[crazysunshine]

hello all!
maybe this should be in the political lounge but, oh well.
banned books week is coming up! (the last week of september, 24-1st)
I just wanted to remind you all to go to the library, read a banned book and celebrate freedom of speech!
more info here.

[Albert Pujols]

I am going to go read "Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants", my favorite.

[Atomic Rooster]

Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
Forever by Judy Blume
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Giver by Lois Lowry
It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Sex by Madonna
Earth’s Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
The Witches by Roald Dahl
The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
The Goats by Brock Cole
Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
Blubber by Judy Blume
Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
Final Exit by Derek Humphry
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The Pigman by Paul Zindel
Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
Deenie by Judy Blume
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
Cujo by Stephen King
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
Ordinary People by Judith Guest
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
Fade by Robert Cormier
Guess What? by Mem Fox
The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Native Son by Richard Wright
Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies by Nancy Friday
Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
Jack by A.M. Homes
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
Carrie by Stephen King
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
Family Secrets by Norma Klein
Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
The Dead Zone by Stephen King
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
Private Parts by Howard Stern
Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford
Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
Sex Education by Jenny Davis
The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

[Artful Dodger]

I will read Where's Waldo.

[Albert Pujols]

Goosebumps deserve to be banned.

[dreilly1]

[rickey939]

Originally Posted by Artful Dodger

I will read Where's Waldo.

I found him the other day at the Apple Store...he was buying an iPod nano of course.

[Ω]

I own 7 of those books.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Albert Pujols

Goosebumps deserve to be banned.

Once the reader reaches about 9 or 10, the Goosebumps series deserves to be ignored. NO book deserves to be banned.

Flowers for Algernon is the first book I ever read that made me cry. The Harry Potter series has done more for literacy in the English speaking world than anything in the last two centuries. Little Black Sambo is about an INDIAN (as in India) boy-how many people believe that there are tigers in the Old South?-then how can this story (written by the daughter of an English officer stationed in India) be about African Americans?

Many of the books that get banned simply make some vocal people "uncomfortable." A little girl asking "Daddy, why am I not getting breasts like all my friends at school?" can certainly make a man feel uncomfortable! But real adults face this sort of thing and deal with the situation, rather than banning the books that make kids ask questions. I think it's time for people to grow the #$%^ up and stop acting like they can turn back the clock or make something go away by ignoring it.

[Albert Pujols]

Originally Posted by ghporter

Once the reader reaches about 9 or 10, the Goosebumps series deserves to be ignored. NO book deserves to be banned.

True, I was just joking though.

Originally Posted by ghporter

Flowers for Algernon is the first book I ever read that made me cry.

That is a great book, we actually read it in 7th grade. I read a lot of the books on that list at school. Its unfortunate that some people will never have the opportunity to read them.

I think my favorite book that happens to be on the list is The Witches. I've read that book so many times, its actually sitting in front of me right now, and I think Im going to read it tonight before I go to bed. I haven't done that since 6th grade.

[ApplCmptrDood]

who organizes banned books week? when was it invented. i also have read like 15 of those books

[Tesseract]

The Giver by Lois Lowry

I'm surprised the list doesn't contain more Lowry. It's exactly the kind of writing that gets book-banners riled up (which is precisely why it should NOT be banned).

Also surprised not to see His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman on the list - it challenges organized religion in a very provocative way. A central theme of the books is the action of a body which is basically a parody of the Catholic Church, and said action is not very pleasant.

Again - if someone thinks a book should be banned, that's a pretty good reason NOT to ban it. Presumably it's because there are powerful ideas in it, which the book banner is afraid of.

[isao bered]

Originally Posted by Tesseract

I'm surprised the list doesn't contain more Lowry...

heh. given your screen name *i'm* surprised that you aren't surprised to find "a wrinkle in time" on the list presented here. ;-)

actually, i'm a little divided on the whole issue. i scanned the linked site and got the impression that they were wholesale against challenges and banning - whereas i am not. for instance, i'm not so sure that parents shouldn't challenge madonna's or howard sterns' book if they were in the local high school library. or perhaps some of the stephen king books if found in the local k-6.

similarly, while i think there *may* be some value to the "two daddies" and "two mommies" type of titles in proper context i don't they should necessarily be in public circulation in the grade schools. not that they should be banned, but kept with a counselor for use in an appropriate circumstance.

i've nothing against publishers investing in any book they choose, but i don't think freedom of speech or presses should be interpreted to allow any literary title anywhere.

be well.

laeth

[qnxde]

Originally Posted by isao bered

similarly, while i think there *may* be some value to the "two daddies" and "two mommies" type of titles in proper context i don't they should necessarily be in public circulation in the grade schools. not that they should be banned, but kept with a counselor for use in an appropriate circumstance.

