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Books that are challenged or banned are documented in the form of annotated lists and put out there during Banned Books Week. There is a lot that goes into banning a book, such as, What was the actual complaint? Who made the complaint and why? “An incident report may also describe the type of remedy sought by complainants, and it will most likely report the final resolution of the challenge-whether the book was retained, relocated, restricted, or removed” (pg. 449) There is a lot of research and groundwork that goes into challenging and banning a book or novel and a few of the reasons books get banned are because they talk about or touch on religious, political, and sexual topics, as well as profanity, drug use, and so on, which are all real things that are going on in the world today. When looking at the research of banned books, people such as librarians often contribute the most since they are the ones picking books to add to the library. “Her findings reveal the fear of authority and lack of power felt by many school and public Librarians in Cold War era America” (pg. 449). This leads to book selections that they make or don’t make and ultimately, what students are exposed to.

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Research on the Effects of Reading - Jennifer Patterson

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Research on the Effects of Reading - Jennifer Patterson

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We’ve all had a friend recommend a book with the statement, “it changed my life!” However, is that really possible?

A 1971 study that tested the racial attitudes of 5th graders both before and after reading books featuring characters of either different races or of the same race found racial bias unchanged by reading experiences. Those students who exhibited bias before only showed more bias afterward, while those who showed little bias at the beginning of the study showed even less at the end. However, of note is that the students read in isolation, without discussing the books with each other or their teacher.

In spite of this obviously flawed study, both those in favor of censorship and those opposed seem to agree that yes, a book CAN change your life – what they disagree about is HOW.

Would-be censors seem to hold the opinion that books affect readers in predictable ways, and that ALL readers are affected the same way.

Those against censorship believe that readers bring with them experiences, knowledge, and purpose that make the effects of reading of the same book different, not only from reader to reader, but from each act of reading by the same person. Many of us have gained a new perspective by re-reading a childhood favorite with additional experiences and in a new circumstance.

How do you think discussion with peers and teachers would have effected the perspectives of the students in the 1971 study?

Which books have taken on a new meaning for you upon a second (or third) reading? Why do you think that is?

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Censoring the Library Shelves - Jennifer Patterson

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Censoring the Library Shelves - Jennifer Patterson

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Is it possible to find even a single book that is completely inoffensive? A resounding “no!” seems to be our answer, judging by the wide variety of reasons books have been challenged. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was challenged for “espous[ing] a poor philosophy of life" (Jenkins 452). Parents Against Bad Books in Schools (PABBIS) and The Facts on Fiction are just two of the organizations devoted to finding and publicizing objectionable material in children’s literature, making it easy for parents to lodge complaints. When it comes to reasons for objecting to a piece of literature, the philosophy appears to be, “seek and ye shall find.”

So, what is a children’s librarian to do? To have books is to have potential challenges. Because it’s impossible to predict future objections, librarians must continue selecting quality books, keeping in mind the goal of “put[ting] the right book into the hands of the right child at the right time.” (Jenkins 452).

Play devil’s advocate: What could be the rationale behind banning books? How does someone feel when they challenge a book?

Do you believe in “out of sight, out of mind” or in “the lure of forbidden fruit?” How do you think these concepts apply to banned/censored literature?

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For as long as there have been books, there been people trying to restrict access to them. While the reasons for challenging literature are as varied as individual readers, trends in challenges tend to reflect changes and issues in the larger culture.

While culture, and the readers within it, continue to evolve, the book itself remains constant. In our reactions, commendations, and remonstrations of literature, we create a representation of ourselves.

What are some alternatives to banning or censoring books? How can we help students analyze books with controversial topics?

Do you have any guesses about what the next “hot topic” for censorship might be?

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Censorship is the “removal, suppression, or restricted circulation of literary, artistic, or educational materials- of images, ideas, and information on the grounds that these are morally or otherwise objectionable in light of standards applied by the censor” (Jenkins, 2010). Overall, the American culture does not believe in censorship (Jenkins, 2010). However, there is a large debate on what books and materials should be accessible to children (Jenkins, 2010). Should everything be readily available to young ages? If not, what should the limitations be and how should they be established? In general, schools are concerned with this topic because of fear that the parents may backlash the materials found in their child’s possession at school (Jenkins, 2010).

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All around the world and throughout history, books have been censored, removed, or completely destroyed because of their content. From World War II to modern times, books and manuscripts have faced many challenges (Jenkins, 2010). For example, in 1992, the Serbs performed an "ethnic cleansing" which resulted in 1.5 million books being completely obliterated by fire in a single night (Jenkins, 2010). There are three reasons why books are censored: religion, politics, and sexual content (Jenkins, 2010). The main reason for censorship, in earlier times, was religion (Jenkins, 2010).

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Now, books are being banned and censored because they could be viewed as "harmful" for children, even if the main audience for the written work is adults (Jenkins, 2010). Many books contain themes inappropriate for children and, despite that they are written for adults, the potential exposure to children causes others to complain and results in censorship (Jenkins, 2010).

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Books are also censored or banned due to they way they are written and the language they may contain (Jenkins, 2010). This could be anything from work that is considered to be racially insensitive or culturally insensitive or just profanity (Jenkins, 2010). Sexual content is another issue resulting in censorship or books being banned (Jenkins, 2010).

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Librarians Decisions - Gretchen Forester

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Librarians Decisions - Gretchen Forester

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There is a difference between selecting and censoring books within a library. Censoring is when someone chooses to leave out a book from a collection simply because someone, somewhere may object to having the book in the library. Librarians can choose what books to include in specific collections, if they choose to leave a book out, this could be censoring.

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Level of Offensiveness - Gretchen Forester 

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Level of Offensiveness - Gretchen Forester 

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When the public, rather than a librarian, decides that a book is offensive there are different levels of offensiveness. The first level being “expression of concern” by someone who questions the book in a library or a classroom. This starts the discussion over whether the book is offensive. The next level is an “oral complaint” regarding the presence in a library. The third level is a “written complaint” that formally challenges the material. Finally, there is a potential for a “public attack” which is a statement to the press- this step doesn’t always happen but when it does it is used to create a public outcry. These actions are considered challenges and not yet censorship. Once a book has been challenged there is a trial like process that occurs. The book is “charged” with threatening a minor’s innocence- there are people from both points of view that testify to determine if the book needs to be censored or not.

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Where do they go next? - Gretchen Forester

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Where do they go next? - Gretchen Forester

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If the book is “not guilty” it returns to the shelf where it belongs. If the book is guilty, there are a few options. The book can be moved to an adult section, moved up “levels” from elementary to middle or high school, or move to a restricted section where children must have parental permission to check the book out.

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There are many groups that advocate for and against censoring books. The “for” side claims that books can push ideas onto young children that they do not need to hear such as satanism, LGBTQ ideals, or witchcraft. The “against” side says that censoring is just a political act.