Banned Books Week - The top ten most frequently challenged books of 2009

Here are the top ten most frequently challenged books of 2009:

1. ttyl, ttfn, l8r, g8r (series), by Lauren Myracle 
Reasons: Nudity, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs

2. “And Tango Makes Three” by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
Reasons: Homosexuality

3. “The Perks of Being A Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Anti-Family, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs, Suicide

4. “To Kill A Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee 
Reasons: Racism, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

5. Twilight (series) by Stephenie Meyer
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group

6. “Catcher in the Rye,” by J.D. Salinger
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

7. “My Sister’s Keeper,” by Jodi Picoult
Reasons: Sexism, Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs, Suicide, Violence

8. “The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things,” by Carolyn Mackler
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

9. “The Color Purple,” Alice Walker 
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

10. “The Chocolate War,” by Robert Cormier
Reasons: Nudity, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group






You can see a listing of the books challenged or banned in 2009-2010 here on the ALA website.

Banned Books Week - Read the Graphic Novel Americus online

In honor of Banned Books Week I want to tell you about a great graphic novel that you can read online. The story explores the idea of banning books in a clever and meaningful way.


Americus is about Neil Barton, a teenager growing up in Oklahoma, and his fight to keep his favorite fantasy series, The Chronicles of Apathea Ravenchilde, in his public library. It’s written by MK Reed and drawn by Jonathan Hill, and will be published by First Second in the fall of 2011.

The first chapter of Americus was published in Papercutter #7 in 2008, and was nominated for the Outstanding Short Story Ignatz. You can read the story online on the saveapathea.com website. 


Here is a message from the folks at First Second, the publishers of this great story:

Banned Book Week is a week where people talk about why banning books is not good as much as possible so that everyone realizes that they shouldn’t do it!

Want to celebrate?  Here are five things you can do. 

 1)       Talk about it!  Communication makes the world go ‘round; and when teachers, librarians, and parents know there are people in their communities who are willing to stand up for the freedom to read, that makes them all the more likely to go to bat for what they believe in.

 2)       Go to a party, a reading, or a discussion!  I’m envious of everyone in Chicago who has the opportunity to go to the Official ALA Banned Books Kick-Off because it sounds amazing; there’s a complete list of everything that’s happening around the US here. 

 3)       Say it with style.  I don’t know anyone who doesn’t receive compliments on their Banned Books Bracelet, probably because they are adorable.  Who doesn’t enjoy protesting/awareness-raising and looking good doing it?

 4)       Write a letter.  Check out Amnesty International’s efforts to help people around the world being persecuted for things they “produce, circulate, or read.”  They’ve got six case studies up on their website now; your postcard or letter could really help one of these people. 

 5)       READ.  Seriously, folks.  It’s the very best way to celebrate Banned Book Week.  Here’s the list of the most commonly banned or challenged books in the US: it’s a great place to start.  And who doesn’t love an excuse to reread Flowers for Algernon, James and the Giant Peach, and As I Lay Dying?

 This is a cause that we all at First Second really believe in; thanks for taking the time to listen to us talk about it!

Banned Books Week - What you can do!

If you want to mark Banned Books Week in your school or community and need some event ideas, here are a few from the Banned Books Week website. 

● ‘Make your own banned book’ activity: Local libraries, schools and bookstores could provide both the crafts and space for a day/weekend in order for local community members, including children and youth to create their own ‘banned books’; libraries, schools and booksellers could offer prizes for participation.

●  Ask customers and community members to sign a support poster provided by ABFFE; display the poster throughout the year to encourage dialogue and interest in banned books and wider free speech issues.


●  Capture individuals exercising their right to read banned books on film: Create a Polaroid picture wall of students, patrons and customers who read banned books at your local school, library or bookstore; ask patrons to write their thoughts and feelings about banned books on the white part of the Polaroid.

●  Display list of banned books at register; start with the Kids' Right to Read Project Report and build from there as interest grows.

●  Organize a discussion forum on book banning—particularly if there are any local cases of book bans or challenges; focus on local youth using a Harry Potter or Twilight-themed discussion for instance starting with questions like why do you think this book was banned? Why do people ban books? Why do you like this book?

