Each year on the last week of September, the American Library Association celebrates the freedom to read during Banned Books Week.
Books in public and school libraries are most often challenged for sexually explicit material, offensive language, occult references and violence. Recent years have seen the rise of books band for being "unsuitable for age group" and books "promoting homosexuality."
Find out more about Banned Books Week and the American Library Association below.
Some of the most frequentlly challenged books of 2007 are:
And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell for sexism, homosexuality, anti-family, religious viewpoint and being unsuited to age group
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman for its religious viewpoint
It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris for sexually explicit content
The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky for homosexuality, sexually sxplicit content, offensive language and being unsuited to age group
What some of the most frequently challenged authors have to say about censorship:
"[I]t's not just the books under fire now that worry me. It is the books that will never be written. The books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers." - Judy Blume
"I really hate censorship. I find it objectionable. I personally think that they're very mistaken. I think these are very moral books and I think it's a very short-sighted thing. Short-sighted in the sense that if you try hard to portray goodness without showing that the reverse is evil and without showing how great it is to resist that . . . well, that's always been my feeling about literature. - J. K. Rowling
"It's the same thing every time. They ban something of mine, the ACLU jumps in, loses the case in the lower court, and wins the appeal. After all," he stresses optimistically, "they can't win. What they're doing is unconstitutional." - Kurt Vonnegut
Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan, Jr., in Texas v. Johnson, said:
"If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable."
I find one of the great pleasures of life in enjoying a good book. It is my good fortune that I get to share my love of books through my job as a librarian. Though there are many books written containing ideas I may disagree with, I (and most librarians) would never add a book to or remove a book from my library's collection based on whether or not it conforms to my world view.
Ideas are indeed dangerous. The written word has the power to change lives. It is a testament to that power, that some books are perceived as being so dangerous, the public should be protected from their contents. A book can help a young person understand their sexuality without the embarrassment of asking an adult. A book can open up worlds of different cultures without leaving your living room. A book can challenge your prejudices and change your mind.
Happy reading!