Banned Books Week celebrates freedom to read
The week of Sept. 21-27 is Banned Books Week. An initiative sponsored by the American Library Association, National Council of Teachers of English, the Freedom to Read Foundation and the Association of American Publishers, among others, Banned Books Week, at its very core, celebrates the freedom to read. It began in 1982 as a response to the sudden increase in challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries.
According to the American Library Association, more than 11,300 books have been challenged since 1982. Among the most challenged titles in 2013 are “Fifty Shades of Grey” by E.L. James, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Upper St. Clair native Steven Chbosky and “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins. Note that all three have been adapted into movies, and while “Fifty Shades of Grey” isn’t slated to hit theatres until Valentine’s Day, it is highly anticipated, and “The Hunger Games” and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” were box office hits.
Imagine if all of those who see these movies read the book first. According to Reading is Fundamental, 33 percent of fourth-grade students in public schools are at or below the “basic” level on the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress reading tests. Fifty-three percent of fourth-graders read for fun almost every day, and only 20 percent of eighth-graders reported doing the same.
Why deny a child – or anyone for that matter – the chance to read something if they are interested? We aren’t suggesting that English teachers adopt “Fifty Shades of Grey” into their curriculum, but we would never think of advocating it to be pulled from bookshelves.
Some American classics that were banned from different schools and libraries include “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck, “Moby Dick” by Herman Melville, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee and even “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak.
Our challenge to you – check out the list of banned books on bannedbooksweek.org, select a title, and … read.