What is a Banned Book ?
A banned book is one that has been censored by an authority — a government , a library , or a school system . A book that has been banned is actually removed from a library or school system .
Why Are Books Banned ?
S ome
books and the reasons why they were banned
As the American Library Association notes , books are usually banned " with the best intentions — to protect others , frequently children , from difficult ideas and information ." Adults often censor books from children if they feel that the books have frightening or controversial ideas in them . In some cases , those censoring books think that a book might be appropriate for older children , but just not younger ones — a book that might be perfectly fine for a ninth grader may be disturbing or confusing to a fourth grader .
Not everyone agrees on which books should be banned . The Harry Potter books are a good example of this : some think they are wonderfully imaginative books that have done much to encourage kids to read ; others , who think the Potter books should be banned , think they are a bad and corrupting influence on kids .
Freedom of Speech and Expression
Includes the right to read and write books that might be considered by some to be too violent , hateful , or offensive . Because this freedom is one of our fundamental rights some people feel that any form of censorship is wrong . Most people fall somewhere in the middle , believing that people should be free to read whatever they choose , but that in some rare instances censorship is acceptable .
According to the ALA President Carol Brey-Casiano , " Not every book is right for every person , but providing a wide range of reading choices is vital for learning , exploration , and imagination . The abilities to read , speak , think , and express ourselves freely are core American values ."
Some people feel that schools , libraries , and governments should be the judge of what books are good for kids . Others believe that kids or their parents should have the freedom to decide for themselves , and shouldn ' t have others ' viewpoints imposed on them .
A Matter of Opinion
At various times in our history , some of the tamest books have been banned , including such children ' s classics as Grimm ' s Fairy Tales and Little Red Riding Hood — the former for being too violent and the latter because Little Red Riding Hood gives her grandmother a bottle of wine , which some feared would encourage drinking ! Another children ' s favorite , Harriet the Spy , was banned because it supposedly taught children to " lie , spy , backtalk , and curse ."
Some of the towering classics of American literature have been banned , including J . D . Salinger ' s The Catcher in the Rye , Harper Lee ' s To Kill A Mockingbird , John Steinbeck ' s Of Mice and Men , and Mark Twain ' s Huckleberry Finn .
Among the young adult novels that have been banned are Are You There , God ? It ’ s Me , Margaret , by Judy Blume ; Bridge to Terabithia , by Katherine Paterson ; the Anastasia Krupnik series , by Lois Lowry ; Julie of the Wolves , by Jean Craighead George ; and The Outsiders , by S . E . Hinton .
Offensive and vulgar language ; profanity ; racism ; sexism ; promoting euthanasia and being anti-business .
It was banned and burned in many US states for promoting witchcraft , and also banned in some Christian schools in the UK .
The book has been criticized for its historical and scientific inaccuracy . It has been denounced by many Christian denominations as an attack on the Roman Catholic Church , and Christian leaders in the Lebanon went so far as to ban it .
To Kill A Mockingbird addresses themes of racial injustice and the destruction of innocence , set in America ' s deep south . Frequently censored due to the racial issues with which it deals and its stereotypical portrayal of a black character .
This book has been banned by many libraries in different American states for different reasons - in the South because of witches being referred to as ' good ' and under McCarthyism for its perceived socialist values .
“ The Kite Runner ,” by Khaled
Hosseini Reasons : Homosexuality , offensive language , religious viewpoint , sexually explicit
10