Tag: Banned Books

Morning Meanderings… A Girl Walks Into A Library…

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)34 Comments

Good morning!  😀  Where was I?  Coffee Cup… check…. making Snickerdoodles for this afternoon… check…..


Oh Yeah.  A Girl Walks into a library…. oh wait, that’s me.  And it’s true!  I walked into the library yesterday afternoon to return the banned books I had on loan for Banned Books Week.  At the beginning of banned books week I had mentioned how disappointed I was that I had been in our library, local bookstore, and a few other books stores in the area in the past week no one had even a peep up around banned books week.

So… I am in the library (every time I say what I want to add with the candle stick or the rope…) AND as I am returning my books I see behind a glass case police tape saying “CRIME SCENE” and a banned book display.  In the center of the display was a large book with a padlock punched through it making it impossible to open.

Pause for dramatic effect.

I was thrilled and as I went up to the window to look at their selections I seen books I would love to read.  When I asked the librarian she I could borrow whatever books I wanted to in the case and they would replace them with the books I had just returned.  (LOVE my library!) So I left with three books out of the display as well as the books I had on reserve when I walked in.

Here is what I have:



Why is Beloved Banned?  They cite violence and sex.  I read also that is very graphic as it is about a woman who kills her daughter to keep her from becoming a slave.




Why is The Lorax banned?  The Laytonville, California School District challenged this book on grounds that it “criminalizes the forestry industry.”  The book says that cutting down trees is bad.


Why was Black Boy banned?  ‘Black Boy’ is a memoir about growing up in the Jim Crow-era South, a story of survival in a sick society that treated 1/3rd of its population as sub-human chattel.  Black Boy was not banned because of Wright’s Communism (excusable considering that-until the 1950s-the US Communists were the only political party committed to racial equality) but rather because it offended many Southerners, and also due to the book’s frank descriptions of sex, violence, and racially-charged language.

“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” is about a young resident of an Indian reservation who decides to attend a white high school.There is sexual language and foul jokes, along with themes encompassing racism, alcoholism and violence. There are also descriptions of how the protagonist, Junior, tries to realize his dreams while surviving both life on the reservation and at a new school.


This last one just looked interesting and I looked through it a bit last night.  It lays out 100 different banned books with author, publisher, date of publishing, what the book si a about and why it was banned.  I wish I would have found this book at the beginning of the week.


And yes, today is the last day of banned books week and here I am with another pile of books as well as a couple from my original trip to the library.  Maybe they do not all get read this time around…. maybe I will find that some are not for me.  I really have enjoyed learning more about the books and why they were banned and what I have read so far this week has been an adventure in reading and one I would gladly hop on board for again.


Today I am helping at a funeral for most of the early afternoon.  I plan to be home in time to finish the lawn (seems like I am always mowing these days!) and pick out a new audio at audible.com for my mowing enjoyment.  Any audio suggestions?  Any fun plans this weekend?

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (Banned Book Week)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)26 Comments

The background story:   Fahrenheit 451 takes place in an unspecified future time (some dialogue places it after 1990) in a hedonisticanti-intellectual America that has completely abandoned self-control. This America is filled with lawlessness in the streets ranging from teenagers crashing cars into people to firemen at a station who set their ‘mechanical hound’ to hunt various animals by their scent for the simple and grotesque pleasure of watching them die. Anyone caught reading or possessing illegal books is, at the minimum, confined to a mental hospital while the books are burned by the firemen. Illegal books mainly include famous works of literature, such as Walt WhitmanWilliam Faulkner, as well as the Bible and all historical texts.

My synopsis:  The book opens with Fireman Guy Montag coming home after a long day at work.  As he gets close to home he meets his new neighbor Clarisse who is young and free spirited.  As they walk and talk Guy finds her talk strange… speaking of taking time to look at the grass and enjoy a summer.  yes, even after their brief encounter he can not get what she spoke of out of his head.

Once home he finds his wife laying on the bed having taken an entire bottle of sleeping pills.  When Montag calls for help a team comes and cleans her out as thought they were carpet cleaners.  Their cold regard to a human life starts Montag really thinking about the state of society and about why he does what he does.

Fireman in this futuristic read do not put out fires… they start them.  In fact in this world the fireman we all know, never existed.  Firemen always started fire.  And why?  Well to burn books of course.  Reading is BANNED and if you are caught with books they are all burned, many times your home too, and occasionally the home owner.  During one such raid, Montag catches site of a line in one the books as it is being burned, “Time has fallen asleep in the afternoon sunshine.”  This prompts Montag to steal a book…..

… and it’s not the first time….


This book should be the king of the banned books week.  Why?  Because it is actually a book about banning books.  It’s brilliant – and so is Bradbury who I have never read before.

