Are You a Reading Rebel? Banned Books Week comes to a close...

It's a wrap for Banned Books Week...

Have YOU been subverted, converted, corrupted, poisoned, or ruined because you read a book? Oh, I mean because you read one of the MANY books that have been Challenged or Banned? Speak to me... Oops, let's not go there, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson was recently called "pornographic". Even though thousands of young people have written to the author to acknowledge the positive impact, even life saving, that Speak had on their lives. It (there's another challenged book- It by Stephen King) created quite a stir in the blogging and reading community, and the publisher, Penguin, took out a full page ad in the New York Times featuring testimonials of the impact of Speak. There is a Chocolate War, I mean war because The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier is a banned book, going on between censors and readers, and we must keep our eyes open to what's going on. I am My Sister's Keeper (Ok, just had to get that in for Jodi Piccoult fans...) so I take Banned Books Week to highlight some of the books, many of which have won numerous honors in the literary community, that we may not have been able to read if the people who wanted to remove them from library & school shelves, and even bookstore shelves had their way. If Hansel and Gretel could get challenged I knew there was no hope for Snow White! And All I have to say is Where's Waldo?! (When you find him, tell him he's been Banned too!) ttyl, Suzanne