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Banned books: Why you should read these targeted titles now – USA Today

Why you should read these banned books now

USA TODAY Staff, USA TODAY

As journalists, it’s our job to seek out the truth even when it’s uncomfortable. We value diverse perspectives, are open to new ideas and respect intellectual freedom. So it should come as no surprise that the thought of banning a book would get us riled. 

What happens when a book is challenged in school boards and public libraries? Titles can be removed from school curriculums or library shelves. Most public schools and libraries have boards made up of elected officials or members appointed by elected officials. It is by the power of these officials that a book can go from challenged to banned in a school district or public library.

Sure, there is the argument you can just purchase a book if it’s taken off public shelves. But that is true only for those with financial resources. For many, particularly children and young adults, school and public libraries are the only means to access literature.

With that in mind, current and former USA TODAY staff picked a challenged or banned book that was meaningful to them. In the books’ defense, we’ve written why they deserve a place in our schools, libraries and society.

‘Looking for Alaska’ by John Green

Young people don’t typically seek out stories about grief, but I did after being hit with the sour reality that terrible things can happen to those you love and the world just moves on. Clinging to my signed first-edition, which I reread multiple times and used quotes from in my journal, is something of a core memory to my 12-year-old self. This book is challenged for explicit writing, but it offered the “stick-it-to-the-man”ness I needed to defy expectations and endeavor to be better than the generation that came before. Over a decade after my first read, I can still feel the protest that John Green’s words invoked to seek growth and understanding above all. And that grief never leaves you, it only grows with you. – Sam WoodwardCheck out: USA TODAY’s weekly Best-selling Booklist

Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park

Growing up, Junie B. Jones ​felt more like a spunky pal than a book character. It’s not a moral lesson I remember, but just plain fun. This series has been banned on the basis that Junie is not a good role model. She’s loud and uses words like “dumb” and “stupid.” What are we telling girls if we say the only books they can read have polished, quiet protagonists? What do we stand to lose if we tell girls they can’t be messy? Series author Barbara Park once told USA TODAY a story is valuable even if it “gives the reader nothing more than a smile or two.” I couldn’t agree more. – Clare Mulroy

‘A Court of Thorns and Roses’ by Sarah J. Maas

ACOTAR – as its known by fans – starts when a woman named Feyre is kidnapped and taken to a faerie realm where a blight is plaguing the land. First, she is just figuring out how to survive, but soon she falls in love with Prythian and its subjects. What unfolds is an epic (and spicy) romance, found family, meaty twists and an adventure that brings an immersive world full of magic to life.

Read ACOTAR the first time to enjoy the ride. Read it the second time to pick up on every hint into the greater Maasverse. Read it the third time because you can’t go a year without saying hello to your favorite characters. – Niki Gunter

Editor’s Note: Read the rest of the story, at the below link.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: Banned books: Why you should read these targeted titles now

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