Banned Books Week: Let Freedom Read

Who’s to Say What You Should and Shouldn’t Read? With Banned Books Week October 4 - 10, we’re talking about banned books!  

The official theme for the week is Let Books Be. Protect the freedom to read. The focus is on “highlighting the freedom to seek and express ideas, and bring national attention to the harms of censorship” in support of librarians, teachers, writers, and booksellers.

How many banned books have you read? According to the American Library Association, some of the most challenged books include titles such as Sold by Patricia McCormick, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, and many others. Some banned classic titles include To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, 1984 by George Orwell, and more. In addition to the books listed here, Eagle Eye Book Shop also has some banned book merchandise as well. 

Some of the reasons books may be banned stem from recurring themes such as LGBTQIA, sexual content, social and political themes, profanity, worldview objections, and more. 

Why is it important to fight against the banning of books? The fight against the banning of books protects intellectual freedom, upholds our constitutional rights, and ensures that everyone has open access to diverse ideas and history.

Local Banned Books Week events include the following:

East Atlanta Library Banned Book Club is holding a “Choose Your Own Adventure” event at 6 p.m. on October 6. Participants will choose and read any challenged book and then will gather with local readers for a community-led discussion.

Virginia Highland Church Banned Book Club has structured meetings where participants discuss and analyze literature that has faced opposition or censorship.

And you can also join Georgia Advocacy and Activism Groups such as the ACLU of Georgia and the Georgia Coalition Against Classroom Censorship to make a difference when it comes to the banning and censorship of books. 

Banned Books Week is organized by the American Library Association, Pen America, The Banned Books Week Coalition and other partners like Unite Against Book Bans. For more information, visit bannedbooksweek.org.