Children's Banned Books (Part 2)

Banned Books Week

September 25 ~ October 2, 2010

Children's books that have been
banned or challenged as listed in a blog article by Britney Wilkins in 50 Banned Books That Everyone Should Read. Please visit the site. This was published in 2009 and a great deal of work went into this blog article including links to articles that discuss why the books are challenged or banned.

Most books are challenged by parents for age-appropriateness and some have been banned from schools & school libraries. I think it is appropriate for parents to have a say in what their own children read, but not what is available for all. This I have stated at the end of this blog, but moved it up because I want to make sure it is noticed.

Protect the Children

These books have all been at the heart of controversy over their appropriateness for children and youth to read. Britney Wilkins has done a fine job of explaining why each is in conflict. Please go to her article to see the 50 Banned Books That Everyone Should Read when you go to this list click on each title to read the reasons for challenging or banning that particular book.

1. Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger.

   Frequently a target of censorship, this classic coming-of-age story of a teenage boy in New York is often banned due to the language and sexuality–particularly a scene with a prostitute.

2. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.

   Offensive language, in particular, one very racially-charged word, is the usual reason given for banning this book, which has been controversial since it was published in 1884. Twain’s famous story highlights the friendship between a white boy and a black man in a book that attempted to challenge the racism Twain saw around him.

3. Forever by Judy Blume.

   Blume is frequently the target of censorship as many of her books deal with teen issues revolving around becoming a sexual being. Forever documents a high school girl’s loss of virginity and delves into the emotional aspects of her choice.

4. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman.

   This fantasy novel says much about friendship and loyalty, but it also says plenty about not following a religion blindly. Many have seen the book as anti-religion and have banned the book.

5. Lord of the Flies by William Golding.

   Most who oppose this book claim the violence, language, and the implication that man is little more than an animal as the reasons. The book depicts a microcosm of society played out on an island populated by young boys stranded there and trying to survive. The struggle between good and evil and the exploration of human nature can force readers to examine themselves in ways that may not feel comfortable.

6. The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling.

   Some parents object to the magic and wizardry that is at the heart of the Harry Potter books. Because of their objections, many schools and libraries have banned these books.

   I can't say that I am surprised at this especially with the challenging of the L'Engle book A Wrinkle in Time, but I certainly don't agree with it. Most of the fairy tales I read or that were read to me as a small child would be banned under this code. Oddly enough, I read where Little Red Riding Hood was banned or challenged in some area because she was had wine in the basket she was taking to her grandmother.
7. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson.

   A powerful book that explores friendship, life, and death, this book is often banned due to what some feel is offensive language and scenes of witchcraft which some believe promotes disobeying authority as well as anti-religious sentiments. Oddly, the theme of death, which is a major element in the novel, is also used as a reason to ban this book.

   Why this book is of concern truly baffles me. The book is very well written and the movie made from it touching.
   
8. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl.

   This book depicts a child who lives under the oppression of mean caretakers and relies on his creativity and an alternate world in order to survive. Those opposed to the book dislike the violence, language, and disobedience towards adults.

   Regularly this book was checked out of our library & read to classes by teachers.
   
9. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson.

   This children’s story tells of two male penguins at a zoo who care for an egg together. Despite the reality that male penguins bond together to care for their eggs in nature and that the two characters in the book are based on actual penguins from the Central Park Zoo, the idea of two males creating a family has forced many to ban the book due to reasons of homosexuality and anti-family issues.

10. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. T

    he bonds of family and friendship are at the heart of this novel, but it also highlights the battle of good and evil and brings in supernatural spirits, therefore making it a target for those worried about the religious implications they feel the novel makes.

    There are three other titles in the series A Wind in the Door, Many Waters, and A Swiftly Tilting Planet all featuring the Murry family. I routinely recommended the reading of these as I did with the Chronicles of Narnia series by CS Lewis even though this series could be challenged as a breach of separation of church and state with its "Christian" theme. It is a story of a fantasy world with magic occurring in it... hmmm.
    
11. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier.

    Selling chocolates as a fundraiser at school not only sets off fictional turmoil in this book, but it also prompts parents to challenge the book. Reasons given include language, violence, resisting authority, and sexuality.

12. The Giver by Lois Lowery.

    The award-winning book that depicts a society driven to maintain an amazing amount of control over its members, including euthanasia and suicide. Some parents have reacted strongly to these themes in the book and have taken the book as an endorsement for killing.

    Some of the more mature 5th grade students read this book but I did advise that they discuss it with me or their teacher because I was sure there would be questions to arise.

