For some 30 years, Banned Book Week has been observed in ways large and small by libraries across the country. And the American Library Association continues to set aside this week to allow people to give some careful thought to what is read, and what, according to some, is not worthy of being read, and therefore should be verboten.

In 2020, it was observed September 27th through October 3rd.
What is all the hullaballoo about? Intellectual freedom? Censorship? The right to read? Perhaps that is just the beginning of the conversation regarding Banned Book Week.

To get some idea of the depth and breadth of children’s books that have been either outright “banned” in some schools and libraries, or in some way “challenged”, I have provided two links below of lists of banned children’s books cited from the American Library Association, followed by a compiled list of “classics” in the same category.

You, as a parent may be amazed at some of the titles that appear on these lists, and scratch your head as to the “why” of how they got there.
And maybe that is what this week is all about; focusing attention on the issue of starting the conversation for you and your young readers on whether they will or will not read the books from these lists.

The following is a list of banned or “challenged” children’s books and classic reads:

http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/childrensbooks
http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics