Mom to Mom: Here's some ridiculous reasons books have been banned.
The media has been in an uproar lately over the banning of books – especially children’s books – from their intended audiences. Many end up banned because a small group launches a complaint about something they’ve perceived within the text and demands that it be removed from shelves.
Here’s another idea: just don’t read the book. If you have a reason for not wanting your child to read a certain book, just talk to them about your reasoning and tell them you prefer they not read the book. Don’t force your viewpoint on everyone else.
Just this week I saw a list of children’s books that had been banned from a school district and many of them are beloved books that have been enjoyed for generations. I looked over the list and bought four that we didn’t have on our shelves. We might have read them as library books, but I wanted to show a little more support.
I thought I would go over the ridiculous reasons why these books were banned.
One beloved Dr. Seuss book has been banned more than a few times in its 50 years of existence because, according to one state’s governor, it is “a book with an agenda that seeks to brainwash children into believing that capitalism is bad.” It’s a book about protecting the environment.
Another beloved book has also been banned many times in its decades-long life – this one a collection of poems with simplistic illustrations. An entire state banned this book because a few people claimed it promoted drug use and disrespect for authority. The book is full of poems about growing up and the lines between childhood and adulthood.
Something that was required reading for me in the 1990s has repeatedly landed on the banned book list across the country both for being too Christian and yet also blasphemous to Christianity. While the author was a devout Christian, she said she didn’t want to tell God where he could or could not be seen.
Finally, we also bought a more recent title that’s literally about a child who discovers that her favorite book has been banned and what she does about it. I can’t wait to dive into this one with my own children and teach them that books are for everyone!
The moral here, and one I say over and over as an author, is that not every book is for every reader. And that’s OK! That’s why we have different genres and styles and tropes and everything else. Because even if I disagree with the style of books you and your family enjoy, I would never take away your right to read them. Please grant everyone else that same courtesy and stop banning books.
Allison Wells is a wife, mother of four, and an award-winning author. She's Team Oxford Comma and her motto is "Life is short, eat the Oreos." Find her online at allisonwellswrites.com.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Mom to Mom: Here's some ridiculous reasons books have been banned.