I have not read all of these books, but the ones I have read do not concern me in their witchcraft, problems of teen years, death, etc. Some should be discussed within a class or with parents to take away the "sting" of reality or to answer questions that surely will arise. Parents should and do have the right to request that their child not be exposed to a particular book, but they should not have the right to dictate what is available for others to read.

Celebrate the Freedom to Read (Part 1)

The American Library Association's annual Banned Books Week is September 25 - October 2. Today in the Parade section of the Sunday newspaper a few of the banned books were highlighted. I was appalled at some of the titles that are banned. Reasons for the banned books are:

Too Political ~ All Quiet on the Western Front (Erich Maria Remarque), 1928; A Farewell to Arms (Ernest Hemmingway), 1940; For Whom the Bell Tolls (Hemmingway), 1940; The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck), 1939; Dr. Zhivago (Boris Pasternak), 1957; In the Spirit of Crazy Horse (Peter Matthiessen), 1983.

Too Much Sex ~ Madame Bovary (Gustave Flaubert), 1856; The Sun Also Rises (Hemmingway), 1926; Jaws (Peter Benchley), 1974; Forever (Judy Blume), 1975; I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou), 1969; How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents (Julia Alvarez), 1991.

Irreligious ~ On the Origin of Species (Charles Darwin); 1859; The Lord of the Rings trilogy (J.R.R. Tolkien), 1954; Bless Me, Ultima (Budolfo Anaya), 1972; Harry Potter series (J.K. Rowling), 1997-2007; The Last Temptation of Christ (Nikos Kazantzakis), 1960.

Socially Offensive ~ The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (Franklin), 1791; The Scarlet Letter (Nathaniel Hawthorne), 1850; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain), 1884; As I Lay Dying ( William Faulkner), 1930; Gone with the Wind (Margaret Mitchell), 1936; Ann Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl (Ann Frank), 1947; To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee), 1960; The Color Purple (Alice Walker), 1982.

These are just a few of books that are banned. It is incredible to me that some of these (if not all) titles are banned. How are people supposed to formulate their own ideals and version of right and wrong if never exposed to various viewpoints. Many of these stories I have read and feel that my life was made better by the reading of them; that I was exposed to more in life than what encompassed my immediate surroundings; and that held differing viewpoints from the people around me. These books expanded my knowledge base. Granted some books are a bit risque but it does not mean that one should avoid reading.

For me to have missed out on reading Hemmingway or Steinbeck would have been a travesty... and to have not been able to read Harper Lee's magnificent book on the South would be incomprehensible. I need to go back and read many of these again to see exactly what the "controversy" is. This is as good a reason as any for reading or rereading many of the classic books that have been written over the years; many of which had a deep impact on my thinking.

On the Soap Box ~ Health Care Reform - Oh Yeah!

Click on the map to enlarge.
Legend for map:
Iraq & Afghanistan universal health coverage provided by United States war funding
Countries with no universal health care system
Countries with some type of universal health care
Countries attempting to implement universal health care

The recent blog at Robert Frost's Banjo titled Health Care & Two Bums caused me to want to put in my 2 cents about health care reform in our country. John has managed to put some levity into his blog about the subject, but I fear I have been more serious. After (or before) you read my blog take a look at John's (if you have not already read it) for a bit of insight, humor & entertainment. It's worth the trip!

For many years now I have believed that the health care system in our country needs reform. Many people who are employed are in need of health care and if a person does not work for a company that provides health care then he or she may find themselves in the precarious position of not being able to afford health care.

When I say a person may not be able to afford health care I do not mean people who are on welfare. I mean new college graduates, individuals who are self employed, people who hold down part-time jobs. There are many other examples of people who work but are not able to afford health insurance or work for companies who are too small to offer health care.

Then comes the question, why should companies be responsible for offering health care for its employees? Why should a company have to offer health care for its employees and risk damaging their profits and/or having to lay off workers or hire workers on a part-time basis to avoid health care insurance problems? Some large corporations are rethinking their attitude about universal health care.

This year health care will cost the typical family $15,000 including contributions to employers for our health insurance that comes out of our paychecks. That is twice as much as 2 decades ago and is about $6,500 more than other rich countries pay on the average. (New York Times - Economy Section)

We may not be aware of this stealth $6,500 health care tax, but if you take a moment to think, it makes sense. Over the last 20 years, health costs have soared, and incomes have grown painfully slowly. The two trends are directly connected: employers had to spend more money on benefits, leaving less for raises.

In my opinion our country should offer health care for all its citizens regardless of their economic status. Let’s make sure individuals, families, children are covered by a national health care program. Then if individuals or families wish to supplement their health care with insurance that would be a bonus for them. If you wish to know more or see information about countries who offer a national health care system please click on these links at the National Coalition on Health Care (Health Coverage) and (World Health Care Data) and (Economic Cost Fact Sheets).

