Banned Book Week

I am against censorship. Sure, there are some things that are difficult to talk about with children, perhaps you are even firmly against it, but I am of the opinion that people have the right to say (or write, or read) what they want. I think that people should be given the agency to chose to read what they want...which is why I'm participating in a celebration for Banned Book Week (September 25th-October 2nd).

Books usually are challenged with the best intentions—to protect others, frequently children, from difficult ideas and information.

From ALA:
Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted banning of books across the United States.

Intellectual freedom—the freedom to access information and express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular—provides the foundation for Banned Books Week. BBW stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints for all who wish to read and access them.

To celebrate, I am going to read The Kite Runner which has been challenged and I am also going to start Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone which has been challenged many times. Yes I've read it about ten times but you can never get too much Harry Potter :)