Give the Gift of Reading This Holiday Season!

Written by Joanna Kneller, Blog Volunteer

Looking for an easy way to help support Words Alive this holiday season? Look no further – we've got you covered!

One simple way you can give to Words Alive is by making a purchase from our Amazon Wish List. Our list features a variety of books and supplies to be used in our programs that help us inspire a love of reading in our program participants!

 By choosing items from the Words Alive’s Wish List, you'll be supporting the following programs:

Read Aloud Program (Preschool to Grade 3)

Words Alive partners with elementary schools, Head Start programs, and child development centers to share a love of reading with children from underserved communities. Each week, our trained volunteers read aloud to approximately 4,300 children, helping them develop the cognitive, language, and social-emotional skills needed to be motivated, strong readers.

Adolescent Book Group

The Adolescent Book Group brings books to life for teenagers facing extraordinary circumstances like homelessness, violence, teen pregnancy, and impact by the justice system. Participants enhance their critical thinking skills, self-esteem, and ability to express themselves through engaging projects, writing workshops, and discussion sessions. 

Family Literacy Program

Our Family Literacy Program empowers parents from underserved communities to become agents of change and advocates for their families. Participants attend workshops and receive parent education covering early literacy development topics specific to preschool age children. Workshops include tailored information sessions and skill-building exercises for parents, a group story time, and guided activities for parents and children. 

Here are just a few of the books you can select from our wish list!

Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

An image of the book Hey, Kiddo laying on top of pages of art from the graphic novel. Image credit: 3starsandup on Instagram

(Themes addressed: addiction, absent parents, and finding the art that helps you survive.)

A National Book Award Finalist! Jarrett Krosoczka has a complicated family. His mom is an addict who seems to wander in and out of his life. His father is nowhere to be found. So Jarrett lives with his grandparents: two loud, loving, and opinionated people who thought they were done raising children until Jarrett came along. Jarrett spends his childhood struggling to live a normal life, but finds ways to express himself through drawing. As a teenager, Jarrett is able to begin piecing together the truth of his family, reckoning with his mother, and finding his father.

(Source: Amazon)

Sofia Valdez, Future Prez (The Questioneers) by Andrea Beaty, David Roberts

An image of the book Sofia Valdez, Future Prez. Image credit: thechildrensbookreview on Instagram

(Themes addressed: courage, leadership, and community.)

A New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller! Abuelo walks Sofia to school every morning. But one day, he injures his ankle at the dangerous local landfill and can no longer do so. Sofia misses Abuelo and comes up with a plan for the town to turn messy Mount Trashmore into a beautiful park. Once she finally works up the courage to go to City Hall, she's told she can’t build a park because she’s just a kid. Sofia is down but not out, and she sets out to prove what one kid can do!

(Source: Amazon)

Refugee by Alan Gratz

An image of someone holding the book Refugee in front of a snowy background. Image credit: teachliketrish on Instagram

(Themes addressed: courage, survival, and the quest for home.)

A New York Times bestseller! Three kids separated by continents and decades experience harrowing journeys to find refuge. Josef, a Jewish boy in 1930s Nazi Germany facing the threat of concentration camps, boards a ship with his family and heads for the other side of the world. Isabel, a Cuban girl in 1994 watching riots and unrest plague her country, sets out on a raft with her family in search of America. Mahmoud, a Syrian boy in 2015 seeing his homeland destroyed by violence, starts a trek with his family toward Europe. All will face unimaginable dangers, but they hold on to the hope of a better future. And although they're separated by time and place, these kids will share shocking connections that tie their stories together. (Source: Amazon)

So, there you have it. A quick, easy way to make a donation and a difference this holiday season by shopping directly from our Amazon Wish List. Help support Words Alive in creating opportunities for life success by inspiring a commitment to reading!

Volunteer of the Month: Sarah Archibald

An image of Sarah with her WAWS Mentee, Brittany, when she graduated from UC Santa Cruz.

Words Alive spotlights the amazing accomplishments and service of volunteers each month with our Volunteer of the Month award. This is an important way for us to thank you, and to honor just a few of the many great moments in time you have given to the organization.

