In Memory of Acts of Biblioclasm or Libricid (Celebrating Banned Book Week)

This week is "Banned Book Week". It is an annual week of celebrating the freedom to read.
Historically many books have been banned or challenged whether in a school environment, as curriculum, in a public library, or even by a government.

Book burning has been a notorious event in history. Historical mass burnings are remembered such as the Nazis burning books, or mass burning of the Bible by Muslim Clerics, or burning of the Qua ran in the Netherlands. However many other books are censored or banned every day in the United States.

Many different people challenge books, some places have a lengthy process to challenge the books inclusion. My library has a very detailed, lengthy form to fill out which is only the beginning of the process. Some challenged you may find surprising and ridiculous, some you may understand where the challenger was coming from.

However, I am of the mind set that as a parent, one needs to be aware of what your child is reading. What I deem appropriate for my child, may not be considered appropriate by others and vice-versa.
I have personally read each book that my child has been assigned in school. I realize that may seem like a bit much, but that's what I choose to do...plus I love books.

Knowing your ownchild you have a better sense of what they are emotionally ready for and can help to select or discuss a book with them.

When my child was an 8th grader, we read Night, by Elie Wiesel. It is an amazing book, but a harrowing, horrific account of Elie's time at Auschwitz. My child had only been exposed to the surface elements of the Holocaust. Reading this in depth was a book that he benefited from being guided through.

There are thousand of books that are banned and/or challenged. Some are ridiculously surprising such as A. A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh, as well as things such as the dictionary. Some books I see that are banned and/or challenged and I would acknowledge my own discomfort at my child reading them in a classroom or on their own, but yet I believe that  I should not dictate to others what they allow for their child. I don't allow my child to drink soda pop, but how many other people allow their child to do so?

One of the most ironic books that is consistently challenged and or banned is

Fahrenheit 451
by Ray Bradbury
There is something perverse about banning a book about book banning/burning. Of course Ray Bradbury claimed that the book was less about book burning and more about the fact that television had taken over the minds of the nation.

Nancy Drew is too Smart for You, Ned Nickerson!

I am proud to admit that I have read every single Nancy Drew Mystery Story, as well as every single Hardy Boys Mystery Story. When I wasn't reading biographies in elementary school I was engrossed with Nancy and her mystery solving exploits with best friends, George and Bess. I was the perfect audience for these books. Obviously I wouldn't have made the best young detective myself because the stories always had me at the edge of my seat, I missed all the clues and never noticed anything. Every plot twist and turn was a complete thrill ride for me, and I was always surprised when Nancy could piece things together and solve the mystery. (I was the classic kid that would quickly turn to the back of the book to see exactly what Encyclopedia Brown had quickly figured out and I had not when I read those little 90 second mysteries).

Nancy Drew was one of the many strong female characters that influenced my life. Nancy was practically perfect in every way! Forgot that Disney-fied version of Mary Poppins (P.L. Travers' Mary Poppins was not always the cheery, perfect type), Nancy was the true example of a perfect female! Nancy Drew - the girl with perfectly coiffed hair, who drove a classic blue convertible, spoke French fluently, was a fabulous painter, could whip together a gourmet meal, sew some haute couture dresses, swim and run faster than anyone, and well traveled...did I mention she was always traveling around the world? Who didn't want to be Nancy Drew?

I mean, Come ON! Look how gracefully she can sit in the field and take apart a clock!
You know she didn't even muss her hair.
I bet she didn't even have to rummage around for that screwdriver.


Ugh, I hate when this happens...

I scream at the sight of a mouse, not Nancy. She's not scared of anything.

You know she hit that gun too and it probably broke in half, or flew through the air and she caught it.

Are you impressed with her yet?

But then came the book

The Clue in the Diary

This story finds Nancy driving down the road, where she sees a house on fire, quickly stops her convertible and runs to the house to check and make sure that no one is trapped inside.

Nancy Drew, everyday hero.

But then she spies a man getting into her car! Guess who? Ned Nickerson.

Of course this empty headed jock was simply moving her car out of the way, and then from that point on he is part of her life.

Granted he is an attractive college boy, involved at good ol' Emerson College, athletic, charming, and DUMB.

Seriously Nancy, you are too good for him.

And he always complicates things, and makes her life more difficult.

Too bad that River Heights and Bayport were so far apart as Nancy would have been a better match with Frank or Joe Hardy.

Look at these attractive, preppy boys!

That is some nice hair!

There's that really intelligent look on Ned's face again...

Another example of Ned, like me, being completely surprised and not following how Nancy could surmise something from a clue.

Of course later on there were

Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys Super Mystery series

In which Nancy,Frank, and Joe teamed up and solved mysteries. But I never read them, I had already moved on to Agatha Christie, and was busy spending my time with Miss Jane Marple snooping around the Vicarage in St. Mary Mead.


Nancy Drew is a series I'd highly recommend. Check out those fab Hardy Boys too.
Once the covers started showing Nancy in a swimsuit a la Baywatch, I can't vouch for them, but the first "Mystery Stories" are the best.


The original texts from the 1930's are an interesting read. They were all edited down in the 1960's and shortened. Plus they made all the villains less "racisty".

The language of those old 1930's books is wonderful though, and such a reminder of how far we have fallen with expectations of what children can read and understand, and how poor our common usage of language has become.

Great Biography Books For Children - Childhood of Famous Americans Series

“The history of the world is but the biography of great men.
 - Thomas Carlyle


There is so much that can be gleaned from reading a good biography. When a child can connect with the subject they can be inspired and influenced by the subject's life story. The best biographies for children bring the subject to life and tells the story and history in an accessible manner.


When I was an elementary student I read every book in the Childhood of Famous Americans series that my elementary school library had. I love this series still today and count it as one of the most influential series I have read. The stories are accessible for young a reader, and relay the early life of famous American men and women, adding fictionalized details but staying true to the events and character of the subject. Sadly, many of these are no longer in print, however there are still quite a few that you can find at libraries, used books sales, or a handful that do remain in print.


This past weekend I stumbled upon a used books sale and found 4 copies of the 1960's printing version (all out of print)! I proudly unpacked my two bags of books (I found many things I had to have) and showed them all proudly to my spouse. He just kept nodding his head and looking at me with the look of "I don't get it", until he finally said "Do you really think we need more books here?"
Which I must add is a good question since we are in the process of packing and moving.


The one that stayed with the most was the story of Liliuokalani: Young Hawaiian Queen.

Long out of print, but the story of the young Hawaiian queen and her childhood in Hawaii captivated me and was the beginning of my love of all things Hawaiian.
                        
I still could tell you bits and pieces of the lives of these famous American children today. I particularly loved the stories of the young girls. They were so inspiring!


I can't stress enough how much I recommend these books. The blue covers are still in print. Grab one today and read with your child, or pass along to them to read.


A great listing of titles, organized by eras can be found on the blog Paula's archives:
Childhood of Famous Americans by Era
Enjoy!

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