To all those literary rebels out there, yesterday kicked off National Banned Book Week. Held in the last week of September every year, National Banned Book Week celebrates the First Amendment and readers' choice to read books deemed controversial. Books can earn a spot on the list by containing material that is "sexually explicit", "violent", "unsuited to age group", has "offensive language", themes of "homosexuality", or is "anti-family". This year's top ten list of books includes some books I've never heard of and some that I am familiar with. The Kite Runner, Gossip Girl, The Perks of Being a Wallflower are some that caught my eye. I had to laugh when I saw Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz on the list because as a child, that was a favorite book among my sisters, brother, and me...and I turned out OK! I am proud to say that I am pretty well-read on books that have made the list in past years. Harry Potter, The Catcher in the Rye, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Go Ask Alice, The Bluest Eye, and The Color Purple are some of those included. So go out this week and celebrate your right to read challenging and offensive books!
-Alyssa
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