Banned Books Week: Who Should Pick Your Children’s Books

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Heather Loy at Tech Tips & Timely Tidbits writes of an experience as a student librarian:

I don’t believe I have ever been told I couldn’t read a book I’d chosen, not by my parents, teachers, librarians, nobody.  You can imagine my surprise as a library student, completing an internship at an elementary school, when my supervisor told a third grade student he couldn’t check out the latest Harry Potter book because it wasn’t on his level (referring to Accelerated Reader - but that’s a whole ‘nother rant!)  Hello!  Censorship!  I had to walk away before I slapped the woman upside her head! continued here

Her reminiscence is brought on by Banned Books Week. Declared to be September 29–October 6, 2007 by the American Library Association.

The ALA lists these books as most challenged for 2007

• “And Tango Makes Three,” by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell
• “The Chocolate War,” by Robert Cormier
• “Olive’s Ocean” by Kevin Henkes
• “The Golden Compass,” by Philip Pullman
• “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” by Mark Twain
• “The Color Purple,” by Alice Walker
• “TTYL,” by Lauren Myracle
• “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” by Maya Angelou
• “It’s Perfectly Normal,” by Robie Harris
• “The Perks of Being A Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky

Most were challenged because of sexual, or homosexual content. Some for attacking family values and one for racism. (That would be Huck Finn.)

I’m feeling very out of it. I’ve only read one of these books (Huck). I started reading a couple others but lost interest. There’s a reason I don’t know these books. They are mostly young adult books. People get upset when they think someone is forcing a book on their kid.

That’s OK. Parents should monitor what their kids take in, no matter what the media. But I don’t think some other parents should be able to tell my kid what to read. My experience has been that school officials will cave to one vocal parent on issues like this.

Parents need to talk to kids about what they watch/read. Some books, video games, music, internet sites and TV shows shouldn’t be seen by anybody. Others have age and maturity issues. But let parents work that out in their family.

I hope the kid in Heather’s story was going to take that Harry Potter book home to have someone read it to him. And I hope he reaches a point were he doesn’t have to listen to silly adults with lame ideas about what he can and can’t do.

What do you think. Who should pick your children’s books?

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