Oh, definitely - we wouldn't want people thinking that sort of behavior was normal or somehow socially acceptable. Best to hide them away on the shelf in the counsellors office with "Why Does Heather Have Bruises?" and other inappropriate material.

[isao bered]

Originally Posted by qnxde

Oh, definitely - we wouldn't want people thinking that sort of behavior was normal or somehow socially acceptable. Best to hide them away on the shelf in the counsellors office with "Why Does Heather Have Bruises?" and other inappropriate material.

my point was not about the normalcy or abnormality of the behaviour. it's more about who has what roles in the presentation of the material. in your specific scenario above i don't think it would be inappropriate for the teacher to use such a book as an instructional tool in a classroom environment - in fact, it would probably be very beneficial. however, i don't think the same book in a grade school library for second-graders to casually look through would as desirable results and could perhaps even have detrimental effects.

as for the "two daddies" and "two mommies" scenario: while such situations exist, they certainly are not the norm for most communities here in the states. if a child or children become aware of that being a situation for one of their classmates having such a parenting structure (or if a child has such a parenting structure and becomes anxious about it being different from others) i have no problem with a teacher or counselor addressing a need and putting children's minds at ease. however, i don't see the point of introducing the topic if it is not pertinent to the environment. single-parent households, however, are not uncommon. that family structure being addressed in a manner similar to the abuse scenario above would probably be beneficial as well.

personally, i am far more comfortable leaving more of the social education of children to their parents and family while the schools concentrate on more traditional scholarship (language skills, mathematics, physical sciences, etc.) and the reinforcement of good civic discipline. though i also understand that many parents may abdicate their responsibilities in certain areas, thus creating a void in their children's overall education and socio/emotional maturation. and that is truly unfortunate.

still, i don't think making all manner of literature available without proper adult input is a good idea.

be well.

laeth

[qnxde]

Exactly what sort of detrimental effects (besides education) do you presume casual reading of "Heather Has Two Mommies" would have for your average student? Education is always pertinent and it applies to everything - religions, other races and cultures, beliefs - not just sexuality or lifestyle. Ignorance is never the answer and it only ever breeds hate.

[isao bered]

Originally Posted by qnxde

Exactly what sort of detrimental effects (besides education) do you presume casual reading of "Heather Has Two Mommies" would have for your average student? Education is always pertinent and it applies to everything - religions, other races and cultures, beliefs - not just sexuality or lifestyle. Ignorance is never the answer and it only ever breeds hate.

i never said *that* book specifically would have detrimental effects. that comment was made in regard to your child abuse scenario. but to give it a go anyhow...

my last sentence of the post you referenced sums up my thoughts on the matter, but to be more clear i will elaborate. what is your "average student"? what age? because age/maturity level is my primary concern. i don't think children should be allowed a self-introduction to topics and material they are not of an age to appreciate or understand. even if the book is simple and written and illustrated to their age group, *i* think we should err on the benefit of adult guidance and presentation of the material.

ideally, the parents of a community school should have input on these matters and make community decisions. i am not at all impressed with minute special interests or sources outside the community dictating community social standards. however, i am not so obtuse to ignore the possibility that funding programs may influence matters. nor am i unaware (as stated before) that parents may well be abdicating certain responsibilities and leaving such decisions to bureaucrats (perhaps only to get incensed later when they discover the decisions that were made).

this certainly is not an easy issue with one universal answer. quite frankly i am surprised at some of the titles on the list (like "a wrinkle in time" as previously mentioned). however, others on the list do not disturb me if the intended audience is school children. and, of course, as i've stated in my posts here others i think would be appropriate given reasonable circumstance and proper supervision. but "any book, anywhere, to anyone" - i think is completely unreasoned.

be well.

laeth

[vexborg]

As an librarian it's scary to see that list of banned books - it's up to a person to decided if a book should be read or not, not up the government or various organisations.

Shouldn't a democracy be about liberties?

No need to ban books, for me that ranks on the same niveau as the nazis's burning books...

[crazysunshine]

Originally Posted by Atomic Rooster

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

best. ever.

[ShotgunEd]

I own five of them and can't think of a single reason that any of them should be banned.

Stupid.

[gethigh]

Originally Posted by Atomic Rooster

...
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
...

Never read it but can someone who has explain why this is on the list.
I've seen the front cover before and it seemed pretty innocuous (to sane people I guess).

[Ω]

What I can not understand is why de Sade is not on THIS list.

[undotwa]

Banned books? Banned by whom?

[ghporter]

There's a difference between a school library not shelving books that have no bearing on the level of education they support and "banning" books. Neither Madonna's nor Howard Stern's books seem appropriate to a high school education, although as a high schooler I would have jumped at the chance to read "Sex!"

