CPL's Book a Week Challenge discussion

"Censorship is a dead end. Find your freedom to read."

I have returned and just in time for Banned Books Week! This week celebrates the freedom to read and highlights the attempts to censor books in various institutions.

There are many reasons why people try to ban books (you can see frequently challenged books with the reasons why here), but libraries have always taken a strong stance against banning. Our reasons are infinite - our communities are not homogeneous and everyone deserves to see themselves reflected in literature. Books representing attitudes of the past are launching points for reflection and discussion. Books dealing with tough subjects teach us and help us grow. A book someone might deem inappropriate could be life saving to another. And on and on this list goes.

The freedom to read and the freedom to have access to those books is so important. Censorship is truly a dead end.

One of September's Take It or Leave It challenges was to read a banned book. Did you read one? If so, which one? Tell us about your banned book choice.

Mine is fairly cliche - I'm working on my second read through of Harry Potter. Outside of its most recent controversy surrounding Rowling, it has appeared numerous times on the challenged lists for such things as magic/witchcraft and (my personal favorite) "for characters that use nefarious means to attain goals" (isn't that almost every book character at some point?). I also read The Hate U Give for the first time earlier this month which was an incredibly powerful book and one I can't recommend enough.

I read "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky. Great book, but I could see after reading it why it might be challenged because of some of the content.

I read George by Alex Gino, about a girl born in a boy's body. It's a good book, well written and informative without being teachy.