Walking through the book store, I found a table labeled "Banned Books." I was shocked to find many of my childhood favorites were on this table. The Lion and The Witch and the Wardrobe? Tom Sawyer? Witch of Blackbird Pond? Come on! These books are classic.
Recently author Dan Gutman received an angry letter from a parent who had vowed to get his books banned. Here's a great article he wrote in response.
I never heard of this author or his books before, but now I want to read them.
Loving, living, writing, art, family, friends, music, and books. Us and our small corner of the world. Because, as we all know, the world is square. For only a square world has corners.
Is it bad that I can't wait to get a letter like that? "Your book is trash. I am going to tell everyone." Why, thank you. Tell them to let me know what they thought of it too.
ReplyDeleteHe makes some great points. His book is not hurting children's minds. My God, I read VC Andrews at ten years old. Do you know what's in those books? I didn't go shooting anyone. I certainly didn't get all 'messed up' from it.
PS They really banned Narnia? Crazy.
On goodreads, someone else asked why The Lion and he Witch and the Wardrobe would be banned. Here's what I answered:
ReplyDeleteI don't know why, but I had a few guesses. One idea is the word "witch" and another is the use of magic. It may have a Christian theme, but I know some Christians who don't let their kids watch or read anything to do with superheroes, magic, and especially not witches.
I googled "why was the lion and the witch and the wardrobe banned" and found this site about boycotting Disney for its movie production of this book.
Here's a quote:
"Based on the first of the Narnia books, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe film tells the fable of four London children who are forced to stay in a country home during the Nazi air raids. They discover a mysterious wardrobe through whose doors one can step into another world. That doorway into another world concept is, of course, based on occult beliefs. There they find a world of magic (occult), talking beasts, spirits (occult), and mythological creatures (occult). This made up world is in a perpetual winter and ruled by a cruel White Witch.
"According to C.S. Lewis the world of animals rightfully belongs to a lion called Aslan, who Lewis claimed is how Jesus Christ would have been if He had come to the made up world of Narnia, inhabited by all manner of mythological creatures aka occult symbolism."
Don't get me going on this one. I agree, I wouldn't want anyone deciding for me what my kids can read. Banning "swear" words will not stop kids from using swear words, anymore that banning violence in Hollywood and TV would stop violence.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what's next. A censor committee to ban all books that don't promote a rather narrow minded version of Christianity? What would happen to this country then when kids are not raised to use their minds, to think, to question, and to reason? Every example that we have in history of such a society always ends up rather bad.
*Light bulb appears overhead* That's it! I'm going to lead a campaign to have my book banned... then the readers will flock to it! ; )
ReplyDeleteAll the banning nonsense ever does is create more interest in the books. The "banners" would be better served to simply ignore the books they have issue with.
We live in what the Chinese proverb would term "interesting times." Just look at what the Texas Board of Ed has approved for textbooks. Unfortunately, it will affect the content of textbooks for the whole USA. This is serious. If we want to have a next generation that isn't totally ignorant, we have to be vigilant to the spreading of censorship.
ReplyDeleteWhy in the world would The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe be banned?!?!
ReplyDeleteWhat a world!
Funny thing is, Focus on the Family (a Christian organization) did the whole Chronicles of Narnia for their Radio Theatre productions. Excellent work. While I do puzzle about the use of the word 'Spells', I'm not going to tell other people what they can or can't read or watch or listen to. If I didn't, I'd start with the garbage on t.v.