Books shouldn't be treated like land mines that have to be removed before they can light up our minds. Libraries are meant to be places where you can wander, browse, try on thoughts, read, reject, rejoice, or simply brood about the world. And libraries across the country are struggling with horrifying budget cuts." This saves books from entering landfills, and instead repurposes them to. All books will either donated, resold, or recycled. Or if you have a large amount to donate (100+ books), you can schedule a free pickup by texting (385) 247-0609. Countless families live in library deserts - areas without a reachable public library. Donate your books by placing them in one of our book drop-off bins near you ( click here to see locations ). ![]() Millions of our families can't afford to buy books. "Even if bans or challenges make a book more intriguing," Laurie reminded us, "many of our nation's children will not be able to access books that are removed. Her much-honored novel, Speak, narrated by a teenage rape survivor, has been pulled from quite a few library shelves, too. No teacher will scold, "Can't you see it's a classic?" You can read books you're not supposed to for fun, excitement, to learn something, or just to get lost in the story.īut Laurie Halse Anderson, the acclaimed writer of young adult novels, cautions me. You don't have to highlight, underline, or answer test questions like, "What is the symbolism of the penguin in the garage on page 87?" There's no 500-word essay, with a thesis paragraph and quotes. If you read an unapproved book, there are no pop quizzes. They wonder - I certainly did - what are adults trying to keep from me? I wonder if those who want to keep certain books out of school libraries have thought through how many teens and adolescents react when they're told not to read something: they do it anyway. Some of the most-pulled titles include Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Looking For Alaska by John Green and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. Many address racism, child abuse, sex, suicide, and other topics that young people may want help understanding. The books that get singled out often feature main characters who are LGBTQIA, or people of color. One complaint that a book is obscene or offensive - from a parent, or, increasingly, a group - can be enough to have it removed from the shelves. ![]() The American Library Association and PEN America say there's been a sharp increase in the number of books pulled from school libraries over the past two years.
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