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: As the American Library Association notes, books are usually banned "with the best intentions—to protect others, frequently children, from difficult ideas and information." Adults often censor books from children if they feel that the books have frightening or controversial ideas in them. In some cases, those censoring books think that a book might be appropriate for older children, but just not younger ones—a book that might be perfectly fine for a ninth grader may be disturbing or confusing to a fourth grader. Not everyone agrees on which books should be banned. The Harry Potter books are a good example of this: some think they are wonderfully imaginative books that have done much to encourage kids to read; others, who think the Potter books should be banned, think they are a bad and corrupting influence on kids. Freedom of Speech and Expression
The First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees our right to free speech, which includes the right to read and write books that might be considered by some to be too violent, hateful, or offensive. Because this freedom is one of our fundamental rights as Americans, some people feel that any form of censorship is wrong. Most people fall somewhere in the middle, believing that people should be free to read whatever they choose, but that in some rare instances censorship is acceptable.