Originally Posted By debtee The Challenge I see with this "banned" book list is that quite a few on there are what I read at school both in England and Australia. I believe a reading habit starts in childhood, that continues into adulthood and IF we continue to ban books, especially historical ones then how will the next generations learn about the mistakes of the past?
Originally Posted By debtee I also wanted to add that Gone with the wind is one of my Favourite books of all time! It maybe the English side to me but I also like McBeth and Hamlet! In America who are the sensors that get to decide what's banned? Are they a Government body?
Originally Posted By cmpaley The Government of the US (or any sub-government for that matter) can't ban or censor any form of speech. However, in many cases, schools can refuse to put certain books that the community finds objectionable in the school library (which I think is fine...the books can still be obtained if someone wants them). I don't get that Judy Blume books are banned. I read several of them and they were well written and deal with issues that a lot of kids deal with every day.
Originally Posted By EdisYoda Local citizen's groups can also lead to books being banned from public library shelves as well.
Originally Posted By RangerPooh It's amazing how many banned books there are. Plus how often books are discussed for banning. A year ago parents in the Gilroy Unified School District wanted to bann 'Beloved' by Toni Morrison. They felt that their 15-16 year olds shouldn't read it. It's a good book, I read it when I was their age. A few semesters ago I took a childrens Lit class and we discussed banned books and exposing children to them. Many of the banned books are award winners! We've all read books on that list and I feel that exposure to them is important. You can't chelter a kid from them/the world forever.
Originally Posted By jdub Banned Books Week 2005 just wrapped up. I just did a web search & found this list of "most challenged books" of 2004 ( <a href="http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=presscenter&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=86967" target="_blank">http://www.ala.org/Template.cf m?Section=presscenter&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=86967</a> ): "The Chocolate War" for sexual content, offensive language, religious viewpoint, being unsuited to age group and violence "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers, for racism, offensive language and violence "Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture" by Michael A. Bellesiles, for inaccuracy and political viewpoint Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey, for offensive language and modeling bad behavior "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky, for homosexuality, sexual content and offensive language "What My Mother Doesn't Know" by Sonya Sones, for sexual content and offensive language "In the Night Kitchen" by Maurice Sendak, for nudity and offensive language "King & King" by Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland, for homosexuality "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou, for racism, homosexuality, sexual content, offensive language and unsuited to age group "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck, for racism, offensive language and violence
