128 pages
Cover Story: Love it! So appropriate and love how the authors name goes over Anne Frank’s mouth. That is censorship!
From the New Testament to The Diary of Anne Frank to current objections to the Harry Potter series–dubbed the most frequently challenged books of the 21st century by the American Library Association–the tradition of banning, censoring, and challenging books has been remarkably enduring.
Seriously… what is it about the word “forbidden” that makes you want to put a toe over the line? I almost have a sort of sick fascination with the books that are labeled as such. I have visions of women covered from head to toe in long shapeless black dresses and a bonnet and suit clad “bow tie too tight” men standing around a bonfire clucking away as as they toss the book in….
ok…
maybe that’s not fair.
The point being I get a little riled up when I see books in here that are near and dear to my heart. I see Harry Potter once again being tossed to the wolves and I stand on the sidelines looking amazed as these are the very books that made my sons readers. The series that kept my kids up past curfew… not because they were playing war video games, not because they were in awe of late night crappy TV shows…. no. I had to ask them to shut their books and go to sleep. (The equivalent of a Norman Rockwell moment.
And why? Because the books are set in the supernatural world and therefore must be satanic. Because kids who fly brooms and wave wands at teachers are surely going to cause our own kids to become broom riding thugs.
Seriously. If that is the reasoning then for the life of me I don’t know why I am not running for my car in the dead of night at top speed and screaming like a banshee in fear of the flying monkeys that are present in the ever popular Wizard Of Oz.
And sure I have a certain soft spot for the Potter series so of course I will defend – but there are others.
Authors the likes of D.H. Lawrence, Margaret Atwood, James Joyce, John Steinbeck, Anne Frank, Mark Twain…. oh and did I mention the New Testament? Pearce Carefoote sticks to books that we are familiar with and leaves a good amount of information as to why the books have been challenged.
While the book is small and doesn’t even tap anywhere near into all the books that have been challenged, censored, and banned, what it does share is quite informative.
Pearce Carefoote even starts the book with a Primer On Censorship.
“Oh Harry, don’t you see”, Hermione breathed. “If she could have done one thing to make absolutely sure that every single person in the school will read your interview, it was banning it.”
J K Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
And while book censorship continues to rear its ugly head… it also continues to be defeated… time and time again. Page after page.
I borrowed this book from our local library
Book Journey 
Hear! Hear! I’m with you girlie! While working as an elementary librarian about 10 years ago, a mother volunteered to help with the book fair. It was all focused on Harry Potter at the time and I had created fun raffles, trivia contests, etc. to get kids excited about reading the books and buying books at the book fair. She eventually fessed up that she volunteered for the sole purpose of getting all of the Harry Potter books and burning them! Can you believe it? She insisted they were ‘of the devil’ and even brought me a ‘religious book’ against Harry Potter. She didn’t know that her own sons had checked the books out countless times…ha ha!
I have heard things like this before Dawn and it still amazes me! I had an extra ticket to the last HP movie that came out and called up a friend of mine who had the day off. She told me that she didn’t do Harry Potter because it was Wicka (is that how you say it?).
I was really surprised of her take on the books and we gave our extra ticket away to a random person standing in line since it was only good for that day because we pre bought.
What is funny about this is that my Pastor and his son were also at this same showing of the movie and they both loved it.
I know…I know…censored books so totally go against my grain as a former children’s librarian and a current reading specialist. Some of my childhood favorites were banned somewhere in the world–Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (banned in China for anthropomorphized animals), Little Black Sambo (banned in Japan to avoid political threats to boycott cultural imports) and even the Dick and Jane series (banned in Soviet Russia for their pro-Americanism)! If books hold interest, let them be read!
Linda I think most of the classics have been banned or challenged in one way or another. 🙂
I have to say that my parents always though the more I read, the more well rounded individual I became. I think they are right because a book always makes me seek out more information. I love the cover of the book. It amazes me what people want banned and why.
I agree Felicia!
I’ll have to check this one out. I feel very strongly about this issue. I can’t understand why some of these books are banned or burned by ignorant people. I read Fahrenheit 451 a few months ago. Everyone should read that if they think they want to live in a world where other people decide what or even if we get to read!
Hi Kathleen – I have never read that one…. maybe I should 🙂
A subject near and dear to my heart. When I worked at the library I always made a Big Deal about Banned book Week. We are in the Bible Belt here and have problems with books some areas don’t. Yes the complaints come in about the Potter books and others that have wizards and witches. Complaints were made about the YA selection with so many paranormals there. If we don’t pull the books they disagree with, they steal them. An effective way to censor since we have so little book money to spend. Many books we don’t know are missing until someone is looking for them. I’d been there over a year when someone was looking for a book on Darwin for a research paper. It was supposed to be on the shelf, but was gone. I checked the catalogue and we had 3 books on Darwin and evolution. All three were gone. After checking the records, I discovered they had never circulated, which means they were probably taken shortly after being placed on the shelf.
If you don’t want to read it , don’t. If you don’t want your children to read it, it is your right as a parent to restrict them. However, your right stops at your doorstep and family. I am free to choose my reading material and that of my children. You may not approve, but it is none of your business.
I would always put out a selection of books that had been banned or challenged plus post the list of most challenged books. Most people were very surprised by the books included. I posted some wonderful 1st Amendment quotes around the library.
Pat this is a wonderful comment. I too was surprised when I first read a list of what books have been banned. I think most people are. We tend to think that if a book is banned, there must be a really good reason…. I actually love having this discussion with people and have a pin that says “I read Banned Books”. It is a great conversation piece!
I have my Banned Books pin too.
Pat I love that pin! Its a great conversation starter and I look like such a rebel…LOL
I know what you mean, Sheila. Any kind of censorship smacks of the very tyranny we’re supposed to be against.
Interesting to see Mark Twain’s name on that list, too; his Tom Sawyer book was the first one I checked out of the library at age eight.
Loved that book and, of course, Huck Finn, etc.
Margaret Atwood is one of my all-time favorites. Her Handmaid’s Tale eloquently speaks to the loss of freedom, something we should all fear.
Thanks for reminding us that the battle continues…
Laurel – Tom Sawyer? Huck Finn? Bad boys bad boys – whatcha going to do? LOL
I have yet to read Margaret Atwood I am sad to say. I am anxious to read her.
Brialliant Sheila, I couldnt’ have said it better myself so I will just say thank you.
Thanks Ryan! 🙂
I have an award for you at my blog!
Well thank you Julie 😀
This is one book I have to read. I to loved the Harry Potter series and it got my oldest to read. She would read the books and we would discuss them. Some of my fondest memories were me and her sitting over a bowl of popcorn discussing Harry Potter. She still reads them every chance she gets. I have never understood book censorship or any kind of censorship. I guess I never will.
Bobbie, I think those books gave a passion for reading to many, and not just kids. J K started something positive with these books. 🙂
Definitely sounds like a worthwhile book! Spreading the word about challenged and banned books is so important! Great, appropriate cover, too, I agree.
It is a subject that gets the heart racing a bit Hannah! 🙂
Certainly a big one, I agree.
Yet another book to add to my list!! A couple of years ago I taught a class on the 6th HP book and we discuused book banning in lots of detail. It fascinates, yet angers me!!
Me too Tif… I get a little fired up 🙂