Banned Books Week

Did you know that the practice of banning books has been around since 387 B.C.? Today, in all 50 states, there are cases of books being censored - either being banned, challenged or altered in one way or another. We here at Epic Reads want to celebrate Banned Books Week and help raise awareness on this subject. Below you will find a slew of resources you are free to use, share, reblog and discuss with your friends and fellow readers.

BANNED VS. CHALLENGED
Challenged Books: Books that people are trying to remove or restrict from schools, libraries, ect.
Banned Books: If a group of people challenge a book and they win, then the book is banned and removed from public spaces like schools, libraries, ect.

WHY DOES A BOOK GET CHALLENGED?
The books that are challenged usually fall into three offending categories:
1. The book is considered to be too sexualy explicit 
2. The book has offensive language
3. The book is unsuited for the age group

WHY IS THIS BAD?
Ummm.....restricting what kids and teens can read? Yeah, we'd say that's a problem.



SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
If you're like us and proud to read banned books and think the whole business or censoring books is just flat out wrong, then show your support! Read a banned book this week and tell your friends to join the cause! Feel free to post one of our badges to your blogs or use them as your Facebook or Twitter profile images for the week!

Copy and paste the embed code to your site or click to open a new window with the large image and right click to save each book cover as a JPG file (Control+click for Mac users). The height of the image can be adjusted in the embed code.

For your Facebook & Twitter profile images! White background included; this is 325px wide	Or embed these into your blog posts! White background included; this is 325px wide
<a href="http://www.epicreads.com/page/bannedbooksweek/" _mce_href="http://www.epicreads.com/page/bannedbooksweek/"><img src="http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/blog/images/BannedBooks_RedBadge.jpg" _mce_src="http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/blog/images/BannedBooks_RedBadge.jpg" border="0" alt="Red Epic Reads Badge" height="325" /></a>	<a href="http://www.epicreads.com/page/bannedbooksweek/" _mce_href="http://www.epicreads.com/page/bannedbooksweek/"><img src="http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/blog/images/BannedBooks_BlueBadge.jpg" _mce_src="http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/blog/images/BannedBooks_BlueBadge.jpg" border="0" alt="Red Epic Reads Badge" height="325" /></a>
White background included; this is 325px wide	This is 325px wide
<a href="http://www.epicreads.com/page/bannedbooksweek/" _mce_href="http://www.epicreads.com/page/bannedbooksweek/"><img src="http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/blog/images/BannedBooks_YellowBadge.jpg" _mce_src="http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/blog/images/BannedBooks_YellowBadge.jpg" border="0" alt="Red Epic Reads Badge" height="325" /></a>	<a href="http://www.epicreads.com/page/bannedbooksweek/" _mce_href="http://www.epicreads.com/page/bannedbooksweek/"><img src="http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/blog/images/BannedBooks_BlackBadge.jpg" _mce_src="http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/blog/images/BannedBooks_BlackBadge.jpg" border="0" alt="Red Epic Reads Badge" height="325" /></a>
Small badge for the side panels on your blogs! Transparent background; 150px wide	Transparent background; 150px wide
<a href="http://www.epicreads.com/page/bannedbooksweek/" _mce_href="http://www.epicreads.com/page/bannedbooksweek/"><img src="http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/blog/images/BannedBooks_RedBadge.png" _mce_src="http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/blog/images/BannedBooks_RedBadge.png" border="0" alt="Red Epic Reads Badge" height="150" /></a>	<a href="http://www.epicreads.com/page/bannedbooksweek/" _mce_href="http://www.epicreads.com/page/bannedbooksweek/"><img src="http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/blog/images/BannedBooks_BlueBadge.png" _mce_src="http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/blog/images/BannedBooks_BlueBadge.png" border="0" alt="Red Epic Reads Badge" height="150" /></a>
Transparent background; 150px wide	Transparent background; 150px wide
<a href="http://www.epicreads.com/page/bannedbooksweek/" _mce_href="http://www.epicreads.com/page/bannedbooksweek/"><img src="http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/blog/images/BannedBooks_YellowBadge.png" _mce_src="http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/blog/images/BannedBooks_YellowBadge.png" border="0" alt="Red Epic Reads Badge" height="150" /></a>	<a href="http://www.epicreads.com/page/bannedbooksweek/" _mce_href="http://www.epicreads.com/page/bannedbooksweek/"><img src="http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/blog/images/BannedBooks_YellowBadge.png" _mce_src="http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/blog/images/BannedBooks_YellowBadge.png" border="0" alt="Red Epic Reads Badge" height="150" /></a>

A LIST OF ALL OF HARPER TEEN'S BANNED OR CHALLENGED BOOKS:

 

The Contender by Robert Lipsyte	One Fat Summer by Robert Lipsyte	Gentlehands by M. E. Kerr	Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher	Chinese Handcuffs by Chris Crutcher
Deadline by Chris Crutcher	Running Loose by Chris Crutcher	Stotan by Chris Crutcher	Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher	Moves Make the Man by Bruce Brooks
Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack by M. E. Kerr	Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson	Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman	My Darling, My Hamburger by Paul Zindel	The Pigman by Paul Zindel
Am I Blue? by Marion Bauer	Crazy Lady! by Jane Conly	Julie of the Wolves by Jean George	Geography Club by Brent Hartinger	The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

MORE INFORMATION

1. Watch this awesome video in support of Banned Books Week from Bookmans
2. Download this challenged and Banned Books teaching guide
3. Official Banned Books Week website

 

LET'S DISCUSS!

Are some of your favorite books on this list? Have you ever been in a school where a book was banned? How do you support Banned Books Week and finally, what are some of your favorite banned or challenged books?

Discuss banned books in the forums!

Tweet us @EpicReads & use the hashtag #BannedBooksWeek