Our November Volunteer of the Month is Sarah Archibald. Sarah is the Lead Volunteer in two Adolescent Book Group middle school classes this year. As we expand the program to 6th and 7th graders for the first time, Sarah has been flexible and creative in trying new strategies to engage this new age group. Sarah has also stepped up as a leader, filling in for her teammates in times of need. She has been volunteering since 2011 and has supported the Adolescent Book Group, Words Alive Westreich Scholarship, Curriculum, and the Author’s Luncheon during her time with us.

Now let’s hear from Sarah!

Q: So, tell us a little about yourself. 

A: I am a research scientist (brains!) and lifelong book lover.  I love to travel, read, and hang out with my book loving friends.  I have a big dog, two cats and a couple of vegetable gardens.

Q: How long have you been volunteering for Words Alive?

A: I have been volunteering for Words Alive for 9 or 10 years.  I have reviewed books, done ABG in several locations, been on the scholarship committee and mentored a couple of scholars. Domminiece Willis and Brittany Jackson speak for themselves as successful scholars and my reason for volunteering.

Q: What brought you to Words Alive? How did you first get involved with Words Alive?

A: I was attending a volunteer event and heard I could review books and more.

Q: What do you enjoy most about your volunteer roles? What is the most rewarding aspect of your roles?

A: I love talking to young people about books and hearing what they think. 

Q: What is the most rewarding aspect of your roles?  

A: Mentoring is amazing.

Q: What is your favorite memory of volunteering with Words Alive?

A: Two things: Attending my mentee Brittany’s graduation from UC Santa Cruz and once when I was at a store and heard “Hey book lady!”  from a student in my Adolescent Book Group. I happily claim the “book lady” moniker.

Q: And by the way, what are you reading lately?

A: I am reading Ann Patchett’s new book “The Dutch House” and then will start “Girl, Woman, Other” by Bernardine Evaristo.

Words Alive's Holiday Gift Guide!

A Words Alive graphic that says “Holiday Gift Guide November Petition”

Clothing, cupcakes, and everything else!

Explore these opportunities to show your support for Words Alive while you shop. Act quickly, many of these are only valid in November! 

Limited Edition: Words Alive 2019-2020 Book Tour Shirts

An image of our brand-new Words Alive shirt! It’s a blue shirt that features outlines of books with the text “Was it something I read?”

Buy your limited edition Words Alive 2019-2020 Book Tour t-shirt today!

Available in adult and youth sizes, the soft, tri-blend t-shirt and long sleeve shirts showcase just a few of the many, many titles we're reading this year in our programs serving toddlers to teens, and everyone in between! A small portion of each sale goes to support Words Alive.

All orders must be placed by November 30! For more details and to order, click here: www.customink.com/fundraising/wordsalive

Cakes & Cupcakes for a Cause

An image from Cute Cakes our three cupcakes and a cake and a cutout of a Words Alive logo.

Cute Cakes Bakery & Café, located at 345 W Grand Ave in Escondido, has chosen Words Alive as their November Charity! A portion of the proceeds from each purchase of their special November Cutie (Vanilla Bourbon Cake) and Cupcake (Banana with Vanilla Custard) will be donated to Words Alive. Stop by their store, get a treat, and support a great cause: www.cutecakes.com/giving-back/.

AmazonSmile Gives Back While You Shop

When you start your Amazon shopping on smile.amazon.com, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice.

For more information about Amazon Smile and to set up your account to benefit Words Alive, visit this page!

Look for more opportunities to shop in support of Words Alive coming in December!

Celebrate Friends of Libraries!

By Omar Jawdat, Blog Intern

A graphic that features and image of shelves at a library and the text: “Friends of Libraries Week! October 20 - 26, 2019”

Friends of Libraries groups have their own week dedicated to raising awareness around both community and campus libraries throughout the country. Through funding and celebration, National Friends of Libraries Week commemorates and recognizes the important services that libraries provide to children and students, such as reading programs, author events, special collections, and new technologies. United for Libraries will coordinate the 14th annual National Friends of Libraries Week Oct. 20-26, 2019. This week will also provide a chance to promote Friends of Libraries groups in your community, as well as sign up for membership!     

