Banned Books Week 2013

Artwork Courtesy of the
American Library Association

That's right, it's Banned Books Week, where we celebrate and defend the freedom to read!

Did you know that 9 of the top 10 novels of the 20th Century have been challenged or banned outright? From 1990 to 2009 the most prevalent reasons for attempting to ban books were "sexually explicit", "offensive language", and "unsuited for age group". More often than not, the challenges were initiated by parents concerned with the books on their children's school reading lists. However, most challenges end up being pretty ridiculous, as seen in the ten most farfetched reasons to ban a book (according to the ALA):

1. “Encourages children to break dishes so they won’t have to dry them.” (A Light in the Attic, by Shel Silverstien)

2. “It caused a wave of rapes.” (Arabian Nights, or Thousand and One Nights, anonymous)

3. “If there is a possibility that something might be controversial, then why not eliminate it?” (Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, by Dee Brown)

4. “Tarzan was ‘living in sin’ with Jane.” (Tarzan, by Edgar Rice Burroughs)

5. “It is a real ‘downer.’” (Diary of Anne Frank, by Anne Frank)

6. “The basket carried by Little Red Riding Hood contained a bottle of wine, which condones the use of alcohol.” (Little Red Riding Hood, by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm K. Grimm)

7. “One bunny is white and the other is black and this ‘brainwashes’ readers into accepting miscegenation.” (The Rabbit’s Wedding, by Garth Williams)

8. “It is a religious book and public funds should not be used to purchase religious books.” (Evangelical Commentary on the Bible, by Walter A. Elwell, ed.)

9. “A female dog is called a bitch.” (My Friend Flicka, by Mary O’Hara)

10. “An unofficial version of the story of Noah’s Ark will confuse children.” (Many Waters, by Madeleine C. L’Engle)

Ridiculous? Absolutely. Real? Unfortunately, and the worst part is that attempts at censorship are still ongoing. To learn more about Banned Books Week and how you can help in the fight against censorship, visit the American Library Association's website.