Parents, school boards and activists have been responsible for removing dozens of books from school and library shelves. Starting October 1, in honor of Banned Books Week, we celebrate and defend the freedom to read.
The Hate U Give|
By Angie Thomas
Starr Carter is driving home from a party with her friend Khalil. At 16, Starr didn’t usually go to parties in her neighborhood. Although she was raised in this poor community, Starr’s parents enrolled her in a suburban private school. Her father ran the local grocery and her mom worked as an ER nurse. They knew how tough the streets are, and wanted their children to have a better future. Khalil and Starr are pulled over. Starr remembers what her mom drilled into her: Keep your hands where they can be seen, no sudden movements and no talking. Khalil is shot three times in the back. Blood is everywhere, and Starr’s life will never be the same. She questions her authenticity, friends and her white boyfriend – she feels like a black girl with two identities. The incident makes national headlines, with Starr as the witness. Her family, the local gangs and the entire neighborhood choose sides. Starr learns that she must speak for her friends who no longer have a voice. Vivid depictions of police brutality, violence and racism have led this heartbreaking, meaningful and bestselling book to appear frequently on banned lists.
The Storyteller
By Jodi Picoult
Sage Singer feels like she has lost everything – her parents, friends and, lastly, hope. Living in a small rural town in New Hampshire, Sage has spent her life in the shadows of her outspoken sisters and questionable faith. She squirrels herself away, baking and working nights for an ex-nun, sometimes sleeping all day while the world spins forward without her. One day Sage meets Josef Weber, a 95-year-old German man who walks into the bakery. They become instant friends. Josef is everyone’s favorite retired teacher and Little League coach who has been living under the weight of a dark secret. Sage is also deeply connected to her grandmother, a Holocaust survivor who never shared much of her past but was determined to live a full, loving life. When Josef asks Sage for an unimaginable favor, she is torn by guilt and regret entangled within their unlikely friendship. More than just another Holocaust story of survival, this intricate web of characters connect in ways the reader has never imagined. This novel, among many other Holocaust themed books, has been ensnared in efforts to purge schools and public libraries of what some deem inappropriate.
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
By Judy Blume
Margaret Simon moves from the Big Apple to the New Jersey suburbs in sixth grade, a time of great importance to an 11-year-old girl. Margaret is deeply self-conscious of the changes happening to her body. Being the new girl is both exciting and terrifying. As Margaret and her new friends obsess over boys and Two Minutes in the Closet, she prays to God for guidance, while deep inside Margaret struggles with what it means to be half-Jewish and half-Christian while her parents have raised her with no religion at all. Faith, puberty, family and friendship – this classic young adult story encourages honest discussion for girls who are on the cusp of learning how to express themselves during adolescence. It is no easy task to choose from the many incredible books written by Judy Blume, but her timeless coming-of-age story recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and was also adapted to the big screen. This bestseller has appeared on banned book lists since its publication in 1970, prompting author Judy Blume to become a longtime advocate for reading rights while battling censorship .
DID YOU KNOW: These books have also been challenged: Gone with the Wind, The Handmaid’s Tale, Go Ask Alice, Forever, The Diary of Anne Frank, Of Mice and Men, Harry Potter, Wicked, James and the Giant Peach, To Kill a Mockingbird, 1984, The Scarlet Letter, The Color Purple, Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, The Namesake and Sophie’s Choice.
