We’re celebrating Banned Books Week (September 22-28) here at the library! Check out our display on the 2nd floor to find books that have been banned or challenged in libraries and public schools.
You may be wondering, what exactly is Banned Books Week? Sponsored by the American Library Association, Banned Books Week brings together the book community (librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers) against censorship. It’s a chance to highlight and show appreciation for books that have been targeted for removal from libraries and public schools for a variety of reasons. This is a topic close to my heart as a librarian, because it’s important to me that everyone is able to read freely and explore new ideas.
You can find a list of frequently challenged books here . Reading through this list, I recognized some of my all-time favorite books! Here they are, along with the reason they have been challenged:
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Challenged due to violence and its use of the N-word.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Challenged because it was considered “pervasively vulgar” and contains drug use, profanity, and offensive language.
Harry Potter (series) by J.K. Rowling
Challenged because of themes reflecting occult/Satanism.
What’s your favorite banned or challenged book? Let us know in the comments!