Libraries serve to bring communities together, integrating groups or individuals under the same roof, where people can access data through books, internet, and other resources. Social roles of libraries include active participation in reading, forming clubs, or read aloud programs. Libraries also help foster literacy programs and studies for students of all ages. It is also a place where meetings, conferences, or tutoring can take place.

Friends of Libraries Associations 

‘Friend of Libraries’ are members from non-profit charitable groups that volunteer to support their local libraries. Friends of Libraries helps promote libraries in the community by fundraising, sponsoring programs/other special events, and serve as spokesmen to encourage and advocate for lifelong learning. Friends are also recognized by the library staff and Board of Trustees for their help and support in the libraries.   

How Can I Participate In This Celebration Week? 

If you are thinking of creating or reorganizing a Friends group, the United for Libraries association offers a variety of resources and ideas for all types of Friends groups. If you would like to volunteer, contact your local library and find out how you can join Friends. You can always start in your own community if your library does not have a Friends group. To access these sources and learn more information, visit: (www.ala.org/united/friends).  

The American Library Association (ALA) provides resources to celebrate libraries, helping you get involved and speaking out on behalf of libraries, as well as keeping you informed and up to date on the issues and trends affecting libraries: www.ilovelibraries.org

Sources: 

• www.ala.org/united/events_conferences/folweek

• www.ilovelibraries.org/article/national-friends-libraries-week-1

• www.ala.org/tools/research/librariesmatter/category/social-role-library

• www.lib.washington.edu/support/friends/friends-of-the-libraries/

Become a Reading Role Model

By Omar Jawdat, Blog Intern

A graphic that shows one of our volunteers holding up a book while a student points at it. The text says, “Reading Role Models: What are they and how can you become one?”

Reading role models help encourage children not just to read, but to have fun while reading! Kids are influenced by their parents, teachers, and care-givers, all of whom can be considered role models for reading. It is important for these role models to influence their kids by demonstrating enthusiasm while reading, and helping them discover new and diverse forms of literature. It is also important to be aware of a child’s reading. When kids feel that their work is valued, they are also encouraged to continue their choice to read. Reading role models are overall “critical to instilling reading as an integral part of a child’s life.”

Children who are frequent readers tend to have more reading role models. Frequent readers also tend to have greater access to books. Unfortunately, “having access to books, whether in or outside the home, is not a reality for all kids.” An estimated “103 books are present in home libraries of children ages 6-17, yet this varies widely. Most strikingly, frequent readers have an average of 139 books in their homes vs. 74 in infrequent readers’ homes.” 42% of frequent-reading kids claim that they have trouble seeking books that catch their interest. Infrequent readers have a 59% chance of not being able to find books that they are interested in reading. 

Therefore, it’s important for libraries to provide a wide range of diverse books that include different types of stories, characters, and plots. As kids grow older, their interests can change, and their curiosity and eagerness for knowledge grows with them.

Reading Role Models at Words Alive!

All volunteers at Words Alive are reading role models, especially volunteers in the Read Aloud Program and the Adolescent Book Group. These volunteers dedicate their time and read together with students and kids of all ages (from elementary school to high school and college), discussing the stories and talking about how the book impacts them in different ways. For children, it serves to help develop cognitive, language, and social-emotional skills as they grow. Having a reading role model at Words Alive makes students aware of the importance of literacy, and helps explore the values of books, reading them not just as an assignment, but as a hobby and passion.  

Sources: 

• www.scholastic.com/readingreport/access-matters.html

• www.huffpost.com/entry/be-a-reading-role-model_b_5813a56ae4b08301d33e0906

Volunteer of the Month: Mary Weatherup

An image of Mary standing in front of the Shakespeare Company bookstore!

Words Alive spotlights the amazing accomplishments and service of volunteers each month with our Volunteer of the Month award. This is an important way for us to thank you, and to honor just a few of the many great moments in time you have given to the organization.

This month our Volunteer of the Month is Mary Weatherup! Mary joined the Words Alive family fairly recently, but we have been so impressed by her dedication to our mission. She is a curriculum volunteer who diligently worked on a curriculum guide for our middle school students this summer, and she enthusiastically jumped in when we needed extra help on a guide for this fall! We were also so grateful for her support at our Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser!

Now, let’s hear more from Mary!

