I LIKE BANNED BOOKS!
If you're not aware, September 22-28 is Banned Books Week! This is a time to celebrate the freedom to read whatever you wish.
In order for books to become "banned", they were first challenged by a large amount of people due to some type of content that the reader did not like (such as having vulgar language, being too dark, or discriminating towards a people group). Horrible, right??
Well, you will find these books on the shelves in our libraries!
You're probably thinking, "Wait.. If this has such bad content, why is it on the shelf?" We are given freedom of speech, including the right to read or listen to whatever we wish (as long as your parents are okay with it). Many books are banned, but it's simply because someone didn't like what was inside the pages. That does not mean that you won'tbenefit from reading it or that it is "bad" material.
Believe it or not, according to the American Library Association, Captain Underpants was 2012's top Banned Book! Just to think that it is my 10-year-old brother's favorite! Other recent titles have been Looking for Alaska, The Hunger Games, Twilight, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Harry Potter. There are even classics such as Lord of the Flies, Hamlet, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. So, with this in mind, you may have even read (or have seen) one of these banned materials; some may have been required reading in schools.
All in all, I encourage you to read what interests you and what allows you to broaden how you view the world!
Feel free to answer one or all of the following questions! Take advantage of this week's theme by freely expressing your views on your favorite books! :)
- Have you read any banned books?
- If so, what would you recommend to another teen?
- Would you "un-ban" the book if you could? Why?
Have a great week!
-JESSE-
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