This post is part of a series for Banned Books Week 2014 and some information may be outdated. Questions? Please reach out to us online or at the Information Desk.
Photo Description (above): Adela Gallegos, Circulation Services Student Assistant (in her amazing 1984 sweater.)
What is your favorite Banned Book?
1984, by George Orwell.
Why is Banned Books Week important to you?
Banned Books Week is important because it helps teach people about the historical significance of books and how they’ve consistently challenged the world and the time they were published in.
Looking over the American Library Association’s lists of banned and challenged books, which have you found the most surprising and why?
The Diary of Anne Frank was most surprising because it is about such an important time in history. Banning a book like this denies students the chance to learn about The Holocaust.
Alex Perroots, Archives & Special Collections Student Assistant
What is your favorite Banned Book?
My favorite Banned Book is Harry Potter! I love the Harry Potter series because it has so much sentimental value to me. My mom read the first two books to my sister and I when we were little, and after that we loved them so much we read the whole series ourselves. Harry Potter was the first set of books that made me realize how much I loved reading. It represents my childhood and my discovery of books, and it is such a great read for all ages!
Why is Banned Books Week important to you?
Banned Books Week is important to me because there are so many amazing books that have been banned in the past: Snow Falling on Cedars, A Time to Kill, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Catcher in the Rye, To Kill a Mockingbird, and so many others. These are all incredible, eye-opening books and the thought of preventing people from reading them is shocking to me.
Looking over the American Library Association’s lists of banned and challenged books, which have you found the most surprising and why?
I think I was most surprised by R.L. Stine’s Goosebump series. They were the fun, scary chapter books I read as a kid that were so cool because you could choose your own ending! While they could be seen as frightening or harmful to children, they are truly innocent and a great fun read for kids.