Title: Banned Books
Headings: Banned Books
Banned Books
From Harriet the Spy to The Catcher in the Rye
What is a Banned Book?
Why Are Books Banned?
Freedom of Speech and Expression
A Matter of Opinion
Famous Banned Books

Content: According to the ALA President Carol Brey-Casiano, "Not every book is right for every person, but providing a wide range of reading choices is vital for learning, exploration, and imagination. The abilities to read, speak, think, and express ourselves freely are core American values." Some people feel that schools, libraries, and governments should be the judge of what books are good for kids. Others believe that kids or their parents should have the freedom to decide for themselves, and shouldn't have others' viewpoints imposed on them. A Matter of Opinion
At various times in our history, some of the tamest books have been banned, including such children's classics as Grimm's Fairy Tales and Little Red Riding Hood —the former for being too violent and the latter because Little Red Riding Hood gives her grandmother a bottle of wine, which some feared would encourage drinking! Another children's favorite, Harriet the Spy, was banned because it supposedly taught children to "lie, spy, back-talk, and curse." Some of the towering classics of American literature have been banned, including J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, and Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. Among the young adult novels that have been banned are Are You There, God? Itâs Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume; Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson;