I know why the caged bird sings, by maya angelou 7. Sourcequote taken from an american libraries article. The abilities to read, speak, think, and express ourselves freely are core american values. Perhaps he thinksbased on this and numerous other stories the bible should be banned from libraries, too.
According to the american library association, speak was one of the top 100 bannedchallenged books between 2000 and 2009. After accidentally busting an end of summer party due to an unnamed incident, melinda is ostracized by her peers because she will not say why she called the police. A secret that threatens to destroy her and any hope for her future. The novel was a new york times bestseller and was also named a printz honor book in 2000. Speak, published in 1999, is a young adult novel by laurie halse anderson that tells the story of high school freshman melinda sordino. You have to know what you stand for, not just what you stand against. Top 10 most challenged books lists advocacy, legislation. Find your freedom to read during banned books week, september 27 october 3, 2020. Speak by laurie halse anderson banned books week book. This past july, laurie halse anderson posted a blog entry titled ever wonder how the mind of a book banner works.
What we read should be our choice, not the decision of someone else. Concord public library called the book trash suitable only for the slums, when it first banned the novel in 1885. Richard sweir, an activist who tried to get her novel, speak banned in florida, decided to participate in the comments section. Published in 1884, adventures of huckleberry finn by mark twain has been banned on social grounds. The book was deemed controversial for its use of profanity and because it describes the bible being burned. When this story first came to light last november i. Laurie halse anderson on speak, censorship, and the. Book banning, unfortunately, has a long, ugly history, even in this country of supposed first amendment protections. She sees the excitement of the cheerleaders which she has much opinion on this group, the decorations for the upcoming dance, people passing her passing her passing her by.
Customers are often surprised to hear that book banning still continues to this day, and banned books week is a tremendous way to highlight the importance of the freedom to read. According to the american library association, speak. While the conversation about rape culture has shifted in many ways, rape culture still. A father of one of the children, took the book to a local government and said the book should be banned. This enduring novel still sits with me, almost 20 years later. But israel is still a democracy and still running on the fuel of liberalism, in the sense that freedom of speech is still alive and kicking. Despite the first amendment, the us has a list of banned books. Today, were continuing our celebration of banned books week by taking a look at how some wellknown authors responded when their books faced censorship. A book that has been banned is actually removed from a library or school system. Et on wednesday, april 22, for a special facebook live conversation about the 2020 theme and censorship with laurie halse anderson author of the frequently challenged novel speak and an exclusive statement from david levithan. But i still want to comment, because i think its a great book and that i think it would probably be a. Background information speak was challenged many times in many different areas, for many different reasons. The 1999 young adult novel speak, which chronicles a high school freshmans struggle with the aftermath of rape, was challenged by a missouri professor and father of three in june wesley scroggins, an associate professor of management at missouri state university in springfield, made a public complaint to his local school board about speak and. Judy blume and fellow authors and readers have rallied behind laurie halse andersons acclaimed young adult novel about the rape of a teenager, speak, following a.
The book was first banned in michigan in 1972 and has been banned nearly 20 times since for being depraved, immoral, psychotic, vulgar, and antichristian. The practice of banning books is a form of censorship, from political, legal, religious, moral, or less often commercial motives. In perhaps the most ironic example on this list, fahrenheit 451, a book that is literally about the dangers of censorship and burning books, has regularly been banned and censored since its publication in 1953. Speak by laurie halse anderson is about a teenager who is an outcast as a high school freshman because of a rape she cant talk about. Germany banned it until 2000, and in the australian state of queensland, its still technically prohibited banned under the letter of the law, but unenforced. This shows that there is no running from sexual assault. They thought it was an inappropriate book to read to 9 year olds. In september of 2010 one missouri professor wanted the book banned from the republic school district because he considered the two rape. Controversial and banned books why they were banned. Speak, to me, is taken more as a lesson than just a book. Yesterday, fire announced an exciting new resource for our first amendment library. To help celebrate this years theme, booksellers were invited to join the banned books week coalition at 1. In 2017, it was the fourth most challenged book according to the american library association.
The first reason i believe speak shouldnt be banned is because people should know stuff like this happens a lot. In this lesson, well explore the various reasons why john steinbecks the grapes of wrath 1939 was banned, challenged, and burned. Authors and readers rally to defend rape novel from school ban. Finally, i think that holes is a very interesting book, and that the decision to ban holes was wrong. Judy blume and fellow authors and readers have rallied behind laurie halse andersons acclaimed young adult novel about the rape of a teenager, speak, following a call to ban it from schools in. Speak by laurie halse anderson banned books week melinda wanders the halls of her school. This article lists notable banned books and works, giving a brief context for the reason that each book was. This book was challenged a few years ago 20, by a parent in sarasota who did not feel it was appropriate for her. Maya angelou, author of the autobiography, i know why the caged bird sings, is surprisingly one of the most banned authors in united states literary history.
