Alamogordo Public Library celebrates the freedom to read during Banned Books Week

Nicole Maxwell, Alamogordo Daily News
·3 min read

Alamogordo Public Library Youth Services Librarian Ami Jones keeps a spreadsheet of banned or challenged books from across the country that has almost 1,500 entries of juvenile and young adult books.

There have not been any formal challenges to books in Alamogordo in recent years.

"Occasionally, I have parents who bring me a book and say, 'Oh, I don't think this book is for children,'" Jones said. "What we usually come around and say is they don't feel it's right for their children which is absolutely fine. Parents absolutely have the right to decide what is best for their minor children to read. They just don't have the right to decide what other people's children can read."

Alamogordo Public Library Youth Services Librarian Ami Jones discusses her spreadsheet of childrens books that have been either banned or challenged in the U.S, The list includes books picture books up through young adult Alamogordo Public Library celebrated Banned Books Week in September 2022 with displays of books that have been banned or challenged across the country.

Jones adds books to the list when she sees media reports or other formal documentation that a book has been challenged or banned.

At the Alamogordo Public Library, when a parent or guardian approaches Jones with a book that they do not feel is appropriate, Jones shows the parent or guardian a similar book that could be deemed more suitable for their family, Jones said.

"Usually, everyone goes away happy," Jones said.

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Sept. 18-24 is Banned Books week where books that have banned or challenged are showcased at libraries across the country.

The Alamogordo Public Library celebrated Banned Books week with displays featuring books that have either been banned or challenged in the U.S.

Some banned or challenged books

The following books were banned or challenged in the U.S. and Canada.

One banned book is "Strega Nona" By Tomie De Paola which was banned from libraries across the country for depicting magic in a positive light.

"Strega Nona" was awarded the Caldecott Honor in 1976.

A part of the banned/challenged books display in the children's area at the Alamogordo Public Library. Alamogordo Public Library celebrated Banned Books Week in September 2022 with displays of books that have been banned or challenged across the country.
A part of the banned/challenged books display in the children's area at the Alamogordo Public Library. Alamogordo Public Library celebrated Banned Books Week in September 2022 with displays of books that have been banned or challenged across the country.

Other books challenged for the same reasons as "Strega Nona" include the Roald Dahl's "James and the Giant Peach," L. Frank Baum's "Wizard of Oz" and J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series.

In December 2001, an Alamogordo church held an annual holy bonfire where parishioners would write down their sins and bring items to purge from their lives, according to a Dona Ana County's "Southern New Mexico Historical Review from January 2013 in an article titled "Banned Books in New Mexico" by Cary G. Osborne, MLIS.

In 2001, the pastor preached the Harry Potter "books burned were 'a masterpiece of satanic deception,'" the Southern New Mexico Historical Review article states.

According to reports, people showed up to protest the book burning.

Another reason books are banned or challenged is depictions of violence contained within them.

One such novel is Jack London's "The Call of the Wild" which has been cited for its violence, dark tone and was among books banned in Europe in the 1920 and 1930s due to it being deemed "'politically dangerous." It was among the books burned by the Nazis in 1933.

Another book that has been banned or challenged for violence is "Hop on Pop" by Ted Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss.

The book came up for review in Toronto, Canada in 2014 after library "Patrons complained to the Toronto Public Library that the book be removed, saying it 'encourages children to use violence against their fathers,'" according to BannedLibrary.com. "The library's Materials Review Committee decided to keep the book, citing as a reason for keeping the book, 'The children are actually told not to hop on pop'."

Alamogordo Public Library Youth Services Librarian Ami Jones holds up YA novel "SCARS" by Cheryl Rainfield and Adult Reference Librarian Jean-ann Stump holds up " The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon. Alamogordo Public Library celebrated Banned Books Week in September 2022 with displays of books that have been banned or challenged across the country.

One young adult book that was banned or challenged is the autobiographical "SCARS" by Cheryl Rainfield. It was banned or challenged for its discussions of self-harm, child abuse and homosexuality.

The book was published in 2010 and is about a 15-year old girl named Kendra who is an abuse survivor who is haunted by her memories of sexual abuse she experienced when she was younger.

Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter.

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This article originally appeared on Alamogordo Daily News: Alamogordo Public Library celebrates Banned Books Week