●  Hold a Banned Books Week Essay Contest; send the winning essay to info[at]abffe.com for potential publication on bannedbooksweek.org

● I nclude a Banned Books Week feature in your organization's newsletter or on your blog; advertising on a Banned Books Week theme

●  Organize contests to win 'freadom' buttons or bracelets; Check out 'banned book trivia' here.

●  Write to your local paper; draft op-eds and letters to the editor.

●  Screen related movies including ‘Jailed for Their Words’ and others.

●  Invite authors of banned books for signings and Q&A at your local library or bookstore.

●  Draw a picture of the one book you would save if books were being burned; display the pictures on a wall in the children’s section throughout the year

●  Collaborate with local booksellers and librarians for larger events

●  Keep a Banned Books Week journal; write your comments and thoughts on Banned Books Week activities

Fight Censorship in Your Community        
Report a book challenge:
* Contact The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE).
* Contact The American Library Association (ALA).
* Use the Book Censorship Toolkit, which includes tips for responding to challenges from the National Coalition Against Censorship.
 
Read About Book Banning
Read about recent book challenges:
* The Kids' Right to Read Project (KRRP), a collaboration of ABFFE and the NCAC, responds to book challenges and bans in schools and libraries.
                    * KRRP has confronted challenges to over 250 titles in 28 states.
* The American Library Association provides lists of the most frequently challenged books.
* ABFFE's Banned Books Week Handbook contains lists of frequently challenged titles.


Other articles of interest:
*Celebrate BBW with Ellen Hopkins and Simon & Schuster
                    Click here to download a Simon & Schuster poster featuring Ellen Hopkins' "Manifesto"
                    Click here to read KRRP's interview with Ellen Hopkins
* Check out GOOD Magazine's interactive display of 2009's most targeted books, complete with color-coded arrows indicating the reasons cited for book's censorship. 

Visit Web sites of pro-censorship groups
    *SafeLibraries.org
    * PABBIS: Parents Against Bad Books in Schools
    * ClassKS: Citizens for Literary Standards in Schools
    * Citizens for Academic Responsibility


Additional Resources
    * The American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom, Banned Books Week Resources.
    * The American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom, Library Bill of Rights.
    * The National Coalition Against Censorship, "The First Amendment in Schools: Resource Guide"
    * The National Council of Teachers of English, "The Student's Right to Read."
    * PEN American Center, Freedom to Write.

 Wear a Free Speech Bracelet, Button, or T-Shirt
 * Purchase Freadom products from ABFFE
 * Purchase Banned Books Week products from the American Library Association.
           Donate
* ABFFE has designed an attractive donation box for Banned Books Week that will make this easy. The compact boxes, which are 6" long by 4" wide by 3" deep, use very little counter space and provide    another way for booksellers to demonstrate their commitment to free speech. To order the free donation boxes from ABFFE, emailinfo@abffe.com.

Banned Books Week - September 27 to October 4

I know this is little late, but I wanted to remind you that this is banned books week. I don't know about you, but the idea of banning any book appalls me. If we all work together we can make sure that this blatant attack on our right to read is thwarted.

You might be thinking that banning books can't be that bad a thing to do. Think again. These are just a few of the books that people have wanted to remove from libraries over the years:

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The Harry Potter series
Bridge to Terabithia
The Goosebumps series
A Wrinkle in Time
To Kill a Mockingbird
James and the Giant Peach
Where's Waldo?

You can see a more comprehensive list on the American Library Association website , and I think you will be surprised to see what is on this list.

Random house has created a fantastic website, their First Amendment First Aid Kit. On this site you will find out how truly frightening book banning is, and you will also find out what you can do to make sure that out First Amendment right is honored and that our books, and our right to read what we wish, are protected.

For more information about Banned Books Week take a look at these other websites and web pages:

The Banned Books Week website
The Info Please "Books Under Fire" article
What you need to klnow about Banned Books Week on about.com
2008 Banned Books Week Report on about.com

“[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