Every year in September, the American Library Association (ALA) celebrates our right to read with Banned Books Week. While the freedom to read what we want is covered by the First Amendment (and upheld in state supreme courts and US courts of appeals), many books are regularly challenged or banned on a local level, in public schools and libraries. Here at the Mechanics' Institute we support the ALA and uphold our patrons' freedom to read. Come by the second floor this month to browse our display of books that have been banned and challenged in the United States. Like me, you might be surprised to see books that you've read and loved on this list:
Sherman Alexie - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian
Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games
John Green - Looking for Alaska
Mark Haddon - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Khaled Hosseini - The Kite Runner
Aldous Huxley - Brave New World
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Toni Morrison - The Bluest Eye
Stephen Chbosky - The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Rainbow Rowell - Eleanor and Park
Ray Bradbury - Fahrenheit 451
J.D. Salinger - The Catcher in the Rye
John Steinbeck - Of Mice and Men
Mariko and Jillian Tamaki - This One Summer
Alice Walker - The Color Purple
Do you have a favorite book that's been banned or challenged? We'd love to hear about it!
