Banned Books Week 2018 will be held 23 – 29 september with the theme, “Banning Books Silences Stories."
Launched in 1982 when the number of challenged books skyrocketed, Banned Books Week is the national book community’s annual celebration of the freedom to read. It draws attention to the dangers of censorship.
This year, Banned Books Week 2018 will be held 23 – 29 september with the theme, “Banning Books Silences Stories,” reminding everyone of the importance of speaking out against censorship.
According to the 2018 State of America’s Library Report from the American Library Association (ALA), public libraries face the most challenges (56%), followed by school classrooms (25%). As of 2015, the ALA reported that more than 11,300 books have been challenged or banned since Banned Books Week’s inception.
In 2017, the Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 354 challenges to library, school and university materials. Of the 416 books challenged or banned in 2017, the top ten most challenged titles in 2017 were:
Thirteen Reasons Why | Jay Asher: 2007 YA novel challenged and banned in multiple school districts because it discusses suicide.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian | Sherman Alexie: 2007 YA novel challenged for acknowledging issues such as poverty, alcoholism, and sexuality since its publication, and continues to be challenged in school curricula because of profanity and situations that are deemed sexually explicit.
Drama | Raina Telgemeier, writer and illustrator: 2012 graphic novel challenged and banned in school libraries because it includes LGBT characters and was considered “confusing.”
The Kite Runner | Khaled Hosseini: Challenged and banned because it includes sexual violence and was thought to “lead to terrorism” and “promote Islam.”
George | Alex Gino: Challenged and banned because it includes a transgender child.
Sex is a Funny Word | Cory Silverberg | Fiona Smyth, illustrator: 2015 informational children’s book written by a certified sex educator challenged because it addresses sex education and is believed to lead children to “want to have sex or ask questions about sex.”
To Kill a Mockingbird | Harper Lee: American classic challenged and banned because of violence and its use of the N-word.
The Hate U Give | Angie Thomas: YA novel challenged and banned in school libraries and curricula because it was considered “pervasively vulgar” and because of drug use, profanity, and offensive language.
And Tango Makes Three | Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson | Henry Cole, illustrator: this 2005 children’s book is back on the list – challenged and labeled because it features a same-sex relationship.
I Am Jazz | Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings | Shelagh McNicholas, illustrator: This autobiographical picture book co-written by the 13-year-old protagonist was challenged because it addresses gender identity.
Banned Books Week is the annual celebration of the Freedom to Read. The annual event is sponsored by a coalition of organizations dedicated to free expression, they include: American Booksellers Association; American Library Association; American Society of Journalists and Authors; Association of University Presses; The Authors Guild; Comic Book Legal Defense Fund; Dramatists Legal Defense Fund; Freedom to Read Foundation; Index on Censorship; National Coalition Against Censorship; National Council of Teachers of English; PEN America; People for the American Way; and Project Censored. It is endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.
#BannedBooksWeek2018 #FreedomToRead #Censorship #BanningBooksSilencesStories #ChallengedBooks #ALA #SilenceEqualsCensorship
Photo illustration: © 2018 Janet Giampietro.
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