I am not a conspiracy nut. I don’t believe I am being watched ALL the time, and I try not to think about what they put in our food. But I am pretty sure that books disappear from the shelves, unless we say something.

Once upon a time in America, people believed that censorship could never happen.

For years, America averaged about 500 book challenges a year, according to the American Library Association (ALA).This number went up or down depending on the political climate and what side of the bed the censors got up on.

In recent deeply politically divided times, however, that is no longer true. ALA reported: “In 2023 alone, it tracked 1,247 efforts to censor books and other resources in libraries—an increase of 65% from the year before. In total, 4,240 unique book titles were targeted, many of them representing LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC voices and experiences.”

That’s why we need Banned Books Week, an annual event sponsored by a number of book-loving organizations including the ALA to: a) celebrate the freedom to read, and b) draw attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.

Banned Books Week is always held during the last week in September, when kids are just starting to hit the books again and parents have more time to read. Books that have been challenged range from the popular to the classics:

  • The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: A parent claimed that it gave her 11-year-old daughter nightmares and could numb other children to the effects of violence.
  • Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut: Challenged in Republic, MO, schools because it is “soft pornography” and “glorifies drinking, cursing, and premarital sex.”

I have followed the topic of censorship for years as I researched my own novel about censorship, Book of Mercy. Censors object to books because of sex, violence, swearing, “to protect children,” and because they simply disagree with the concepts in the book. But other times, their reasons are just silly. I used actual challenged books and the actual reasons for their challenges as part of the story in Book of Mercy. (Yes, sometimes you can’t make up this stuff.) Here’s an excerpt in which Study Club President Irene Crump identifies books that should be banned in the North Carolina town of Mercy:

“The Stupids Step Out,” Irene said. “Describes families in a derogatory manner and might encourage children to disobey their parents.”

Arabella huffed in disgust. “That’s an absurd name for a family, fictional or otherwise. What if Tolstoy had called her Anna Idiot instead of Anna Karenina?”

Arabella got no argument from Irene, who constantly fought the battle for eloquent language with her own children. She thought “suck” should be something you did with a straw, not a description of your homework. . . .

Irene went on to another book. “A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein. Encourages children to break dishes so they won’t have to dry them . . .”

Julie cleared her throat and attempted a half-hearted smile. “Irene, surely when you were a child, you too hated doing the dishes.”

Irene peered over her glasses at Julie. “We had a maid for that. Even so, there is never an excuse to take a hammer to the Wedgewood.”

I think EVERY week of the year should be Banned Books Week.

If we want to remain a free society, we have to keep our books and resources uncensored. We have a system of checks and balances, but we are seeing that system being twisted and rigged to favor singular perspectives. Giving children only one perspective on life is dangerous.

So be vigilant. We can’t afford to fall asleep at the wheel. Rock Banned Books Week, wear an “I Read Banned Books” button, read something someone else considers salacious.

Whatever you do, just don’t sit there. Give books a chance. Before they disappear.