Honestly, before I listened to this book (yup – audio…. while I mowed the lawn and when I would get ready for work in the morning…) I had no idea what it was about.  Well.. sure I thought it had to do with fire… but if I would have known this was a book about burning books.  I probably would have made this one  a priority long before now.

Books, according to the story do nothing but put ideas into people’s heads.  And really who needs free thinkers all willy nilly coming up with their own ideas?

I really was impressed by this reading and was surprised really how much I enjoyed the story line.  I have never been one for sci-fi or futuristic reads but have to make an exception in this case.  For as old as this book is (originally published as The Fireman in 1951), it is almost spooky how it speaks of censorship.

I really enjoyed this audio – if you remember I had one audio of this I gave up on due to the narrator.  Unfortunately that narrator was Ray Bradbury himself.  I hate to say it, but I could not understand him.  I sent that copy back tot he library and purchased a different narrator at audible.com, read by Christopher Hurt, this one was amazing.

It’s frightening to think that as book stores close, libraries fight to stay open and e books become more popular… that I picture my library becoming paper contraband… hiding my books in the basement under lock and key and the pretense of a storage room…


Why was Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury banned?

The banning of “Fahrenheit 451” Ray Bradbury’s 1953 book about the evils of book banning and censorship is one of those circular jokes that we see every once in a while. The initial complaint was that the words “hell” and “damn” appeared in it making it a corrupting force on society. Opponents then noted that one of the books burned was a Christian Bible and took the position that the author advocated burning Bibles (rather than the opposite that he was trying to show how bad things had become)

A more obvious reason seems to exist. One of the main themes of the story is that a government which tries to suppress freedom of expression should be opposed. In the early 50’s, when this book was written, this advocacy of opposition was seen as a bad thing by real world authoritarian groups (e.g. McCarthyism) that claimed to have all the answers.

Like the opposition to “1984”, the opposition to “Fahrenheit 451” seems to grow as the depicted society grows too similar to our own. One of these uncomfortable parallels is today’s increased use of entertainment in place of learning and culture. Ray Bradbury has stated that this dumbing down was one of the concerns he was trying to raise.

I purchased this copy  from audible.com


Harry Potter and The Order Of The Phoenix by JK Rowling (Banned Books Week)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)24 Comments

He who shall not be named has once again… oops…. scratch that….. I guess I am a little deep into the story line yet….

*shakes head*  Starts again….

Voldemort is once again causing a bit of destruction and mayhem in the wizarding world.  It is the fifth year at Hogwarts and Harry has emerged into full-blown adolescence, including a crush, rage, and questions about his future.  Dumbledore has taken to avoiding him at all costs and it seems to Harry that everyone has forgotten that he almost had died last year and had saved the school from yet another horrifying evil.

Then there is the new addition to the school compliments of the Ministry of Magic, Dolores Umbridge.  A short toad like of a woman who is scrutinizing everything going on in Hogwarts much like a child would do to an ant with a magnifying glass.  In no time at all she has Harry off the Quidich team … banned for life (there’s that dirty word banned again!) and in desperation the Griffindor Team puts Ron in as Keeper.

“Hem Hem”


Things are not so wonderful at the school as they had been in the past and Harry is really wondering what sort of future he is going to have if this keeps up….


I listened to this one on audio, which  haveI  been doing all year, and highly recommend the audio versions if you have not yet experienced Harry Potter that way.  Narrator Jim Dale is an experience in itself and you will not believe the many voices he uses for the different characters.  I swear Hagrid is the real Hagrid and when Dale does Delores my skin crawls just like it did when I read the books!

While listening to this audio what I really noticed that I had not before (during my many readings of this book) is that this really is the book where Harry comes to the realization that his father was not the hero that he had built him up to be in his mind.  Harry is introduced to some hard truths about his dad and has to learn that everyone has faults.

As I thought about Harry’s feelings about his dad I had to think that this was another great move on J K Rowling’s part.  I swear, the more I listen and or read the books, I find more things that impress me.  I thought about how easy it is to put someone on a pedestal when they have passed away…. how we forget the annoyances, and focus on the wonderfulness and what we miss.  J K shows Harry a side of James that not only gives us a glimpse at why Snape loathes Harry so….. but also a look at his true father….  a fifteen year old hot-shot kid who thought he was super cool and loved to show off for his friends.  This book really shows us a good  message about relationships and Harry comes to realize that while his dad was not the perfect man he had imagined, he was still a very good man.

If you have not taken the time to experience Harry Potter on Audio I highly (HIGHLY) recommend it.   This rich installment won Jim Dale a Guinness World Record for the most character voices in an audio book. The series has won the Audies Hall of Fame Award. Fifth in the series. “Dale’s exciting, nuanced performance wholly captures the story’s irrepressible humor and magic.”—Booklist

Why was Harry Potter and The Order Of The Phoenix by J K Rowling banned?

