Censorship

Neil Gaiman's dark urban fantasy novel Neverwhere has been removed from both the school library and the required reading list at Alamogordo (NM) High School this week following the complaint of one parent, who objected to its sexual innuendos and "harsh" language, according to a report by New Mexico's local KRQE news station.

While Gary Soto seems a bit of a fragile flower in this essay about why he’s been scared off writing for children, I have sympathy for him. If your book is sexy or foul-mouthed or anti-authority, you have no better friends than the American Library Association and its adjacent professions. They will–and they should–stick up [...]

The post Now you’re telling us? appeared first on The Horn Book.

A group of Colorado parents are challenging the use of John Green’s award-winning young adult novel Looking for Alaska (Dutton, 2005) in 9th grade classrooms, the author wrote on his Tumblr-based blog yesterday. Green is urging supporters to write in solidarity with the teachers and librarians at the school, Fort Lupton Middle and High School, who he says are "heroically" standing by their choice.

The exciting news this week was that I got to host a couple panels regarding Banned Books (it being the week of ‘em and all).  The first was at the Brooklyn Book Festival with David Levithan, Francesca Lia Block, and Lauren Myracle.  I then cannibalized my own questions and used them in this, a Google+ [...]

Since 1982, Banned Books Week has been an annual opportunity during the last week of September for librarians and other freedom fighters around the country to celebrate banned and challenged books, shine a spotlight on censorship, and honor those heroes working for open access to materials and the right to read for all. This year’s campaign is proceeding in some unique and wonderful ways. How are you marking the occasion?

The Randolph County (NC) Board of Education has voted to restore Ralph Ellison’s classic novel Invisible Man to school library shelves by a vote of 6 to 1, reversing its earlier ban of the book. Last week's ban received international attention from literary advocates.

Fighting censorship and limited access to materials is an integral part of a librarian’s mission and job description. Launched in 1982, Banned Books Week is the national book community's annual celebration of the freedom to read. More than 11,300 books have been challenged since then. The following is a selection of SLJ’s news coverage of challenged books, interviews with oft-banned authors, and tools for showcasing censored titles during Banned Books Week, and all year.

The Randolph County (NC) Board of Education is reconsidering its recent ban of Ralph Ellison’s classic novel Invisible Man in its school libraries, the local Courier-Tribune reports. The board voted 5-2 last week to remove the book from shelves, but it has agreed to hold a special meeting on Wednesday to reconsider the book's status.

Are you ready for Banned Books Week? The American Library Association (ALA) and readers from around the world are gearing up to demonstrate their support for free speech next week by participating in a Virtual Read-Out of their favorite banned and challenged books. The event will serve as the backdrop for the announcement of ALA’s Banned Books Week Heroes, honoring those people and groups who stand up for intellectual freedom and the right to read.