Let’s Talk Bookish: Banning Books

Hey, everyone! I hope you’re all doing well. I am officially on winter break now, which I am super glad about. My finals didn’t go as well as I expected, but I blame it on being sick last week and thus not getting the review time in class.

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme created by Rukky @ Eternity Books and hosted by Aria @ Book Nook Bits where we discuss various topics and share our opinions. Today’s topic is Banning Books (suggested by Jillian @ Jillian the Bookish Butterfly).

This is going to be a bit of a ranty post. When I say “you,” I’m taking about the general you, plural. I don’t mean you specifically.

Prompts: Do you think banning books is fair? Should students be allowed to read what they want and be able to get it from their school library? In a more broad sense, how do you feel about books that have been “banned?” Do you think that it’s a crime to ban a book, no matter what it contains, or are there cases where it’s alright? 

---

No, I do not think book banning is fair. When banning a book, you are basically taking away someone’s voice and opinions and putting them in a category of books that are “dangerous” or “inappropriate” for kids to read just because of your personal opinion on it.

Students should be allowed to read what they want and choose for themselves whether they want to read a certain book or not. They are the ones who should control their reading choices, not parents. In a school library, there needs to be a diverse selection of books, with representation from every aspect. This includes race, gender identity, sexual and romantic orientation, disabilities, religion, mental health, etc. The top 10 books that were banned in American schools during the 2021-2022 school year were:

1. Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe (banned 41 times)
2. All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson (banned 29 times)
3. Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez (banned 24 times)
4. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison (banned 22 times)
5. Lawn Boy by Johnathon Evison (banned 17 times)
6. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (banned 17 times)
7. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (banned 16 times)
8. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews (banned 14 times)
9. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (banned 13 times)
10. Crank by Ellen Hopkins (banned 12 times)

Source: CBS News

These books were banned because of discussion and depiction of sexual discovery, profanity, sexually explicit content, violence, racism, alcohol usage, poverty, teen suicide, drug use, and others. Now, I get it if some of these books aren’t in an elementary school library; they can be disturbing to readers who are that young. But once kids enter middle school, they can decide what their limitations are and if they think they can handle a certain book.

Some of the other banned books on CBS News’ article are This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson, George by Alex Gino, and Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin. These three books all have one thing in common: they focus heavily on the LGBTQ+ community. They’re banned because of “sexually explict” content. But taking these books away makes it harder for kids to connect with characters in a book. They can’t if they don’t see themselves in a character.

Overall, yes, I think it is a crime to ban a book. It’s not the book’s fault that it contains things parents don’t like. Whether it be racial themes, LGBTQ+ characters, disabilities, these books are the kinds that help kids who are going through similar things. Kids connect with book characters more than people think. It lets them know that they’re not alone in these situations–there are people like them who are going through the same thing.

Are there cases where it’s alright to ban a book? No, I don’t think so. A lot of times, books are banned because parents are trying to “protect” their child from whatever is being portrayed in a book. There are some books that I would not recommend an elementary school kid, like The Hate U Give. Those kids could be a bit young to read the more mature elements in the story. But, the maturity level of the kid comes into play as well and whether they believe they are ready for it. Overall, though, it still doesn’t excuse the fact that the book has been banned.

---

What do you think about book banning? Do you think it’s fair?