There's been plenty of talk about the books that short-sighted Americans have been running around trying to keep out of the hands of their precious innocent little angels this month.
And, as usual, I got that clenchy feeling atop my chest when I saw the list of top ten books Americans wanted banned last year - that "hooray, I showed them, I actually READ some of those books!" kind of feeling.
I've got plenty of words for the book banners out there (who are increasing in numbers by the way, challenges were up last year by close to one hundred), but I have to thank them.
Shocked? Don't be - I've found some fantastic books on the banned book lists over the years. As they say, even bad publicity is publicity. And everytime homophobes try to keep And Tango Makes Three from filling their babies' minds with the hogwash that two boys might make good penguin parents, I'd be you they sell a few copies for Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell.
A lot of the books that make these lists aren't landing in school libraries to make a point to censor-happy parents. They're being purchased by librarians because they're plain old good books, fun books, books that get people - and kids especially - reading. A newcomer to the list, Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner was dubbed "sexually explicit" because of a brief mention of sodomy - in the context of abuse, not gay sex. There are difficult parts to get through even for a parent in the tale of two Afghani boys, but it's packed with good lessons for teens, especially in light of the ongoing conflict with Afghanistan.
With Hosseini's name now plastered all over lists of "banned" books, want to bet it's going to pique some more interest and bring some more readers?
How about Uncle Bobby's Wedding or the The Perks of Being a Wallflower? My daughter and I apparently have some reading to do.
Image: Amazon
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