2015 January Reading Challenge

[Ann]

January’s reading challenge is to read a banned or challenged book. (A challenged book is when someone requests that a book be removed from a library’s collection. This can be for a school or public library.)

Seeing as banned and challenged books come in all shapes and sizes, and are sometimes titles that we’d never have expected, here’s a helpful website to track down the right banned book for you.

http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlyc...

At the top of the webpage there are a bunch of links highlighted in red:

• Banned/Challenged Classics
• Top Ten Frequently Challenged Books lists
• 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books by Decade
• Most Frequently Challenged Authors pages of the 21st Century
• Extended list of books banned or challenged

Any of these links will take you to a long list of titles or authors that have been banned or challenged. Happy reading!

[Debbie]

I'll be giving a shot at reading The Color Purple, which is on my "read in 2014 or early '15" list.

[Carolyn]

I was planning on reading "To Kill A Mockingbird", so i will use that for January.

[Vanessa]

Both of those are amazing books!

I'm planning to read The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Looking for Alaska

[Ssawyer]

Hard to believe, but I've never read Harry Potter. I'm planning to start in January - so it will meet this challenge as well.

[Carolyn]

Carolyn wrote: "I was planning on reading "To Kill A Mockingbird", so i will use that for January."
Make that the Catcher in the Rye (oops named the wrong classic)

[Becky]

I'm planning on reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

[Melanie]

I think I'll aim for the absolutely true diary of a part time Indian.

[Greg]

Wouldn't this be a better challenge for Banned Books Week, which is in September?

[Marinda]

Greg wrote: "Wouldn't this be a better challenge for Banned Books Week, which is in September?"

That's a great question, Greg! Salt Lake County Library Services is joining with the Freedom to Read Foundation, J. Willard Marriott Library, Pioneer Theatre Company, Salt Lake City Public Library, Utah Library Association, and Utah State Library to co-sponsor two special events this month.

The first is the world-premier of the fact-inspired new play "Alabama Story," debuting with the Pioneer Theatre Company in Salt Lake City, Jan. 9-24, 2015. Emily Reed, on whom the play is based, was a charter member of the American Library Association’s Freedom to Read Foundation, which is celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2015.

The Freedom To Read Foundation is hosting the second event, a reception following the post-show discussion, 5-7pm on Saturday, January 17, in the S.J. Quinney Law Library, across the courtyard from PTC.

I expect more events will be announced throughout this month.

[Shirley]

I think I'll try the "Alice" series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. I've read several of her books to my students and I'd Like to see what's changed. It's amazing how many books on the top 10 banned books have been read by my 4th graders.

[Ann]

Debbie is our prize drawing winner for December’s reading challenge. She read How I Learned Geography and Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night.

[Heather]

Greg wrote: "Wouldn't this be a better challenge for Banned Books Week, which is in September?"

It would be, but the libraries all usually have displays on banned books and they fly off the shelves. It may be really hard to get your hands on at that time. That's been my experience at least.

On the other hand, I'll read a banned book any day of the week. They're usually the best!

[Ann]

I've got to say that The Giver by Lois Lowry is probably one of my all-time favorites when it comes to a banned book, though there are so many other really good ones out there.

Unsurprising, this book was at the top of my list in a recent discussion I lead about books that have been turned into movies, even though I haven't had a chance to see the movie, yet. (But then I've always had a hard time watching movies adapted from books I really love.)

[Shirley]

THE GIVER is one of my favorite books, too, although I never heard it was actually banned. I read it with high-achieving 6th graders. I also read it aloud to older groups. It was put on the Jr. High list and we were discouraged from reading it, but lots of my bright kids read it on their own. I liked the book better than the movie.

[Em]

I was in attendance at last night's Alabama Story. It is a wonderful play and I highly recommend it if you need inspiration to get you in the mood for a banned book.