In years past I found myself without the benefit of health insurance. In my early 40s this was a frightening situation. My husband (at that time) was a self-employed attorney trying to regroup after being laid-off by a large corporation while I worked for a small school that offered no health care. We endured this for a couple years before I landed a public education position and was able to get health care coverage for us.

Now he is able to get VA benefits (being a retired naval officer and over 60) so he has a form of government health care. He may have supplemental insurance, but I am not privy to that information. My current husband also is a veteran and has VA benefits along with Medicare as he is over 65. Both of them find this system of health care quite beneficial, more than adequate in care, never have to wait more than 10 minutes for an appointment, etc. As for me, I have health care through my retirement and at 65 will also have the benefit of Medicare; my insurance also supplements my husband’s needs and works along with VA and Medicare.

Please consider the information and don’t be swayed by people who say this is just for low income people who take advantage of their situation. Remember, indigent people fall into a different category and are able to receive some measure of care through Medicaid if they are eligible. This idea of universal health care should benefit our society as a whole and not just for a few individuals.

Yet another quote...

This quote appeared in the Insight section of the Austin American Statesman newspaper on Sunday morning.

Sarah Brown - CEO of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, after reports showed that nearly 40% of the babies born in the United States in 2007 were delivered by unwed mothers.

"I wish people spent as much time planning when to get pregnant, with whom, under what circumstances as they do planning their next vacation."

These statistics are surprising to me. Of course this information does not tell us what percentage of the 40% were teen mothers, but still it is a surprisingly large number. It would behoove us as a nation to spend time & money teaching our youth how to prevent pregnancies. It does not do just to tell a person to abstain from sex. Precautions must be taken when having sex because just saying "No" does not appear to be doing the trick.

This is another reason to back sex education in schools. Parents must find this topic difficult to address with their children even though home is the natural place to hold the conversation about safe sex, making good choices, and planning. However, in lieu of home, schools can be a safe place to have these discussions. Specially prepared guest teachers, social workers, or health care providers could be brought in to lead these discussions with students while the regular teacher assisted. Options should be shown students. The supposed glamor of pregnancy should be replaced with the reality of it and the after effects. There should be no scare tactics, just plain truth should be offered.

Right or Wrong? How do we decide?

For the last few days I have suffered from confusion. I don't like being confused. It would be so nice if everything were either black or white, but this world is full of gray areas. Now don't get me wrong, I really love color and would be delighted if when making decisions we didn't refer to things as black or white or gray. My confusion lies with beliefs and those usually are in one of the three monochromatic color areas.

How do we discern what is right and what is wrong when there are so many gray areas? I recently corrected someone I thought was wrong ... really wrong. Now I feel badly about doing so. Was it right or wrong for me to correct this person? I "dressed down" someone whom I love, that I have known all my life, and who is 20+ years older than I.

We all make mistakes and anyone knowing me knows I have made a bundle in my life. Some are little mistakes, but some have bordered on huge. Many times I wish I could undo some things and do them a bit better, but hindsight is always more spot on than decisions we make when we are in the midst of something. Most big decisions I've made were based on the best information I had at the time and hopefully made the best (if not the right) choice.

My current dilemma deals with those emails that continue to be forwarded around in cyberspace. Someone comes up with some story that has either no bit of truth to it or only a modicum of truth and sends it until it circumnavigates the globe 5000 times. These topics generally denigrate one group of people while making sure the recipient of the email understands that if she does not pass it on to everyone on her email list she is not a "true American", does not believe in "the one true God", will have terrible luck brought down upon her, oh, and my personal favorite "you have no soul".

Below is the ending of the email ... the part that lets me know what a terrible person I am if I don't forward it on to everyone on my email list.

Good old American

Passive-Aggressive A$$ Whoopin!

Pass this along, America needs to know

that we're all working together!

If you can read this.

Thank a teacher...

If you are reading it in English....

THANK A SOLDIER!!!

Who ever thought "passive-aggressive" was a good thing? Does this mean if I don't pass it along that I'm not working to make America better? Why are we tossing teachers into this fray? Why does the propagator of this think that this can be read in English because of a soldier? Soldier from where? Teacher from where? This ending offends me almost as much as the main text of the email did ... which I'm not going to put in my blog. If I added it here it would be much worse than forwarding it to the few people on my email. I did explain exactly how to check on snopes.com for the accuracy of the text. Hopefully these kind of emails will get checked in the future before they are sent out.

Now to get off my soap box ... mind my own business ... think happy thoughts ... work in the yard ... and hope my friend forgives me for bringing to his attention that I think it is wrong to forward emails that are full of hate words.