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, along with the rest of the Harry Potter series, has been attacked by several religious groups and banned in some countries because of accusations that the novels promote witchcraft. However, some Christian commentators have written that the book exemplifies important Christian viewpoints, including the power of self-sacrifice and the ways in which people’s decisions shape their personalities. Educators regard Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and its sequels as an important aid in improving literacy because of the books’ popularity.

In July 2002, the parents of a student in Cedarville, Arkansas, filed suit against the School Board’s decision to restrict access to the Harry Potter series.  The Board’s decision limiting the availability of the book only to students who received parental clearance came in response to a parent’s complaint that Rowling’s books promoted witchcraft and defiance of authority.

If only we could wave a magic wand and educate parents and school boards about the First Amendment.

I borrowed this audio from my wonderful local library


Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret by Judy Blume (Banned Books Week)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)64 Comments

Twelve year old Margaret has a lot of worries for her young age.  She wonders if she will ever need anything beyond her training bra.   When the time comes to kiss a boy, how will she even know how?  And she is desperately afraid that she will be the last girl in her club to get her period.  As if this wasn’t enough, she also has a new home and a new school.  And where does God fit into all of this…


Ok.  I think I became a reader through Judy Blume’s books.  Ok…. maybe I started with my collection of Nancy Drews and then on to the Hardy Boys, but in those early years of double digits, Judy Blume was my author of choice.   I fondly remember reading this book and it was a pleasure to pull it out again for this re-read.

Judy writes well with her sixth grade voice of Margaret, page by page going through Margaret’s fears and hopes for her new school and for herself.  When Margaret’s teacher asks the students to share what religion they are, Margaret starts to wonder about that too.

What I love about this book is how Margaret takes her questions to God.  Throughout the whole book God is her companion and much like a voiced diary, Margaret shares it all.  The book is funny and sweet and a wonderful book for young girls as the are starting to ask their own questions.  I think this book would be a wonderful discussion book that could be shared between mother and daughter.

Reading this book again made me laugh out loud (all I am saying is six cotton balls…. ) and reminded me of the wonderful stories and characters I had found with Judy Blume.  It brought me back to a time when I worried about such things and it was good to read a book about a girl who had concerns like me.  😀

Check out all the covers for this book… how fun are they!


Did you ever read this book?  What cover was your copy?

Why was Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret banned?

Due to its relatively frank treatment of adolescent sexuality and religion, this book is one of the top 100 most frequently challenged books at libraries (i.e., books that have been requested to be banned), according to the American Library Association.

A fun FYI: This book was seen being read by Sawyer from the hit TV show LOST, on the beach, demonstrating his indiscriminate desire for reading material. He disliked the book, calling it “predictable”, with “not nearly enough sex”.

Freedom Writers Diary by Zlata Filipovic w/ Erin Gruwell (Banned Books Week)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)42 Comments

Twenty three year old Erin Gruwell was a new teacher in Long Beach, California.  Erin was filled with energy and ideas and was not deterred when she was given the students referred to as the “unteachables”.  Going optimistically head long into the class it did not take Erin long to see the invisible lines drawn between race, color, and social status.

When a picture is passed through the room making fun of a student, Erin brings up how hateful things like this start wars.  Mentioning the Holocaust she is shocked to find that most of the students in her room had never heard of this.  Using her own money, as the school would not provide books for such social outcasts, Erin teaches the students through reads like Anne Frank, and slowly builds the trust not only in her, but in each other.


I always try to read a book before I watch a movie although, such as in this case, it does not happen that way.  When I seen this movie years ago I did not even know it was a book.  The movie was phenomenal and even as I write this review and I think of this powerful story it brings tears to my eyes.

I had purchased the books years back after realizing it was a book and as many of my books do… it sat on the shelf until recently.  Reading this book, was  just as wonderful as the movie.

I can not stand hate.  It is a dirty four letter word.  I can not handle families torn apart and people judging each other for anything.  Having lost all of my immediate family members to tragedies, it breaks my heart to see families choose not to speak to one another over whatever differences they feel they have.

What I wouldn’t give to have one more conversation with my mom.  My dad.  My sister.

I am getting off course, but this book brings out a lot of emotion as I felt again within the pages, the hate, the labels, the teachers who looked at these students as a waste of their time and the schools money.  What Erin does costs her much, but the outcome…. is priceless.  Within this true story you will find the power and passion of one person, who erased the invisible hate lines by daring to cross them and showing love to students that were starving for it.

