Banned Books Week - Sept. 23-30, 2006

Have you read the latest Harry Potter? Seen any of the movies? Did you read How to Eat Fried Worms when you were younger? Or James and the Giant Peach? Did your mom read you Where the Wild Things Are? Has your teacher assigned Of Mice and Men or To Kill a Mockingbird yet?

All these books have been challenged or banned. All of them are on the top 100 list of books banned most often during the 1990s.

According to the American Library Association, the 10 most challenged books of the 21st Century thus far (2000-2005) are:

1. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
2. "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier
3. Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
4. "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck
5. "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
6. "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers
7. "It's Perfectly Normal" by Robie Harris
8. Scary Stories series by Alvin Schwartz
9. Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey
10. "Forever" by Judy Blume

The ALA has set up a survey website where you can enter information about a book you have enjoyed, or that meant a lot to you. Copy this address into your web browser:
https://cs.ala.org/websurvey/pio/challengedbook/index.cfm?CFID=64432943&CFTOKEN=56397095

It Came From the Library (continued)

Here's some info about some of the books in Book Survivor III.


The Same Stuff As Stars by Katherine Paterson
Angel isn't even 12 yet, and she has had to be the adult in her family for years. Her father is in jail, and her mother drinks. One day her mother abandoned Angel and her younger brother at their great-grandmother's house. Grandma is old, poor and bitter, barely taking care of herself. Angel learns to love the starry country sky, and to have faith in herself with the help of a stargazing man and the town librarian.


Split Image by Mel Glenn
Laura Li seems to have everything. She is beautiful and smart. Her peers and her teachers all admire her. But her family life is difficult...too difficult to reconcile with what she wants for herself.


Vox by Paul Stewart
The librarian knights are heroes in this world of goblins, trolls, waifs and various demons and monsters. Intrigue and double-crossing are the order of the day. But the valiant librarians prevail.


Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck
When the old librarian dies, the library in Peewee's small town is closed. It is reopened, spectacularly, by three young librarians who come motoring in and revamp the place, changing the town and Peewee's quiet life with her brother Jake.

It Came From the Library!!!!

Our new Book Survivor is It Came From the Library: Books featuring Librarians.

This time, we are not just voting off the books, we are voting off the characters, in this case, the librarians!

The books are:

You Can't Get There From Here by Todd Strasser Librarian: Anthony
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis Librarian: The Librarian
Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo Librarian: Miss Franny
Vox: The Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell Librarian: Rook Barkwater
Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck Librarian: Grace Stutz
The Rover by Mel Odom Librarian: Jugh
The Sledding Hill by Chris Crutcher Librarian: Ruth Lloyd
The Same Stuff as Stars by Katherine Paterson Librarian: Liza Irwin
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Journals of Rupert Giles, Vol. 1 Librarian: Rupert Giles
Split Image by Mel Glenn Librarian: Sarah Binder
The Pigman by Paul Zindel Librarian: The Cricket
Lirael by Garth Nix Librarian: Lirael
Miss Zukas and Library Murders by Jo Dereske Librarian: Miss Zukas
Batgirl Librarian: Barbara Gordon
Story Time by Edward Bloor Librarian: Mrs. Brennan (or Brian's favorite, Pogo)
Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti Librarian: Ann McQueen

Join us on October 19 for our Literary Cafe. Have a snack, and let's talk about these books!