I can agree with screening patrons of a public library for age before allowing unrestricted access to some books-a 17-year old could probably handle a book as graphic as "Sex," but I wouldn't want a kid younger than that given access without the parent's permission. I'd simply want to put the onus directly on the parent for deciding what is and is not appropriate for their particular kid. But I would prefer to see it the other way around: make the parent explicitly and in writing define what the kid should not be allowed to have unrestricted access to. Making parents responsible for what their kids see or don't see-what a concept!

[SirCastor]

Once banned-book week in through I'm going to be returning to "Still-reading-whatever-the heck-I-want" year. I think it's great that we take time to recognize and encourage people to read for a whole week, but the state of our nation's (United States) literacy rate suggests to me we need to be doing more all year round. (I know. We are... It's just sad to see so few reading.)
As a closing thought, someone once said this to me.
"If you don't read, you're no better than those who can't."

[crazysunshine]

Originally Posted by SirCastor

Once banned-book week in through I'm going to be returning to "Still-reading-whatever-the heck-I-want" year. I think it's great that we take time to recognize and encourage people to read for a whole week, but the state of our nation's (United States) literacy rate suggests to me we need to be doing more all year round. (I know. We are... It's just sad to see so few reading.)
As a closing thought, someone once said this to me.
"If you don't read, you're no better than those who can't."

backed.

[Tiresias]

Where's "Naked Lunch" ? The last novel, as far as I know, to face an obscenity trial in the United States. Not to mention The Quotidian Odyssey of Mr. Leopold Bloom and Stephen Dedalus. Banned from the list of banned books?

[OSX Abuser]

Originally Posted by Atomic Rooster

Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain *******Check*****
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck************************Check******
Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
Forever by Judy Blume*************************************Check*** ***
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger*********************Check*****
The Giver by Lois Lowry
It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Sex by Madonna
Earth’s Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
The Witches by Roald Dahl
The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
The Goats by Brock Cole
Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
Blubber by Judy Blume
Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
Final Exit by Derek Humphry
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee******************Check*******
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The Pigman by Paul Zindel
Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
Deenie by Judy Blume
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
Cujo by Stephen King
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell***********Check and I own a copy*******
Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
Ordinary People by Judith Guest
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
Fade by Robert Cormier
Guess What? by Mem Fox
The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut***************Check********
Lord of the Flies by William Golding******************Check********
Native Son by Richard Wright
Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies by Nancy Friday
Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
Jack by A.M. Homes
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
Carrie by Stephen King
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
Family Secrets by Norma Klein
Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
The Dead Zone by Stephen King
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain************Check*******
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
Private Parts by Howard Stern******************************Check*******
Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford
Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
Sex Education by Jenny Davis
The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

\


I would like to see the reasons for the these books being banned other than age appropriate BS

[teney7]

You know what I hate... absoulutely hate...?

People who ban Harry Potter books... saying they induce witchcraft, and what not.

If someone I met started telling me that, I'd tell them what they can do with themselves.

Honestly, whatever happened to having a open mind and not constantly worrying about every possible problem that could arise from reading a book, watching TV, playing video games, living life and enjoying it because you CAN!!

[dcmacdaddy]

Originally Posted by ghporter

There's a difference between a school library not shelving books that have no bearing on the level of education they support and "banning" books. Neither Madonna's nor Howard Stern's books seem appropriate to a high school education, although as a high schooler I would have jumped at the chance to read "Sex!"

I can agree with screening patrons of a public library for age before allowing unrestricted access to some books-a 17-year old could probably handle a book as graphic as "Sex," but I wouldn't want a kid younger than that given access without the parent's permission. I'd simply want to put the onus directly on the parent for deciding what is and is not appropriate for their particular kid. But I would prefer to see it the other way around: make the parent explicitly and in writing define what the kid should not be allowed to have unrestricted access to. Making parents responsible for what their kids see or don't see-what a concept!

Personal and parental responsibility you suggest?!?
Shame on you for thinking such radical thougths.
It's the school's job to raise children, not the parents.
</sarcasm>

I could not agree with you more. Certainly some texts would not be appropriate in a public school library based on age-level maturity--Elementary school aged children probably shouldn't have access to Madonna's Sex or Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five. But if parent's dont want their kids reading certain age-appropriate texts then the parents need to explicitly say what text are and are not acceptable.

[dcmacdaddy]

Originally Posted by teney7

You know what I hate... absoulutely hate...?

People who ban Harry Potter books... saying they induce witchcraft, and what not.

If someone I met started telling me that, I'd tell them what they can do with themselves.

Honestly, whatever happened to having a open mind and not constantly worrying about every possible problem that could arise from reading a book, watching TV, playing video games, living life and enjoying it because you CAN!!

Chances are the people banning the Harry Potter books don't know their kids run off to their friends house to play GTA: San Andreas with the "hot coffee" mod. BUt then again, in this country, excessive and graphic violence is much more acceptable than minimal nudity or perceived un-Christian activity.

[Eriamjh]

"Hmmm. Two independent thought alarms in one week." - Principal Skinner