Confessions of a Book Banner!

The American Library Association's Banned Books Week has come and gone, with countless bloggers lamenting that no one has a right to censor what a person reads.  I agreed with them whole hardily, but felt a post would be preaching to the choir.  After all, what else can possibly be said about it?

I also fear that I have grown a little tired of Banned Books Week, much like a middle aged person who is tired of their birthday.  I was a librarian for several years and every year I would create the display for the Banned Books Week.  One year I took each librarian's picture and created a poster which read, "Wanted for Reading Banned Books."  I thought it was pretty clever, since no one associates librarians and criminal behavior

After Banned Books Week was over, however, a lurking fear crept into my brain.  Since I am both a librarian and writer, it almost seemed impossible.  The thought, however, wouldn't relent and was finally confirmed by my loving husband of four years.  "Censor," he yelled half laughing, "why can't our son read these books?"  "You call yourself a librarian!"  He was proud of that last comment and I almost thought I was in a court room.

"How absurd," I shouted, "Carl's Snowy Afternoon and "WHERE IS BABY BEAR? A Book about Animal Homes, is inappropriate for our son!"  Now before you think I'm crazy (most of you probably already do), the former featured a naughty puppy and little girl sneaking out of the house and the latter had such poor illustrations that the baby animals looked creepy.  Since I felt these books were inappropriate for Luke, I refused to read them.  When my husband, however read these books, I commented ferociously about how naughty the puppy was for sneaking out of the house.

Ok, I'll admit it.  I have become every teacher and librarian's worse nightmare.  Next thing you know, I will be crashing the local PTA meetings demanding that these two books be taken off the shelves.  Since I am filled with the book banning spirit, I'll try to ban The Cat In The Hat, because the words just get gumbled in my mouth and Harry Potter.  If I am going to ban books, I might as well go all out!

The source of this book banning madness is my son!  All I want to do is teach him proper morals, values and behaviors.  If I let my son be exposed to naughty puppies, he will become a pot smoking hippie who lives in his parent's basement.  I can't let that happen!

Rereading this post makes me realize, however, that I need to take a step back.  Most people who try to ban books are well meaning.  They want to protect their children and in the end they produce overly sheltered human beings who can't function in society.  Instead of accusing book banners of being self righteous hypocrites, perhaps we should help them realize that a child will not be damaged by The Catcher in the Rye or Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7).  Being exposed to ideas contrary to your upbringing, will only cause you to lose your morals if you never believed in them in the first place!  The world is full of experiences and we should guide our children, instead of sheltering them.  As for me, I think I will read Carl's Snowy Afternoon to my son!