Us still bans, suppresses books despite the first amendment censorship doesnt often involve book burnings and dissident disappearances in the u. Most of those who seek to ban it, on the other hand, havent read it all the. The preps, the jocks, the human waste, eurotrash, big hair chix, goths, thespians, shredders, country clubbers, suffering artists all roaming the halls in their little herds. That, of course, is part of the reason speak still remains so relevant.
Why childrens books matter, an exhibit at university of minnesota that experienced a challenge. Speak is on the alas list of top banned challenged books for the last decade. The author of the important ya book returns with the story of her own sexual. Sexually explicit content, offensive language, and unsuited to any age group are the top three reasons cited for requesting a book be removed. Censorship beyond books american libraries magazine. Laurie halse anderson and the enduring legacy of speak. School district has removed nina lacours young adult novel hold still from its library and classrooms in response to parental complaints about its language and sex scenes. Some books are still challenged for those reasonsfifty shades of grey is a common example. I personally dont think any book should be banned for any reason. Well learn about the objections that parents, teachers, and. Speak by laurie halse anderson is multiple awardwinning books, but it is also listed by the american library association as one of the top 100 books challenged between 20002009. Banned books are books or other printed works such as essays or plays which are prohibited by law or to which free access is not permitted by other means. But theres been a shift toward seeking to ban books. On page 50, it states that the librarian was taking down a poster of her because the school board banned one of her books.
The one thing that laurie halse andersons ya novel speak hasnt. Judy blume has led protests against a call to censor laurie halse andersons novel speak. The rest of australia and new zealand are only slightly more permissive, restricting the sale or even lending from a library to shrinkwrapped copies to only those over 18. Welcome to the banned library podcast, the podcast that covers books that have been banned or challenged in schools, libraries, countries, and other strange places. Banned book club august 2018 speak bound to writing.
Halseandersons book simply shows the reality of a high school environment and the very real issues that young girls face to speak up or not when this unspeakable crime is perpetrated against them. The book has been banned from some school libraries for unflinching depictions of sexuality and violence. If you dont like a book, dont read it, but by all means dont take the opportunity to read great literature or even rotten books away from anyone. The references to and treatment of african americans in the novel reflect the time about which it was written, but some critics have thought such language inappropriate for study. This article lists notable banned books and works, giving a brief context for the reason that each book was prohibited. Of the 416 books challenged or banned in 2017, the top 10 most challenged books are. Its crucial that we stand up for the freedom to read, speak out when challenges occur, and stand up to censorship attempts. So many readers still wanted to know how melinda was doing, so when. Why childrens books matter, an exhibit commemorating the 70th anniversary of the kerlan collection, which includes such rare materials as the original artwork for goodnight moon and the manuscript for wanda. In many cases people or groups challenge a book with the best of intentions. Every year several books are challenged and banned across the nation by individuals and organizations who believe the content of the books is inappropriate. This guy thinks speak is pornography laurie halse anderson.
Annual celebration of banned books will be held from september. Author of banned book says shes still optimistic about. Today, its mainly the weapon of school boards, church groups and. Nowhere in the world can everything be published, although the prohibitions vary str a banned book is one that has been removed from the shelves of a library, bookstore, or classroom because of its controversial content. In its 20102011 bibliography, books challenged or banned, the newsletter of intellectual freedom lists speak as having been challenged in missouri schools. Hold still by nina lacour wherewhy its been banned. Stay connected to your students with prezi video, now in microsoft teams. An uncannily funny book even as it plumbs the darkness, speak will hold readers from first word to last. And we have enough israelis who found the exclusion of the book to be a civil cause good reason for them to march into bookshops and buy numerous copies. Courtesy harpercollins scary stores to tell in the dark by alvin schwartz and its two sequels are far and away the most banned books in history, with complaints from hundreds of school districts since the series premiered in 1981, its critics citing violence, inappropriate content, and satansim.
698 860 1087 514 63 314 1081 1358 1453 1439 1451 189 1574 134 1085 416 571 431 1061 643 666 1199 160 466 909 544 1012 415 841 829 257