The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

5.8 - Freedom to Read
September 25 - October 2 is Banned Book Week. Read a banned or challenged book. Listopia help: Best Banned and/or Censored Books, The Most Frequently Challenged Books, Banned Books, Banned Books 2007-2008

If you need suggestions OR have suggestions for books to read for this task, please post them here.

Yes -- These books would fit this task:

No -- These books do not fit this task:

I highly recommend What My Mother Doesn't Know!! It's an ADORABLE book written in poetry format. I'm racking my brain trying to think why on earth it would be banned! I own it and have bought it for several friends (including my young and impressionable baby sister (who was maybe 15 at the time)!)...

The Supernaturalist is also a great book by Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl series), who I am a HUGE fan of. It's a YA sci-fi book.... No idea why it would be banned either!

And while I'm at it: who on earth banned Holes?? WEIRD! It's just as great as the movie!

What My Mother Doesn't Know: Keeping secrets from your parents! Oh noes! And serial dating--might give girls the wrong ideas >_> Possibly stalker-like behavior. I'd need to dig out my book list to remember the other reasons.

Supernaturalist and Holes: Magical stuff, like curses and demon creatures, etc.

I took a course in college on censorship and defending YA novels, so when I read, I automatically make mental notes on any "problems" that might arise from using novels in the classroom (or even having them on my classroom shelf). But yeah, I agree--most of the reasons people censor books are silly.

Can it be a book that has been banned anywhere in the world? I was hoping to use 1984 which was banned in the Soviet Union from 1950 until 1990. It was only nearly banned in the UK and US. This information came from wikipedia.

Is that ok to use?

Wendy 0 I believe as long as you can say where its been banned...i'm pretty sure that I have seen 1984 on those listopia lists however..I read it in high school and there was some uproar over it

According to the task, it could be a book that has been challenged, not necessarily banned. 1984 is definitely a book that has been around the challenged block...and is certainly no stranger to being banned either. :)

Also, it is currently voted in at number 3 on this list, if that helps. :)

Wendy -- Yes. Challenged, or "nearly banned", is OK. 1984 definitely works.

I just read 1984 in the Summer Challenge and I really enjoyed it!

If I read children's books that fit this task I have to read 500 pages right?

Can someone help me find banned/challenged children's books please?

The ALA web site has lots of challenged/banned books. You'll have to look through the lists if you specifically want children's books.

Sarah (Mood Reader) wrote: "If I read children's books that fit this task I have to read 500 pages right?"

Clarification: children's picture books require 500 pages. Other children's books require 100 pages.

Couldn't believe it when I saw Winnie the Pooh on one of these lists! Good news for me as it is on my shelf waiting for a read! I'm assuming this comes under the 100 page children's book?

chucklesthescot wrote: "Couldn't believe it when I saw Winnie the Pooh on one of these lists! Good news for me as it is on my shelf waiting for a read! I'm assuming this comes under the 100 page children's book?"

Right. At 176 pages (and not a picture book) you're good. Still don't understand how Winnie the Pooh can be challenged/banned, but that's a whole other topic... Enjoy!