During Banned Books Week, we show our support of the intellectual freedom and the freedom to read. One of the reccuring images we have used each year is this banner we created with 99 of the 100 most banned books for the years 1990-2000. There are a surprising number of literary classics, children's books and books we've all grown up reading at home, in the library and at school. Authors like Roald Dahl, Stephen King, Judy Blume and Chris Crutcher even have several titles on this list!
Can you figure out which book is missing? (lulu852 was the first to guess the answer HERE.)
What is your favorite Banned Book?
How many have you read?
Pretty soon the list for years 2000-2010 will be released, what are
your guesses about the books we'll see on that list? One thing we're
fairly certain of, Harry Potter (series) will feature pretty high on
the list!
Check out this incredible short film David Jewell made teasing the full-length documentary online!
Your library will always support your choice to read, and your choice to not read any of these books. We feel the best way to support your freedom to read is to make sure no one else makes that choice for you. Stop by your local library and enjoy your freedoms, and all that the library has to offer!
erin_oldfather, cbmanges, and 201 other people added this photo to their favorites.
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Liz Wall 52 months ago | reply
I own and love so many of these books. I didn't realize alot of these had made the banned list.
But...
Where's Waldo??
Really???
WHY
DML East Branch 52 months ago | reply
"Where's Waldo" had a little drawing on the beach scene of a lady jumping up topless (shown from the side/back) while someone was spilling water on her. It's since been republished and covered up! So to see this you'd have to look at one of the first few printings of the book.
The Golden Compass trilogy has been challenged frequently, but apparently not as much as these titles have been.
therealshawnshawn 50 months ago | reply
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Political Art Now, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
imightbeapryl 50 months ago | reply
Hello. My summer plans include reading/re-reading as many banned books as I can. I would love to be able to post your art work on my blog...i would of course give you full credit for it. Please let me know if you have any objections.
thanks!
DaniL_15 50 months ago | reply
I'm in grade 9 and I've already read most of those books.
Also, at least 10 of those books are part of my schools curriculum (The Giver, Catcher in the Rye, Lord of the Flies...). I guess Canada has less "censorship" than the US.
DML East Branch 50 months ago | reply
Keep supporting intellectual freedom, and the freedom to choose for yourself and your children! There have been some pretty disappointing events taking place recently in West Bend WI - Link -
Our hearts go out to the community and the library in West Bend. The best way to support your freedom to read is to make sure no one else makes that choice for you.
PoniesOnSpeed 49 months ago | reply
Wow, I've read NINE of those books
kimarama 49 months ago | reply
I very recently started a blog about banned books. You can find it here: thedailybanning.blogspot.com/
I would love to use your photo of the banned books shaped like a flag as the banner for my blog. Photo credit would be provided to you. Please let me know if this is acceptable or if you have terms for use, etc.
Joe Ekaitis 48 months ago | reply
Oh, the irony.
Your humble author was told his traditionally published book is unfit for library acquisition because it wasn't approved by magazines like American Library Association (ALA) Booklist, School Library Journal and Publisher's Weekly.
So, who's REALLY banning books these days?
DML East Branch 48 months ago | reply
@Joe Ekaitis
I'm sorry to hear that the library you spoke with wasn't able to purchase copies of your book. I can't speak to their specifics, but it sounds like they're limited in the amount of materials they can purchase, and prefer to hold to purchasing materials that are reviewed in critical review journals. Keep asking around and I'm sure you'll find plenty of libraries that will purchase copies of your book.
@DaniL_15 and @VintageCheese
Great! The best thing we can do to remove the taboo of these books being challenged is to read them and understand them.
Joe Ekaitis 48 months ago | reply
DML East Branch:
Actually, I tried to donate the books. Another librarian, who accepted a copy for his own branch, says it's standard operating procedure for system-wide acquisitions: no review, no consideration at all. And since a dozen or so media conglomerates get all the review space in most issues of the library review magazines, books from independent royalty-paying publishers are effectively and summarily banned. The whole thing turns Banned Books Week into a seven-day exercise in self-congratulatory hypocrisy.
POONDOG64 46 months ago | reply
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called NO WORLD FOR TOMORROW, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
leroi jones, jr. productions 44 months ago | reply
thank you.
ohsodramatic08 44 months ago | reply
they BANNED Where's Waldo?!
sherylmcfarlane 33 months ago | reply
What an amazing picture. Very cool & very powerful. Love it.
LIL el ron 29 months ago | reply
whats the big deal of it its just the end of the world
lol check out some art i got on the subject dope shit shure to please
Églantine 22 months ago | reply
Amazing the books that have been banned! I have read many of them!
KeliseT 22 months ago | reply
Hi, I am an admin for the blog Thoughts of PR Sarkar. I thought your photo was great and have used it in a post. We have created a link back to this page and credited the photo to you. Thanks Kelise
hmboo 19 months ago | reply
Who banned this Books?
I'm not american
jagslibrary 5 months ago | reply
Can I have permission to use this on my library blog with full attribution? librarymusings.weebly.com?
Love the banner...Love the books....