Shari Della Penna
  • Home
  • About
    • My family
    • My work
    • My favorites
    • FAQ's
  • Contact
  • Blog

"Small acts of kindness can change and humanise our world."
   Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks 1948-2020
   ​Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, 1991-2020
                         Author, Advocate, Advisor

I Read Banned Books

9/25/2018

0 Comments

 
You might learn
a way to earn
a few dollars
or how to make doughnuts . . .
or kangaroo collars
          . . .
SO . . .
that’s why I tell you
to keep your eyes wide
keep them wide open . . .
at least on one side.
                                        from I Can Read with My Eyes Shut!
                                          written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss
                                                       Random House, Inc. 1978

    I decided to read Blubber by Judy Blume for my personal celebration of Banned Book Week this year. When the book was published in 1978, I was in my mid-twenties with two small children. It’s been on my list ever since and finally made it to the top. 
    
Blubber is the story of a girl who was teased, then bullied, for being fat. It is also about another girl, the main character, who didn’t really participate in the bullying, but stood in the periphery not trying to stop it, either. Until she, herself, became the bullies’ target. 
    Censorship has probably always taken place, but in since about 1980s, it became accepted, in some circles. Kinda like Jill, the main character in Blubber, most everyone stood complacently by as book after book was banned or challenged by some teacher or some school system or some (well-meaning?) parent. Suddenly and increasingly, adults decided not only what their own children could not read, some adults thought it necessary to decide what *all* children could not read. 
    Banned Book Week has been held during the last week in September since 1982. The American Library Association calls attention to books that are challenged by schools, parents, and other gate-keepers who want to allow us (okay, mostly children) to read only what is deemed wholesome, gratifying, appropriate . . .
    So who really decides? And what are the criteria for choosing a book to ban? 
    According to the American Library Association’s website, “The year 2017 saw an increase in censorship attempts and a revitalized effort to remove books from communal shelves to avoid controversy.” http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/NLW-Top10  Sometimes without even following their own policy.
    Most censorship involves preventing kids from learning about sex. Fiction and non-fiction titles are included in lists. Even the American Heritage Dictionary! That was allowed to stay on the shelf. Some are. Many more are not out-and-out banned, but restricted. A parent or guardian’s okay is required for a child to read a particular book.
    A quick Google search (remember last week?) showed me a list of several books and gave reasons why they were banned and by whom. Many are classics. Most are award-winners. All have children or teens as main characters. You can find the Huffington Post’s report here:
​
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/most-banned-and-challenged-books-in-america_us_58ecf60be4b0df7e20459961
    And just for fun, Barnes and Nobel posted this on their blog recently: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/11-books-that-were-banned-for-completely-ridiculous-reasons/ 
    Judy Blume said “Censors don’t want children exposed to ideas different from their own. If every individual with an agenda had his/her way, the shelves in the school library would be close to empty.” And this: “Having the freedom to read and the freedom to choose is one of the best gifts my parents ever gave me.”  
    So pick a list, pick a book, pour something hot, cold, or bubbly and enjoy a good book! And don’t forget to thank a librarian!
                                                                  -—stay curious!
    
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

         I'm a children's writer and poet intent on observing the world and nurturing those I find in my small space .

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly