Banned Books Week is Here!

That's right!  It's finally here: BANNED BOOKS WEEK!!!  It's kind of like Christmas for people who like to, oh I don't know, celebrate free speech and intellectual freedom and that type of stuff.

Let's start this week off in a simple way: Let's throw down some displays.  Like this one:

 BAM!  Read Graphic Novels!  

The focus for this year's Banned Books Week is graphic novels.  So, you know...like go out and read one...or two...or THREE.

Have you NEVER read a graphic novel before?  Well, this week is the perfect week to start.  Don't feel guilty about reading a "comic book."  The art of the comic and the graphic novel have come so far.  They really aren't just for little kids anymore.  The stories hidden within the covers of a graphic novel can be some of the most extraordinary, mind-bending, thought-provoking things you've ever read in your life.  PLEASE do yourself a favor and check one out this week.  Check out this LINK for some graphic novel reading suggestions.

Here's my overly simplistic (/lazy?) method for this display: I just went through the shelves of our awesome graphic novel collection and pulled some fantastic reads. I also consulted a list of banned graphic novels (same as the link above) to make sure I got a few of those on there.

Display #2?  Check her out:

Banned Brown Bags!  BOOM!

The method behind this one, you might ask?  Well, I read over and over AND over several of the Banned Books Lists compiled by the American Library Association.  I then consulted our collection.  I tried to pick out the ones that would be of highest interest to the students, but I also wanted to throw a couple in there that they might have read, but would be compelled to re-read after finding out a favorite was banned.  Like this one:

Can you guess what this one might be?  Here are a couple of hints: It has to do with a boy and a giant peach.  ;)

Oh, and LOOK!

Proof that my displays actually work!  Kiddos checking out the subversive literature under the brown bags.  HUZZAH!

That's all for now, chickadees.  Check back throughout the week for fun Banned Books info and more info on my displays, activities, and ideas for my first Banned Books Week.  Now, go be degenerate and READ BANNED BOOKS!!!