Mundie Moms

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Banned Books Week: Day 2, What Is Banned Books Week Anyway?



Yesterday I kicked off our Banned Books Week with a post about my thoughts on BBW and giveaway of one of my favorite books on the list, The Giver. Today I wanted to focus on what Banned Books Week is and how it started. So, what exactly is Banned Book Week and why do we celebrate it? I googled the definition and the history of Banned Book Week and this is what I've found.

"Banned Books Week is an annual awareness campaign that celebrates the freedom to read,[1] draws attention to banned and challenged books,[2] and highlights persecuted individuals.[3] The United States campaign "stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them"[4] and the requirement to keep material publicly available so that people can develop their own conclusions and opinions. The international campaign notes individuals "persecuted because of the writings that they produce, circulate or read."[3]
- quoted from here

Did you know that Banned Books Week has been celebrated since 1982? I had no idea! I thought it was something that was relatively new. Since 1982 it's held the last week in September and the campaign was founded by First Amendment and library activist Judith Krug. You can read more about Judith here.

What is the purpose of Banned Book Week?

The purpose of Banned Books Week is to "teach the importance of our First Amendment rights and the power of literature, and to draw attention to the danger that exists when restraints are imposed on the availability of information in a free society."- quoted from here

Banned Books Week is a week that unites book lovers and readers of all ages. We're educators, students, parents, children, librarians, bloggers, publishers, authors and so forth whom all come together to celebrate the FREEDOM to read. Closing books closes ideas, imagination and the freedom to dream and to become. It closes possibilities and imagination. It breeds ignorance, intolerance and prejudice.

CELEBRATE THE FREEDOM TO READ! Pick up a BANNED BOOK today!


I also included some useful links in our right hand side bar for Banned Books Week. Go here to find ALA's (American Library Association):




In My Mailbox #90

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren and is a post for bloggers to spotlight what books they received the previous week for review, purchased, won, were gifted, borrowed etc. Here's the goodies we received this week.



For Review:

* The Death Cure by James Dashner, published by Random House, to be released on October 11th, 2011

* The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, published by Scholastic, to be released on October 18th, 2011

* Lola and The Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins, published by Dutton/Penguin Teen, to be released on September 27th, 2011, signed ARC

* Away by Teri Hall, published by Dial/Penguin, released on September 15th, 2011

* Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George, published by Bloomsbury Kids, to be released on October 25th, 2011

* Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts, published by Simon & Schuster Teen, to be released on November 1st, 2011, received w/ a little card & a $10 gift certificate to Dunkin Donuts

* The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, published by Random House, released on September 13th, 2011

* Demon Kiss by H.M Ward, published by Laree Bailey Press, released on March 30th, 2011

* Ghosts of Rockville, Search for the Demon Glass by Justin Heimberg, published by Seven Footer Press, released on September 20th, 2011


Bought:

* Only The Good Spy Young by Ally Carter
* The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson, already read
* The Wide Awake Princess by E.D. Baker
* Prada & Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard
* The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, Ninth Grade Slays by Heather Brewer
* Deadly Little Games by Laurie Faria Stolarz
* Nightshade by Andrea Cremer, already ready and own a copy


Gifted:

* Emma by Jane Austen (The Winchester Austen edition), thank you Sophie!


Thank you to Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Random House, Penguin, Simon & Schuster, Sophie, D.M. Ward and Seven Footer Press for this week's awesome reads.

What goodies did you receive this week?

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