Banned books have been the topic of great discussion for many years, and the discussion has only continued to grow over the past few years. Banning books, or censoring books, is the act of prohibiting the reading of certain books. This prohibition is done in different ways, for example by making the distribution of a book a punishable act, by destruction of a book, or by removing it from an accessible location like a library. Banning books is done around the world and has been around for centuries. (Book Banning | Definition, Examples, & Facts | Britannica, 2024) The United States also has a long history of banning books. The first book ban in the United States took place in 1637 and was the “New English Canaan” by Thomas Morton. The book contained
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During the fall semester of the 2022/2023 school year, there were 1477 instances of individual books being banned, which affected 847 unique titles. This number is a 28 percent increase compared to January-June 2022, and it’s continuing to grow. (“2023 Banned Books Update,” 2023) The list of banned books contains titles from a wide range of genres, age categories, and literary periods. Even books that are considered classics and are required reading in some parts of the world are banned. The list includes titles like “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck and “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, and even “the Diary of Anne Frank”, but also “Twilight” by Stephanie Meyer and “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins. Some children’s books have also made the list, like “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling and “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak. ALA, 2020, p. …show more content…
But the list also includes LGBTQ+ content as number 5 on the list, and racism as number 6 on the list. (“How Do Books Get Banned?,” n.d.) The vast majority of banned books are written by or about members of the LGBTQIA+ community and people of color. (The History of Book Bans in the United States, n.d.) These bans directly result from homophobia and racism. “Cinderella is Dead” by Kalynn Bayron was banned due to the main character being black and a lesbian, and becoming romantically involved with a girl. (Banned/Challenged Book Spotlight - Cinderella Is Dead — Mosaic Community Library, n.d.) “Caraval” by Stephanie Garber is a fantasy romance book, with two straight main characters, which wasn’t banned despite containing violence and mild sexual content. Reading books about or by people who are different from you, or have led a different life than you have, can help improve social-emotional development and encourage empathy. Children will see the world through the eyes of someone else, like a person of color or a member of the LGBTQ+ community, which encourages a better understanding of those communities. Banned Books Pros and Cons - Top 3 Arguments For and Against, 2024 It’s also very important for children and teens who are part of these communities to be able to read books they’ll be able to find themselves in. As a queer person
During the fall semester of the 2022/2023 school year, there were 1477 instances of individual books being banned, which affected 847 unique titles. This number is a 28 percent increase compared to January-June 2022, and it’s continuing to grow. (“2023 Banned Books Update,” 2023) The list of banned books contains titles from a wide range of genres, age categories, and literary periods. Even books that are considered classics and are required reading in some parts of the world are banned. The list includes titles like “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck and “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, and even “the Diary of Anne Frank”, but also “Twilight” by Stephanie Meyer and “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins. Some children’s books have also made the list, like “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling and “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak. ALA, 2020, p. …show more content…
But the list also includes LGBTQ+ content as number 5 on the list, and racism as number 6 on the list. (“How Do Books Get Banned?,” n.d.) The vast majority of banned books are written by or about members of the LGBTQIA+ community and people of color. (The History of Book Bans in the United States, n.d.) These bans directly result from homophobia and racism. “Cinderella is Dead” by Kalynn Bayron was banned due to the main character being black and a lesbian, and becoming romantically involved with a girl. (Banned/Challenged Book Spotlight - Cinderella Is Dead — Mosaic Community Library, n.d.) “Caraval” by Stephanie Garber is a fantasy romance book, with two straight main characters, which wasn’t banned despite containing violence and mild sexual content. Reading books about or by people who are different from you, or have led a different life than you have, can help improve social-emotional development and encourage empathy. Children will see the world through the eyes of someone else, like a person of color or a member of the LGBTQ+ community, which encourages a better understanding of those communities. Banned Books Pros and Cons - Top 3 Arguments For and Against, 2024 It’s also very important for children and teens who are part of these communities to be able to read books they’ll be able to find themselves in. As a queer person