Ok, I know that sounds really odd, being happy about having a week where we celebrate the banning of books.
But, what I love about this week is that I find all new, amazing books that I haven’t read before. I also see all of the wacky reasons that people find to be offended by the written word. It’s also a great time to teach students (and your children) about the First Amendment-you know- Freedom of Speech.
So, this year, I’ve found a few new books to read, and a few that I’m really not shocked got banned.
here are my favorites:
This is one that I’ll be adding to my library soon-
A real life tale of two MALE penguins who adopt an abandoned egg and raise the chick.
Ok, I can’t resist a good penguin. Seriously.
Nickel and Dimed : On getting (not) on in America
Ever tried to live on Minimum Wage? Yeah. Doesn’t work so hot does it? This is the book about living on minimum wage in America. The author went undercover and lived on minimum wage. And lived to tell the tale.
It’s already en route to my kindle app on my phone.
I LOVE this book. It’s one of the more loved ones in my collection to the point where I really should order a new copy because mine is SO loved. I know, I know. Odd. But ever since I heard someone do an excerpt when I was on the Debate and Speech team in high school, I was hooked. This is a “lesson” to a nasty teacher gone terribly wrong. It is amazing, powerful…
and banned.
With a title like “Killing Mr. Griffin,” you all expected anything else?
Yeah. Me either.
And last, but not least,
This is one of my recent favorites. I read through this book in ONE NIGHT and then immediately returned it to the person I borrowed it from and downloaded the other two in the cycle to my kindle app. HOLY GARBAGE. Think “The Lottery,” set in one heck of a dystopian future.
AND this sucker has a movie coming out.
AND…
BANNED.
Banning and burning of books- violates the whole First Amendment.
If we are to be a free, educated society, we need to stop thinking in narrow generalizations and “protecting” others from out of the box ideas and good literature.
Free People
Buy Banned Books
Read Banned Books
Share Banned Books
DO NOT BAN BOOKS
Happy Banned Books Week 2011!