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Banned Books Week



It's Banned Books Week and I was amused to find one of the books I reviewed earlier this year on the list of the Ten Most Challenged Books of 2006. Carolyn Mackler's The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things was banned for a number of reasons, my favorite being that it is "anti-family." Turns out the story of an overweight girl who, refusing to succumb to peer and societal pressure to be skinny, learns how to be happy in her own skin, is really just cleverly disguised anti-family propaganda. I totally get that now.

Chris Crutcher, a perennial favorite among book banners, is also represented on the 2006 list. Bless him. For the record, Crutcher's books are awesome and a great way to go out and celebrate Banned Books Week would be to cozy up with a copy of Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes (my favorite of his). I think I'll celebrate by getting myself one of these super cool wristbands.

So grab a copy of Fahrenheit 451 or Harry Potter or whatever other book they're afraid of and exercise your freedom. Read a banned book. Talk about it with your kids. Make a librarian's day.
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  1. Anonymous12:00 PM

    You are such a rebel. Once again, I'm going to need an autograph. :) I'll have to check out the banned books to see what all the hype is about.

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  2. Angiegirl1:34 PM

    And you are my accomplice rebel. Just ask poor Robert. Raaawbert! Ah, the Blue Eagle...

    As far as good Banned Books reading goes, I'd recommend The Outsiders in honor of it's 40th anniversary being this year. Or A Wrinkle in Time--my favorite book on the list of 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000.

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