Banned Books Week

Everyone Deserves the Right to Read What They Want

Written by Sarah Gewirtz, Student Engagement Librarian

Banned Books Week is an annual holiday by the American Library Association (ALA) (okay, maybe not a real holiday but one that I celebrate every year!). ALA compiles data on book challenges (an attempt to remove or restrict materials or services based on content) throughout the year from confidential reports filed with its Office for Intellectual Freedom by library professionals.

In 2024, ALA documented 821 attempts to censor library books and other materials across all library types – this is the third highest number of books challenges since tracking began in 1990. Why were these books challenged? The most common reasons for censorship were false claims of illegal obscenity for minors; inclusion of LGBGTQ+ characters or themes; and for covering topics of race, racism, equity, and social justice.

“Inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters or themes” – censorship is personal. If I wasn’t able to read books about the LGBTQ+ community, especially children and how they felt, I would never have been able to understand my child better. I wouldn’t have been able to support her and give her what she needed to be her true self. These books are not harmful for children but are helpful. People can see themselves in the characters of these books and can relate to what the character is going through, and readers can learn more about those who are different from them. Shouldn’t everyone be able to read books that give them comfort, understanding, and an escape?

I never censored what my child read. She read the book, “The Donner Dinner Party” by Nathan Hale. “The Donner Dinner Party” was about a group of individuals heading westward as part of the expansion of the United States. Long story short: they ended up eating their dead. Gross – yes. True? Also yes, and part of our history. My child loved the book – mainly because her talking about it grossed people out (it made me gag!), but I still allowed her to read it. It is a really good book that is about a historical event. I was told I shouldn’t have allowed her to read it. Maybe I shouldn’t have but the thing is, we talked a lot about the book. Why did it happen? What could they have done differently? Read the book. Have a conversation. Don’t just ban or censor it. Plus, it got her to read which I was thrilled about!

Did you know that the Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park has been challenged? Reasons: poor use of grammar, it teaches poor social values, and the main character is a mouthy brat who is always getting into big trouble and rarely makes the right choices.

Did you know that “Hop on Pop” by Dr. Seuss was challenged but retained despite a patrons’ concern that the book “encourages children to use violence against fathers”?

How about “The Adventures of Captain Underpants” by Dav Pilkey? Why? Offensive language (like tinkle, fart and pee-pee) and someone believed it was unsuited for the age group!

How many of you have read these books? Loved them? Even re-read them when you were younger? These were staples in my house! I giggled along with my daughter when reading about Junie B. Jones and all the trouble she got into by running her mouth! As far as I know, my daughter never hopped on her father nor did her vocabulary constantly repeat “fart and pee-pee” after reading Captain Underpants.

Banned Books Week needs to be celebrated by everyone regardless of if you agree with the content of the book. If you don’t like the content, then don’t read it. You aren’t hurting someone if you choose that path, but you are if you choose to take it off the shelves for others to read it. What might not be acceptable to you might be acceptable and needed for someone else. Everyone has the right to read and read what they want. What makes you the best person to make these decisions?

This is the opinion of Sarah Gewirtz, Student Engagement Librarian. More information can be found at the American Library Association (ALA) site: https://www.ala.org/bbooks.