Banned Books Week
Being an author, I’m a little embarrassed to admit it, but this is my first time hearing about Banned Books Week.
If you’re like me and didn’t already know about Banned Books Week, I’ll fill you in. It’s an annual event to celebrate the freedom to read. This year, it occurred September 18–24 (2022). The event is sponsored by many organizations, including American Booksellers for Free Expression and the American Library Association (ALA). Every year, the ALA shares a list of Top Challenged Books.
Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us.
So, who exactly initiates these challenges? Why are books “banned?” Most challenges are initiated by parents or patrons. School libraries, public libraries, and schools are the top three locations where challenges arise.
As an author in Oklahoma, this is a big deal to me. Censorship and banned books continue to be hot topics in my state, and not for a good reason. The new HB 1775 complicates what can be taught in the classroom, and one of our public school teachers recently made the news for providing her students access to banned books, which was seen as a “political statement.” Did you know that many of our school districts have even banned S. E. Hinton’s “The Outsiders”? It’s hard to believe it when she’s from Tulsa, Oklahoma.
This all made me think about my own book, and how if it were more popular it would probably be banned, too. Think about it: drugs, alcohol, sexual assault, suicide, and profanity are just some of the topics in my YA novel. But the reality is, a lot of teenagers are aware of these things. Many teenagers go through the struggles that the characters in my book go through. They need to read stories that they can relate to. They need to be able to have access to realistic fiction that’s filled with hope and a positive outcome. Books like mine can encourage young adults to read instead of spend hours scrolling away on social media.
Although it’s the last day of Banned Books Week, it’s never too late to get involved.
If you haven’t already, buy a copy of my award-winning novel, “The Girl with No Sol” on Amazon.
Make sure to add banned books to your “to read” list.
Don’t forget to continue to bring awareness to this issue. Start conversations with family, friends, strangers, teachers, librarians, and state leaders.
To learn more about Banned Books Week, visit this site.
To view the ALA’s most challenged books lists, click here.