Love books, not banning!

What is Banned Books Week?

Every year books are challenged in public and school libraries across the nation. What does that mean? If someone is offended by material, they can challenge the book asking that the material be restricted or banned. This happens to TONS of books throughout the year. It’s strange for me to think that this happens all over the nation, all throughout the year, year after year! It is totally understandable that not everyone likes or wants certain books in their city library, or that parents don’t want some material in their child’s school library. It would be unfortunate though if challenged material was taken out of these venues. Could you imagine a city where Catcher in the Rye was nowhere to be found or a school that didn’t have To Kill a Mockingbird?

At Laguna Beach Books we agree with the American Library Association that not every book is right for every individual. It is our privilege as an independent bookstore to make available a wide range of material, and that includes things that not everyone will agree with. Judith F. Krug, director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom says, "Part of living in a democracy means respecting each other's differences and the right of all people to choose for themselves what they and their families read."

There are many books that have been challenged this year, and so many more books that have been challenged in years passed. We aren’t trying to celebrate controversy. Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom we have to read, the freedom we have to think for ourselves and to hold our own opinions.

Without further ado we present to you The 10 Most Challenged Books of 2006:

· “And Tango Makes Three” by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, for homosexuality, anti-family, and unsuited to age group;
· “Gossip Girls” series by Cecily Von Ziegesar for homosexuality, sexual content, drugs, unsuited to age group, and offensive language;
· “Alice” series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor for sexual content and offensive language;
· “The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things” by Carolyn Mackler for sexual content, anti-family, offensive language, and unsuited to age group;
· “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison for sexual content, offensive language, and unsuited to age group;
· “Scary Stories” series by Alvin Schwartz for occult/Satanism, unsuited to age group, violence, and insensitivity;
· “Athletic Shorts” by Chris Crutcher for homosexuality and offensive language;
· “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky for homosexuality, sexually explicit, offensive language, and unsuited to age group;
· “Beloved” by Toni Morrison for offensive language, sexual content, and unsuited to age group; and
· “The Chocolate War” by Robert Cormier for sexual content, offensive language, and violence.

Off the list this year, but on for several years past, are the “Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger, “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck and “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain.

During banned books week we will have various challenged books featured in the store, and we invite you to let us know what books you love that may be on a challenge list somewhere.

Happy Reading!

Kristiana