This week, Brookens Library is celebrating Banned Books Week. During the last week of September, libraries across the world celebrate the freedom to read. It brings attention to the censorship of books in libraries and schools in the past and present.
There are many reasons why books can be either challenged or banned. Here are a few examples of books that were banned or challenged and the reasons behind them.
Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz is a classic spooky book series that many have read around camp fires. However, it was banned for being too scary and its illustrations too gruesome for readers. Elementary school teachers were concerned when children were scared by the book, and it has been challenged by many other schools since for similar reasons. Want to read it? Request the book via I-Share.
An American classic, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain depicts life during the late 1800s and the adventure that Huckleberry Finn goes on. It was banned and challenged by many schools because of the use of racial slurs. Available at Brookens Library.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is yet another classic that has been banned and challenged by many schools. Many parents have requested to have it banned because of its use of profanity, and it contains topics about sex, abortion, and suicide. Audiobook available at Brookens Library.
These are only a few reasons why books are banned and challenged around the world. Brookens Library holds many banned and/or challenged books to promote the freedom to read; find a commonly banned eBook to read this week on cloudLibrary.
If you want to learn more about other banned books, check out the links below.