| September
2006
Dear
Fellow Book Lovers:
BANNED
BOOKS WEEK – 2006
This
is the 25th anniversary of Banned Books Week—an important
celebration for all Americans. It reminds us that we all have
free speech rights; even though there are those all around
us who attempt to abridge these rights. Celebrate
Banned Books with a Carnival of Books is this year’s
theme. I find the idea of a carnival especially appealing.
A carnival may connote chaos, or it may mean marching forward
with an all out good time. An attempt to censor does often
create chaos. Censors somehow manage to always get attention
by the press, and school administrators, and even some public
library directors, just don’t want such disorder in their
institution. Therefore, it is easier to censor. What we really
need to think about is the message we are sending the young
when we censor. They know when adults don’t trust them. They
know when adults don’t respect their views. And, they know
when adults don’t exercise the belief that the young should
have a choice in what they choose to read. Libraries that
are truly serving their patrons should create a certain commotion—a
frenzy of good programming all year long that helps children,
young adults, and their parents understand that a greater
chaos will take place if censorship occurs—a chaos created
by ignorance. For Banned Books Week, let’s have a huge carnival—a
real party—in our libraries and help the young understand
why celebrating Banned Books Week is so important. Have young
children dress as a favorite animal and march to the music
of Carnival of the Animals. Each animal should carry his/her
favorite challenged book. Stop the music and point to one
animal to share his/her book. Repeat this until everyone has
shared. Random House offers the following book suggestions:
Middle
and young adult readers may enjoy an essay contest that interprets
the theme of Banned Books Week, and creating a puppet show
for younger children. They may want to use the internet and
find out information about a favorite author who has been
victim of many censorship attempts. Such Random House writers
include: Judy
Blume, Lois
Lowry, Christopher
Paul Curtis, Madeleine
L’Engle, Meg
Rosoff, David
Almond, Caroline
B. Cooney, Robert
Cormier, Lois
Duncan, Philip
Pullman, David
Levithan, Maryrose
Wood, and Christopher
Paolini.
Balloons
are usually found in carnivals. Have students write what
the freedom to read means to them. Place their statement
inside
helium balloons and release them. In this way, their messages
travel.
Creating rap songs,
jump rope rhymes, or lyrics to a more traditional song about
books that have been challenged, or the meaning of free expression
is always fun for older readers. Allow them to be creative
and create your library’s Carnival of Banned Books.
You
may email me at pscales@bellsouth.net.
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