For as long as I can remember, I've been an avid reader. Entire childhood car trips and family vacations are a blur, lost to whatever story I was reading at the time. All these years later, it's still hard to tear me away from a good book.  I have a Master's Degree in English Literature and have spent years working in a university writing center. Upon moving to San Diego, I was looking for a way to use my love of reading and teaching skills, and Words Alive! seemed like a perfect fit. I started my volunteer work in May of this year, compiling a curriculum guide for middle grade readers. I learned a lot in the process, and I'm currently helping out with another guide. My favorite Words Alive! event so far was the Annual Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser. It was a great way to learn more about the organization and meet the new Executive Director, and I loved hearing Emma Donoghue speak. I'm so inspired by the difference Words Alive! is making in the community.

I'm currently reading The Testaments by Margaret Atwood. As a big fan of The Handmaid's Tale, I had to have this one hot off the press! I am also looking forward to The Dutch House, a new novel by Ann Patchett, who is one of my favorite authors. Perhaps the best book I read this year, however, is an older novel, A Member of the Wedding, by Carson McCullers. It was such a sensitive story and beautifully written.

How Did Book Clubs Start?

By Omar Jawdat, Blog Intern

A book club is a reading group made up of several people. They can either meet in public, such as libraries, classrooms, coffee shops, or other rooms and buildings, or they can also meet in people’s homes. Together, the groups discuss a particular book they are reading, asking questions and sharing thoughts, opinions, and ideas about the selected book. Book clubs have always had a foundation based in contemporary politics, society, and religion. These clubs are also a great way to meet new people who share similar interests in books, genres, and reading material. 

The popularity of book clubs is due to the importance of engaging in conversation about books. These discussions heighten our perspectives and knowledge about a particular story or event. It also helps improve reading comprehension and other literary skills that allow us to effectively articulate and nurture the reflection of not only literature, but ourselves as well. Book clubs also inspire positive attitudes towards books, such as a love for reading and appreciating literature in its diverse art form. Book clubs for students encourage them to read in more extensive and intensive ways, as it exposes them to a multiplicity of perspectives. 

How Did Book Clubs Begin? 

The evolution of American book clubs began in the early 17th century, when religious renegade Anne Hutchinson organized a female discussion group pertaining to sermons, all while being on a ship that was heading to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1634. In 1727, Benjamin Franklin was also a pioneer of today’s social gatherings of book clubs when he organized a ‘prominent Philadelphian literary society called the Junto, which was made up of 12 members. ‘The group met weekly to discuss moral, political, commercial and scientific topics of the day.’ For the next three centuries, prominent American figures have kept the tradition alive through constructing reading societies and study groups related to education in school, particularly in literacy.

In the past, the majority of book clubs have been organized and centered upon oppressed minorities and women. They provided a ‘self-culture’ for people, as well as a ‘mutual desire for self-cultivation through literature.’ Women’s groups have made book clubs an ideal place for consciousness-raising and collective engagement, in the aims for intellectual growth.   

Adolescent Book Group

Volunteers at the Adolescent Book Group Program here at Words Alive focuses on facilitating monthly or bi-weekly book discussions, writing workshops, and other projects within classrooms to help improve students’ reading analysis, literacy, vocabulary, and critical thinking. The ABG program also provides opportunities for underserved teens to achieve academic and social success. Teens in book group discussions will gain college-ready skills that will enhance their critical-thinking, ability to express themselves, public and interpersonal communications, and overall confidence/self-esteem.   

Sources: 

• www.thoughtco.com/what-is-a-book-club-738891

• www.minnpost.com/books/2009/09/evolution-american-book-clubs-timeline/

• cpet.tc.columbia.edu/one-book-book-club/book-club-in-the-classroom-10-tips-for-success

• daily.jstor.org/feature-book-club/

Reading To Evolve, To Connect, and To Share

By Dawn Miller, Head Teacher at Lindsay Community School

An image of Dawn with her students as they hold up copies of the book, Pride.

Twenty years ago, I was approached by my then principal Tracy Thompson and Leslye Lyons about launching a book club for my students at Lindsay Community School. Books and reading had played an integral role in my own survival as a child and young adult, and this fundamental understanding of the undeniable power of words naturally translated into my classroom at Lindsay, where we try to provide any and every opportunity for our students to latch onto a book and fly. 

