Clinton-Macomb Library Supports the Reading of Banned Books

Public libraries across the country, including here in Macomb Township, are encouraging people to peak into some controversial books in honor of this being Banned Books Week.

The annual event has been held since 1982 during the last week of September to remind Americans "not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted," according to the American Library Association.

Jamie Morris, community relations specialist for the , said CMPL has never removed a book from its selves because of a complaint or challenge.

"One of the key tenants of the American Library Association is the importance of intellectual freedom," Morris said. "Banned Books Week is just a great opportunity to illustrate why we have freedom of speech. Not everyone likes the same things and libraries are places in the community where we have something for everyone."

To celebrate that, the library posted a list of the most frequently challenged books of the 21st century on the library's Facebook page, encouraging readers to check the list for their favorites.

"Banned Books Week highlights the importance of intellectual freedom," Morris said. "Allowing free and open access to all ideas is important to give people the opportunity to form their own opinions. It’s also interesting to show people what books have been banned or challenged. I think a lot of people might be surprised to find that their favorites, and wildly popular books, like Twilight and Harry Potter have been on the list."

The book challenged the most in 2010 was And Tango Makes Three, an award-winning children’s picture book that tells the story of two male penguins who hatch an abandoned egg and parent the chick together. The book has been on the list of most frequently challenged books for five years based on complaints that it promotes homosexuality and is unsuitable for its age group.

Here is the 2010 list, courtesy of the American Library Association:

1. And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson (Reasons: homosexuality, religious viewpoint and unsuited to age group)
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie (Reasons: offensive language, racism, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group and violence)
3. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley (Reasons: insensitivity, offensive language, racism and sexually explicit)
4. Crank, by Ellen Hopkins (Reasons: drugs, offensive language and sexually explicit)
5. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins (Reasons: sexually explicit, unsuited to age group and violence)
6. Lush, by Natasha Friend (Reasons: drugs, offensive language, sexually explicit and unsuited to age group)
7. What My Mother Doesn't Know, by Sonya Sones (Reasons: sexism, sexually explicit and unsuited to age group)
8. Nickel and Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich (Reasons: drugs, inaccurate, offensive language, political viewpoint and religious viewpoint)
9. Revolutionary Voices, edited by Amy Sonnie (Reasons: homosexuality and sexually explicit)
10. Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer (Reasons: religious viewpoint and violence)