it has to be requested from a staff member, removing it from open and freely browsable stacks, requiring parental permission to check it out or withdrawing it entirely. A handful of the thousands of titles to face such scrutiny:

Picture Books:

Carle, Eric. Draw Me a Star
Henson, Jim. For Every Child a Better World
Kellogg, Steven. Pinkerton, Behave!
Parr, Todd. The Family Book

Children’s Chapter Books:

Blume, Judy. Are You There, God? It’s Me Margaret
Dahl, Roald. James and the Giant Peach
L’Engle, Madeline. A Wrinkle in Time
Rowling, J.R. Harry Potter series

Young Adult:

Frank, Anne. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
Morrison, Toni. Beloved
Picoult, Jodi. Nineteen Minutes
Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath

Adult Novels:

Hadden, Mark. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Kesey, Ken. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Maguire, Gregory. Wicked
Picoult, Jodi. My Sister’s Keeper

Banned Book – A book that has been successfully removed from circulation or restricted from access in libraries, schools or other institutions in response to a formal or informal challenge. Proponents of free access argue that banning books hinders intellectual freedom, stifles diversity of thought and has longterm implications for students’ learning, well being and empathy. Conversely, challengers emphasize the need for age-appropriate material or content that aligns with specific ethical or cultural standards. A few notable examples subjected to this level of examination and criticism:

Picture Books:

Dr. Seuss. The Lorax
Parnell, Peter & Richardson, Justin. And Tango Makes Three
Sendak, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are
Silverstein, Shel. The Giving Tree

Children’s Chapter Books:

Fitzhugh, Louise. Harriet the Spy
Lowry, Lois. The Giver
Park, Barbara. Junie B. Jones series
Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Young Adult:

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games
Hinton, S.E. The Outsiders
Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird
Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief

Adult Novels:

Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaid’s Tale
Gruen, Sara. Water for Elephants
Haddon, Mark. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Lee, Harper. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Books have the power to open minds and build bridges. Banned Books Week is a spotlight on our right to access varied voices and to engage with ideas that challenge and champion us.

~ Ava DuVernay

Turning the Page on Censorship

Banned Books Week is more than a celebration – it is a call to action. By removing books, schools and libraries deny readers the opportunity to engage with diverse and inclusive literature that reflects the real world. This year, the ALA launched a public supporter program specifically focused on combating censorship and protecting the critical role libraries play in communities. In addition to lending support to organizations like the ALA, there are many ways individuals can advocate for reading freedom. For example, purchase or check out a banned book, organize an author talk focused on a banned book, read and discuss banned books, and share information about banned books and censorship on social media platforms.

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Debbie Linville

Forsyth Magazines writer since 2016. Although Debbie has lived as far south as Florida, as far north as New York and as far west as Texas, she loves calling North Carolina (Winston Salem, in particular) home. Debbie married her high school sweetheart and they have two grown, married children. Their nest is far from empty – two adorable Havanese, Lola and Millie, keep them on their toes and fill their home with joy! Debbie recently retired from a long career in the educational arena. She holds a PhD in Curriculum & Instruction with a focus in literacy education. After 20 years in the elementary classroom, she spent the next two decades teaching and supporting pre- and in-service teachers. She still continues to promote educators in myriad ways, but is thoroughly enjoying the flexibility of a schedule she crafts to engage in activities of her choosing. She loves spending time with family and friends, volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House and Crisis Control Ministries, pursuing hobbies such as card making, quilting, and photography, cooking, reading, traveling (as often as possible!), and writing on a consistent basis for Forsyth Magazines!

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