So of course, when I met Leslye, we jumped at the chance to work with her and her new Words Alive project. And for any of you who have ever met Leslye, you know that she has that twinkle of the eye when she’s talking about books -- the one that tells you she doesn’t just read for leisure or entertainment, Leslye reads to evolve,  to connect, to unlock and share the secrets of our own humanity.  This rare and discerning awareness provided the foundation for Words Alive, and has guided the powerful work that has continued to come out of this project for the last 20 years. I recognized that twinkle the moment I met her, like when pain sees pain, or struggle sees struggle, with no words spoken -- and we couldn’t wait to begin the work.  

For the past 20 years, Words Alive volunteers have come into our school space, each month, to engage in the sparring of book talk. If I could give a quick shout out to our current volunteers - Mona, Geri, Sally and Jean - these extraordinary women also go around flashing that eye-twinkle-thingy and they share so much of their hearts with our students — we are deeply indebted. 

I’m assuming that most of the folks in attendance here today, also have a passion for reading, and you all might think that conveying that passion to and with a group of young folks might be challenging, but ultimately doable because you just know they’re gonna love that right book so much because your own love of books - it’s just a matter of getting that right book in the right hands . . .   But with our students, both at Lindsay and JCCS-wide, sharing this love requires you to put in work - real work - sometimes uncomfortable, often gut-wrenching and always formidable, work. Because as you may or may not know, the students of Lindsay are young mothers, and this already exiled status is compounded by homelessness, physical and sexual abuse, abandonment, family separation, system brutalities and endless other traumas and tragedies that the very best of us here, could not withstand.  BUT they make their way, each day - and I share their struggles with you now, not for sympathy (for sympathy does not empower), but to highlight their extraordinary resilience and undeniable courage in a world that works daily to smother them.

So when our Words Alive volunteers come monthly to spar - they come armed with books, of course, but more importantly, they come armed with compassion and understanding, without judgement or verdict, ready to learn and listen to one another in endless acts of patience and love. The girls also come packing - with sharp and quick-witted tongues, astute analyses, profound reflections, and grand criticisms. And somewhere in the middle of this motley crew, a million magical moments of hope are born. Books and reading are already mighty in their own right, but in the right context and wielded in a righteous way, they are also transformative.

What is borne of those monthly book circles is hard to describe, but what I witness can most aptly be called a political act. Sometimes the students are emboldened by stories of rebellion and insurrection, led by stronger-than-life women characters, real and unreal. Other times they are enthralled by collections of poetry that rip their already broken hearts out, but also remind them that through their pain comes strength. Often, they are so moved by a story or character battling similar Sisyphean struggles to their own, they become immediately resolved to pen their own stories of inequity, but this time, and in real life, with endings of justice and liberation.

Regardless of the book, it is in these moments that reading becomes an emancipatory act - a momentary vision of what is possible and how to get there. These students, who have been systematically stripped of their dignity, are suddenly circled in a space where they find themselves, their dreams and their words, ALIVE.  

What Are Alternative Schools?

By Omar Jawdat, Blog Intern

An alternative school refers to schools in which the learning experience for students attending is not the same as traditional schools. Their methods and systems satisfy different requirements, which are intended for students who have trouble learning in a traditional classroom, need extra support/guidance, have difficult life circumstances, social and behavioral difficulties, or wish to focus on specific areas of study.  

Examples of Alternative Schools:

• Charter schools are tuition free schools that are open to all students. They are often operated independently from the traditional school district, and provide ‘high quality instruction from teachers who have the autonomy to design a classroom that fits their students' needs. They are led by dynamic principals who have the flexibility to create a school culture that fosters student performance and parent satisfaction’.   

• Magnet Schools operate within public schools. They consist of free public elementary or secondary schools of choice. Magnet schools provide specialized, enhanced training and teaching for students in specific subjects of interest. These range from STEM programs (science, technology, engineering, math), to performing arts, leadership, and world language programs. 

