fREADom

Just about a year ago I heard a rumor about a parent who was upset about the content of two books on a list of 300 self-select reading books for the 9th grade. According to the rumors (I live in a small town and rumors abound), there was a petition asking for the removal of the books from the list and from the library. As a library science student, a bookseller and a mother, I felt that I needed to investigate what looked like an attempt to censor books. This began a season of my life that was difficult and disturbing and just a little heart-breaking.

The petition was presented, committees were formed, sides were taken. Because I chose to fight the removal of the books from the list, I lost long-time customers at the bookstore, I was berated for bringing negative publicity to our town, I was accosted at my place of business and called a "pornographer" and my 15 year old daughter and I were addressed at a school board meeting by a parent who told us that she felt sad that the only way that my daughter and I could relate to one another was to read filthy books together. The disappointment was compounded when the school board decided to remove the books from the list. I lost a lot of innocence about what I had supposed was a general consensus that people should not dictate what I or my children were allowed to read.

Yet in the midst of all of this, I experienced something that gave me so much hope. And since next week is "Banned Book Week", I wanted to reflect on that event. On a cool, autumn night, about 70 people showed up at the bookstore to celebrate their right to read. We had people of all ages writing letters to the school board, making posters, signing petitions and eating pizza. We had celebrated authors including Roger Rosenblatt, Julie Sheehan, and Ursula Hegi read aloud from works that had been challenged. We had school teachers and journalists and librarians read, as well. But most importantly, we had teens (Kristian, Kenny, Rachel P., Louie, Amanda, Rachel L., Billy ) read aloud from books such as The Giver, The Book Thief, Catcher in the Rye, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Go Ask Alice. I got goosebumps while these works were being read because all of the people that had been eating and talking and writing, stopped what they were doing and listened....listened to these words that others had wanted to silence.

Although we may have lost this particular fight against censorship, I believe that something was gained. The young people that came to our "Read-In" learned that is possible to dissent both vocally and respectfully. They also learned that rights that we may take for granted are rights that are precious. I hope that they feel that they fought the good fight and that books and reading will always be worth the struggle.

So I hope that you are able to take some time this week to read a good book and celebrate your freedom to read. If you want to see a list of some books that have been challenged or banned, take a look at the ALA list of the top 100 for 2000-2007. I think you might be amazed at some of the titles you see.