It's Banned Book Week once again, and while challenges are going down, there is still a lot of fear and ignorance out there. I believe that parents have the right to make the choice of what their children read, but banning books to "protect" the young minds of all children is not right.
I read a lot as a child. I read books far more mature than my age. I was reading Stephen King, Anne Rice, Jackie Collins, V.C. Andrews, John Saul and Dean Koontz from a very early age. I am so grateful to my parents for never saying no when it came to what I was reading- of course they both were prolific readers so I was doubly lucky as a child (much thanks to Da for leaving Firestarter in the guest bathroom for me to discover and laughing at me when I put my face in front of the fan so my hair was blowing around me as I pretended that I was Charlie McGee, because yes, they let me watch the movie too).
As much as books have been a part of my life, as much as they have shaped the life I've led, I've never changed my entire self because of a book I read. After reading It, I didn't go down to the sewers to search for a monstrous clown, after reading Go Ask Alice (often on the challenged list) I never took drugs, after reading The Secret Circle I didn't go try to dig up a crystal skull and unleash deadly magic. Okay, I might have started a neighborhood "detective" agency after reading Nancy Drew, and I might secretly think that I'd make a better bounty hunter than Stephanie Plum, but what I'm saying is that books open your mind, they don't put you under hypnosis and turn you into another person. A book won't make you gay, or promiscuous, or a leprechaun. It can help you deal with the fact that you're gay, promiscuous or a leprechaun, or all three. And God knows, there just isn't enough leprechaun support groups out there. But books are our friends and if more people took the time to read the books they want to ban, maybe they'd know that.In honor of Banned Book Week I will be reading Annie On My Mind and, hopefully if it comes in at the library, And Tango Makes Three.
What are you doing to celebrate Banned Book Week? What are you reading, or what is your favorite challenged book?
I'm reading The Giver for Banned Books Week, and I think I'll check out And Tango Makes Three as well. I'll be posting about them on my blog soon. ;)
ReplyDeleteI actually looked up the requirements to become a bounty hunter... it's a lot more effort than Stephanie Plum put in. :)
ReplyDeleteLOL, poor leprechauns! I'm glad my parents let me read whatever I wanted too and that they taught me to think for myself so no matter what I read I wouldn't be "brainwashed". ;)
ReplyDeleteI just reviewed Tango on my blog today. My 2 year old loved it!
ReplyDeleteI love your post. I agree with you how ridiculous it is that people can think that books can actually transfer character traits and habits onto the reader. Those people need to read more books and smarten up!
ReplyDeleteOf course, we need to tell them that just because the book they're reading has a genius main character doesn't mean that they'll automatically become a genius themselves just by reading about him/her. ;)
I think I should read a banned book too - but then I think, I will read whatever I want to and no one can tell me what not to read lol!
ReplyDeleteBanning books is the wrong way. If nothing else it brings more spotlight and intrigue on the books that are banned :)
I hope you enjoy your reads :)
I love your header.
What a wonderful post. Very well said. I don't think my parents ever thought to monitor what I read. But then again, I would often talk about what I was reading to my father...and I'm sure if I started talking about anything inappropriate he would have had an opinion about it.
ReplyDeleteAnd Tango Makes Three is a lovely book. I hope it comes in the library for you. Thank you for stopping by my hop post.
ReplyDeleteMy parents were never big readers and I don't think they paid attention to what I was reading. Not that they really needed to worry because I was reading Laurene McDaniel and R.L. Stein. Although one summer at Camp Fire Camp one of the other girls loaned me the book Trainspotting. And I read it, but I didn't really understand all of it because I had absolutely no frame of reference in that world.
ReplyDeleteLately though, I have been thinking I should re-read it.