An amazing and powerful read that if you have not read – I highly recommend you do.  And this week, if you can make the time, I challenge you to rent this movie.  I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Amazon Rating


Why was The Freedom’ Writers Diary Banned?

On March 11, 2008, an English teacher at Perry Meridian High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, Connie Heerman, was suspended for a year and a half without pay for using the Freedom Writers Diary in her classroom against the wishes of the school board.[ Administrators objected to racial slurs and sexual content in portions of the book. Heerman had received permission the previous year to attend a workshop based on the books and obtained permission slips from the parents involved. The school board contends that Heermen did not properly follow the rules to receive permission to use the book. Erin Gruwell commented on the controversy, saying, “The best way to get a teenager to read a book is to ban it. When someone who is a daunting authority figure says, ‘Give us your book’, I think these students [thought], ‘There must be something powerful in these words’.

*FYI.  The Diary of Anne Frank is also a banned book.

(1982) Challenged in Wise County, Virginia due to protests of several parents who complained the book contains sexually offensive passages. (1983) Four members of the Alabama State Textbook Committee called for the rejection of this title because it is a “real downer.” (1998) Removed for two months from the Baker Middle School in Corpus Christi, Texas after two parents charged that the book was pornographic. The book was returned after students waged a letter-writing campaign to keep it, and the review committee recommended the book’s retention.


The Face On The Milk Carton by Caroline B Cooney (Banned Books Week)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)51 Comments


15-year-old Janie Johnson feels plain.  Ordinary.  She wishes she had a better name like her friends Sarah-Charlotte Sherwood and Adair O’ Dell.  Those are names that say something.  She thinks maybe she could start spelling her name with a “y”, like Jayne.  Or two”y’s”, Jayyne.   And maybe her last name could be something cooler, like Johnstone.  How will she ever be anyone as Janie Johnson?

All of this changes when one day at lunch she sees a face on the milk carton of a little three-year old pigtail girl.  The face, is Janie’s face.   She remembers the dress in the picture and suddenly her world is turned upside down.  Is she a missing child?  Are her parents not really her parents?  If she is not Janie Johnson….

then who is she?



The Face On The Milk Carton was a quick and good read.  As I was reading this book I could not help but feel I had seen this somewhere and had a flash back to a younger version of me watching an After School Special about this.  (Anyone remember after school specials?  They were on tv around 4:00 in the afternoon and they were stories with a message. )   Sure enough, I looked it up and this was actually a tv show and seeing the actress that played Janie, it all came back to me.

The book deals with typical teenage angst.   Janie gives me the impression in the beginning of just being bored.  Of course that rapidly changes as she starts to have anxiety over what she discovered on the milk carton and starts to explore what that could possibly mean for her and the people she loves as her parents.

I thought the book was handled well and as I finished it I really had no idea why this book would have made the banned books list.  Other than a brief possible sexual opportunity – which is considered, but declined, there really was nothing in the book.

The books ends suddenly and many questions are still left unanswered.  Apparently to my surprise, the story doesn’t end with this book.  There is a sequel to the  book called “Whatever Happened To Janie?”  AND then it goes on to a third book called “The Voice On The Radio” and concludes this series (4 books now… it is a series) with “What Janie Found“.

I never knew about the other books so that was interesting.  Also interesting is that none of the other books are on the challenged or banned lists.  😀

Why was Caroline B Cooney’s Face On The Milk Carton Banned?

The faintest reference to the idea of sex (a possible first encounter) was all that it took for a challenge to be made to this book. Subsequent protests involved a perceived “challenge to authority” that occurred when Janie becomes to determined to establish her true parentage.

I borrowed this from our local library


Banned Books Week – Sept. 26 – Oct. 3

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)69 Comments

*This post will stay on top for Banned Books Week.  New posts will be below.*

SteinbeckMiceAndMen

Banned Books… you may be surprised… I was.  I have read banned books – GREAT books…. and did not even know that it was a banned book.  This week take a look into the banned books… have you read any of them?

Here is this weeks special giveaway.  Comment here with the title of a banned book you have read for one entry.  You can leave up to three book titles (on separate comments) of books that are considered banned that you have read.

**  5 entry bonus if you read a book that is on the banned books list this week (Sept 26 – Oct 3) and leave a link to your review of it here.  If you do not blog, leave the title, author and a few words about your thoughts on the book here to receive this bonus.

I will choose one winner per every 10 comments using Random.org.  Winner(s)  will receive choice out of  the Prize Box. **USA and Canada entrants only please

Thank you to Natasha at Maw Books, who had this wonderful You Tube clip on her blog about banned books as well as links to more information about banned books.  Stop by her blog to find a lot more information about Banned Books Week.

Also see Biblio Blogazine and The Banned Book Challenge