We are celebrating the freedom to read

Once a year, every year since 1982, during the last week of September, people all over the USA celebrate the freedom to read. That last week of September is called "Banned Books Week." It was launched in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries.
From Saturday, September 25th, until Saturday, October 2nd, we are celebrating the freedom to read.
More than a thousand books have been challenged since 1982, and the challenges have occurred in every state and in hundreds of communities.
People challenge books that they say are too sexual or too violent. They object to profanity and slang, and they protest against offensive portrayals of racial or religious groups - or positive portrayals of homosexuals. Their targets range from books that explore contemporary issues and controversies to classic and beloved works of American literature.
According to the Americal Library Association, out of 460 challenges reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom in 2009, the ten most challenged titles were:

1. ttyl; ttfn; l8r, g8r (series) by Lauren Myracle. Reasons: nudity, sexually explicit, offensive language, drugs, and unsuited to age group.
2. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson. Reasons: homosexuality.
3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. Reasons: drugs, homosexuality, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, suicide, and unsuited to age group.
4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Reasons: racism, offensive language, unsuited to age group. (2010 is the 50th anniversary of this classic.)
5. Twilight (series) by Stephanie Meyer. Reasons: sexually explicit, religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group.
6. Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger. Reasons: sexually explicit, religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group.
7. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. Reasons: sexism, homosexuality, sexually explicit, offensive language, unsuited to age group, drugs, suicide, violence.
8. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things by Carolyn Mackler. Reasons: sexually explicit, offensive language, unsuited to age group.
9. The Color Purple by Alice Walker. Reasons: sexually explicit, offensive language, unsuited to age group.
10. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier. Reasons: nudity, sexually explicit, offensive language, unsuited to age group.

During "Banned Books Week," hundreds of libraries and bookstores around the country draw attention to the problem of censorship by mounting displays of challenged books and hosting a variety of events. Many activities are planned to help remind people of the importance of free speech.

If you want further information about "Banned Books Week," visit BannedBooksWeek.org, info@abffe.com or bbw@ala.org. And visit our display in the adult reading area. We even have a few of these banned books for you to check out.