The annual Banned Books Week runs September 27 – October 3, 2020. Which means we have plenty of time to participate!
We recommend starting with the American Library Association’s Top 100 banned books of the last decade, the first 20 of which are viewable here.
“The list features many of the most popular and acclaimed titles and writers in publishing, from Dav Pilkey’s Captain Underpants to Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye,” says the website. “Many of the books on OIF’s top 100 list were targeted for LGBTQIA+ content.”
This annual event celebrates the freedom to read. Typically, bookstores and libraries offer special displays and programs highlighting banned books, so if a bookish facility is open near you, we recommend starting there!
Virtual events include “Share Your Shelfie,” happening all week; banned books trivia questions posted daily; and presentations including a conversation with Jami Cassady, daughter of beat writer Neal Cassady; Grammy Award-winning musicians and free expression heroes Portugal. The Man!; and a conversation about “Black People in Comics” with Valentine De Landro (Bitch Planet, X-Factor), Johnnie Christmas (Tartatus, Sheltered) and Chuck Brown (Bitter Root).
For more about events around Banned Books Week, click here.
What banned book have you read lately?