[Karen]

Well, I have 48 Laws of Power by Robert Green on another reading challenge as a read outside of my comfort zone, but I think it would qualify as a banned book. It is a popular but controversial book at my work. I thought I would check it out to see for myself what all the hub bub is about :)

[Ann]

Shirley wrote: "THE GIVER is one of my favorite books, too, although I never heard it was actually banned. I read it with high-achieving 6th graders. I also read it aloud to older groups. It was put on the Jr. Hig..."

While I can usually puzzle out the possible reasoning of why someone challenged or banned a book, so much of the time I still find myself surprised at the titles that appear on these lists. Two of the latest surprises that I've run into: Gone with the Wind and The Lord of the Rings.

[Debbie]

Ann wrote: "While I can usually puzzle out the possible reasoning ..."

For Lord of the Rings, it had wizards. Also elves and goblins. All of which make it non-Christian and anti-religion. Ergo, stuff of Satan.

Gone with the Wind had a main character who lusted. If that weren't bad enough, she lusted after a married man. If that's not bad enough, she lusted after a married man while she was, herself, married. AND if THAT's not bad enough, she actually acted on her lust, trying to ensnare this poor unfortunate man who was totally victim to her vixen ways.

[Becky]

I ended up reading Animal Farm which was banned by several governments, U.S.S.R. in particular, but also banned in the U.S. when it first came out because of Orwell's introduction.

[Melanie]

Melanie wrote: "I think I'll aim for the absolutely true diary of a part time Indian."

Finished my banned book and am interested to see if Mr. Alexie writes any adult fiction. I finding it hard to place myself in the shoes of one who would want to ban this book; to understand their perspective.

[Greg]

I read the first 3 Harry Potter books, all on the banned list, as well as A Time to Kill by John Grisham, also banned. Good enough.

[Debbie]

Alas, working in a banned book was not in the cards for this month.

[Debbie]

Ann wrote: "Debbie is our prize drawing winner for December’s reading challenge. ..."

True story: I went to my local branch and selected Dan Brown's Inferno. My daughter collects Brown's books so I snagged this one which, in addition to being free, was also a hardback. Way Cool! It turns out her puppydog is a reader. While she and family were out and about, puppy digested the book. Literally (pun intended). Although she completely enjoyed it, no one else can now read the book.

Which brings to mind my favorite quote from Grouch Marx:
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.

Obviously, my daughter's dog disagrees.

[Becky]

Debbie wrote: "Ann wrote: "Debbie is our prize drawing winner for December’s reading challenge. ..."

True story: I went to my local branch and selected Dan Brown's Inferno. My daughter collects Brown's books ..."

LOL! :) Thanks for sharing that funny story. Hope this dog digested okay (no you don't have to reply to that).

[Marinda]

Ann wrote: Which brings to mind my favorite quote from Grouch Marx:
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.

I love that quote!

This month I tried reading Lady Chatterley's Lover, I thought that a book banned by an entire county (it was not allowed to come through customs) would be pretty good, right? I was wrong. It feels like the author scribbled it out in 2 weeks. I think I read somewhere that he might have. I can't see myself finishing that book this month, so I plan to try to squeeze in reading The Giver before the end of January.

Good luck to all the other last minute banned book readers!

[Ann]

Debbie wrote: "Ann wrote: "Debbie is our prize drawing winner for December’s reading challenge. ..."

True story: I went to my local branch and selected Dan Brown's Inferno. My daughter collects Brown's books ..."

Great story! Thanks for sharing. (I've always loved that quote!)

[JoAnn]

I saw "Alabama Story" over the weekend. I recommend it.

[Ssawyer]

For the January challenge, I read the first two Harry Potter books. I'm planning to finish the series this year.

[Alyson]

I read a picture book for this challenge (this is what happens when you're 8 1/2 months pregnant). Mem Fox's "Guess What?" is creepy, certainly, but I don't see the point in banning it.

[Jackie]

I read "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian". I gave it 3 stars, and can understand why the Native American culture, and mothers, would want this book off the shelves.