Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Upcoming Banned Book Week 2012

Yes, I know, dear world, it has been a while since I have posted. I've been so busy with studying for the GRE that I've neglected people...and it doesn't help to find out from my sister that when she calls my number, it says it's disconnected. :/ Right now, I don't have the time to deal with it, no one calls me anyways. Oh, my sister calls the VOIP phone (just in case people might find it rude that I don't care if my sister calls - she knows how to get a hold of me!! :D)

As of today, 3 weeks until the GRE. Oh, sigh.

As for more exciting news! The Banned Book Week Display is up!! I was so thrilled to be doing it since I am a firm believer in not censoring books.


For the book list, I used Radcliffe's Rival Top 100 list (ALA approved). ALA (American Library Association) does have a section of each year's most challenged books. No surprise that this year, we see The Hunger Games series, The Color of Earth and AGAIN To Kill a Mocking Bird. Really?





September was also Medieval Month, so the left side is our tribute to the Medieval Ages. The right are the banned books, I chose to display.

Since the popular books were checked out, I decided to choose books that most kids and parenting adults would know best from their childhood. Our demographic is mostly the elderly and young families with small kids - nothing in between. We all love and adore Winnie The Pooh and Charlotte's Web - yes, they are banned books. Us geekier types may have begun our reading world with Tolkien (hence the Fellowship of the Ring is up there [part 1 of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy - for those who did not know]). Geez, I was 13 when I first read Tolkien's books! And I waited to take a picture until 1984 was found! I was sad that we did not have Heart of Darkness or Naked Lunch (I personally own these). Of course, I could not leave out Schindler's List or The Color Purple.

Seriously, we do not understand how luckily we are to be able to read books and enjoy them. We are so blessed to be able to browse through a library when in some countries, you cannot even browse or sit and enjoy the AC while looking through magazines. Literacy is not an enemy. It gives us the option to learn about something and then make a decision whether or not to agree or disagree with it.

I was surprised when I realized that the cutest kids book, The Hungry Caterpillar, is a banned book?! Seriously, people need to lighten up. We need to be proud that we have the opportunity to be literate and be able to enjoy books. Knowledge is power! READ!


7 comments:

  1. Why are Winnie the Pooh and Charlotte's Web banned books???? Schindler's List too? Oh man.....what is the world coming to?????

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    1. When they first were published, they were challenged. Obviously, Schindler's List because there are people who deny that the Holocaust actually happened (they can go and see the camps! It's all still there!). Winnie-the-Pooh because certain religious thoughts (I won't name any) in their text animals are not on the same mental and conscious level as humans. Therefore, a boy who can talk to animals and they talk back are obviously Satanic. Luckily, most of these books are unbanned - but still challenged constantly. But in certain schools/areas you will not find some of these books. For example, "To Kill A Mockingbird" was again challenged in 2011. Dr. Seuss's books are banned in certain countries across this nation. "The Lorax" was banned when you and I were little.

      It's sad, really but that's what happens when people don't think! And people read too much into things, seriously! Especially for kids books!

      BTW: thanks for stopping by!!

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    2. I meant counties, not countries.

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  2. Great post Rebekah. So cool that you are spreading the word about literacy and open mindedness!

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    1. Thanks, Mike! I am happy to spread the word. It is very important to me especially we live in a country where we have the privilege to read and be educated! These things should not be taken for granted or taken away.
      Thanks for stopping by my blog! :) And congrats on your little one. :D

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  3. When I first saw Charlotte's Web on the shelf I couldn't imagine why that would ever be a banned book! But I forget, people are crazy. I read To Kill A Mockingbird in the 8th grade. It's a shame that there are people out there who want to shelter people from books like that. And oh my gosh! The Hungry Caterpillar?! It's a caterpillar!

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    1. I know. It's really insane but there are REALLY messed up people out there. The Hungry Caterpillar is banned in certain schools for promoting obesity and (most importantly) gluttony. *facepalm* IT'S A CATERPILLAR!!! It chews leaves and turns into a butterfly. LOL We think all of this crazy things exist in CNN in other countries. We forget that the crazies are here too and when you get a lot of them together, they can make stuff happen. I'm suddenly reminded of an article in August about how a bunch of crazies in Lake Charles, LA are trying to get rid of this palm scanner because (I quote) "I know where it's going to end up coming to, the mark of the beast. I'm not going to let my kids have that." THESE are the kind of people that ban kids books. :/ The link is here, I was stunned: http://www.kplctv.com/story/19275089/letters-regarding-palm-scanning-causes-concern-amongst-moss-bluff-elementary-parents

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