Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

In observance of Banned Books Week, I picked up Laurie Halse Anderson’s Twisted to read.  It’s been challenged in a high school in Kentucky – Anderson’s blog has been tracking the details of the challenge – and earlier this week it looked like it was going to return to the AP English classes in which [...]

Banned Books Week: Celebrate the Power of the Written Word

One way you can celebrate Banned Books Week is by reading one of the many books that were challenged in various parts of the country in 2008-2009. But, then I got to thinking, another way you can ring in this event would be to pick up one of the many top-notch books out there that [...]

(Don’t) Watch Your Tongue: It’s BANNED BOOKS WEEK 2009

September 26th – October 3rd, 2009 is Banned Books Week.  This annual event was founded to celebrate the freedom to read and to raise awareness about the book challenges and bans that threaten that freedom.  Banned Books Week serves as a reminder that we must protect the availability of unpopular, even radical, viewpoints to all [...]

Twisted & Speak Challenged

Just last week YA author Laurie Halse Anderson received notice of 3 attempts to remove 2 of her books: TWISTED & SPEAK.   Speak was called “smutty” and “pornographic” by a complaining parent in California, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times. (Warning: if you haven’t read Speak, the article includes some spoilers) The [...]