Banned Books Week

Founded in 1982 by library activist Judith Krug, Banned Books Week is an annual event that celebrates the freedom to read. Banned Books Week promotes intellectual freedom in libraries and schools as well as puts a spotlight on current and historical attempts to censor books.
The goal of Banned Books Week is to teach the importance of everyone’s First Amendment rights and the dangers of censoring information in a free society.

You may be surprised to learn that many of the most frequently challenged and banned books are books considered to be classic works of literature, including forty-six novels from Radcliffe Publishing Course Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century. From modern classics like To Kill a Mockingbird and The Catcher in the Rye to prominent contemporary novels such as the Harry Potter series or The Kite Runner, all works of literature can be a target of censorship.

Books have the power to transport their readers to other worlds, which is something not everyone views positively. A novel can be moving and poignant to some readers while being perverse and violent to others; making the reasons for wanting a book banned diverse. Of course, those doing the banning never stop to consider that prohibiting something only makes it more attractive. Fight against censorship this Banned Books Week by reading a challenged or banned book!