Thank god they didn't win!
Tuesday, September 27
I just found out from A Mama's Rant that it's Banned Book Week. When I first read that there was an actual week for this, I was kind of surprised, people are still doing this? Apparently so. But after checking out the American Library Association's list of most challenged books from 1990-1999, I'm kind of pissed, I mean really, is this how people spend their time? The list is frankly ridiculous, silly, clearly whoever is working to get books on this list have never liked to read. Ok, Harry Potter, I understand if your uber-christian and think a story about a boy witcfh will somehow turn your child into a heathen - dumb, but I get why it's a big deal to them. And probably, The New Joy of Gay Sex is not something I want in my kids elementary school library, but I'm not gay, so I don't care if it's in my local library, and hey, maybe I'll show hubby a few tricks in the lesbian section. But some of these other books, I mean really, if they, whoever they is, had gotten their way, I know I wouldn't be the same person I am today.
Reading for me is an adventure, I get lost in the characters, my imagintion weaves through the story, and I learn with them, I cry with them, I laugh with them. I can read almost any book and find a reason to folllow it through to the end. A really good book, and I am attached to it, at work it calls for me to hurry home and read some more. when I finish, I put it down, like good sex and just savor the moment, sad that the story is over, hoping the author will be inspired to tell more stories with those wonderful characters. I mean really, Native Son, Lord of the Flies, Tom Sawyer. Hell, even Disney is ok with the story of Tom Sawyer. I kept looking around the site - is this the list of banned books in communist China? Nope, it's here in the good ol USA. I'm sorry for those kids whose parents keep them from some of the greatest writing and stories of all time. I mean comeon, the bible is a good read, lots of violence and smiting and all, but I can't help but wonder what the heck is so wrong with A Wrinkle in Time.
So read a banned book this week, pay attention to what your local library and community is saying about literature and books in our country. And if you enjoy being just a little bit of a rebel like me, read your kid a Shel Silverstein poem (yep he's on there too). Here's one of my favorites:
"Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me Too"Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too,
Went for a ride in a flying shoe,
"Hooray!"
"What fun!"
"It's time we flew!"
Said Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.Ickle was captain, Pickle was crew,
And Tickle served coffee and mulligan stew
As higher
And higher
And higher they flew,
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too,
Over the sun and beyond the blue.
"Hold on!"
"Stay in!"
"I hope we do!"
Cried Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too
Never returned to the world they knew,
And nobody
knows what's
happened to
Dear Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
posted by Amy's Working @ 9:16 AM