• Juvenile court schools offer public education for juvenile offenders coming from regional youth facilities, camps, homes, or day centers. The purpose of juvenile court schools are to provide quality learning opportunities in order to complete a course of studies for a high school diploma/GED. Students in the state of California are required to take public education assessments such as the California High School Exit Examination and the Standardized Testing and Reporting Program. Students from the ages of 16 to 18 ‘who are not exempt from compulsory school attendance are required to continue their public education. These students are provided planning and transition services critical to a successful transfer back to a public school.’   

How Is The Learning Experience Different in Alternative Schools?

Alternative schools differ from traditional schools in many ways. This can look like smaller class sizes, which allow teachers to provide more individual attention to students, which is tailored to meet specific student needs. Students in alternative schools also have access to more flexible schedules and graduation requirements. Classes could be attended at night if students have jobs or children. Flexible graduation requirements pertains to students having the opportunity to have more choices in the classes they take, instead of having to take one math, one English, and one science class, etc., in order for students to focus on a particular subject of interest to pursue in the future. In addition to academic needs, alternative schools also provide additional resources that cater to emotional, social, and mental needs of a student.  

Words Alive’s Adolescent Book Group Program

Words Alive’s Adolescent Book Group Program is designed to engage teens attending alternative schools, or those facing extraordinary circumstances, by bringing books alive for students through conversation, writing, and projects. Words Alive places caring adults in the classroom to help support teens as they explore how to make connections between what they are reading and the world around them. 

Sources: 

• blog.prepscholar.com/alternative-high-schools

• www.publiccharters.org/about-charter-schools

• www.waldenu.edu/programs/education/resource/what-is-a-magnet-school-and-does-it-offer-a-better-education

• www.cde.ca.gov/sp/eo/jc/cefjuvenilecourt.asp    

Banned Books Week!

By Omar Jawdat, Blog Intern

Banned Books Week (Sept. 22 - Sept. 28) recognizes the intellectual freedom to read and express opinions. It also brings to attention the current and historical attempts to censor certain books in schools and libraries, which deprives students the ability to explore new ideas and learn about the issues we face in the world. That is why Banned Books Week aims to bring book communities together (librarians, booksellers, teachers, journalists, authors, publishers, and readers of all types) to freely express their ideas and possess the freedom to explore different varieties of books, despite whether or not it’s considered popular or appropriate.

Censorship of books is a deprivation of one’s curiosity to explore and expand one’s thinking, knowledge, or broaden life perspectives. Censoring books could also prevent socio-political progression and innovation. That is why at Words Alive, we support Banned Books Week and the spotlight it places on issues surrounding censorship. 

Examples of Banned Books:

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas 

Starr Williams is a ‘16-year old girl who navigates between her poverty-stricken neighborhood and the wealthy suburban prep school she attends. She is also the sole witness to the police shooting of her best friend Kahlil, who is unarmed but may or may not have been a drug dealer.’  

This story has been attacked by ‘would-be censors’, such as officials in Katy, Texas, claiming that it contains a “‘perversely vulgar” depiction of drug abuse, profanity, and offensive language.” The book was inspired by the Black Lives Matter Movement, which raises attention to the continued existence of prejudice and police violence, as witnessed by the main character of the YA novel, Starr Williams. However, thanks to Ny’Shira Lundy, a teenage student in the school’s district, 4,000 signatures on a petition were gathered, calling for the restoration of the book. Students are still required to get parental permission for access of the book. 

According to Ny’Shira Lundy, The Hate U Give inspired her style of writing. She was able to connect with the character Starr, as she also attended a predominantly white prep school, where she struggled to find her own voice. 

1984 by George Orwell 

‘The main character, Winston Smith, is a civil servant of the ironically-named Ministry of Truth, responsible for carrying out the State’s historical revisions in order to maintain control over the individuality and intellect of the people’.

The novel has been repeatedly banned and challenged, due to its content of nationalism (pro-communism), sexual themes, and themes around control, censorship, and privacy. In 1950’s communist Russia, the book was burned under Stalin and the USSR. Ownership meant possible arrest until 1990, when it was accepted again in the country after content-editing. In 1980, the book was also banned in Jackson County, Florida for its explicit sexual content. From 2009-10, Amazon deleted it from its kindle databases due to its controversy.

Ironically, 1984 raises important issues concerning communism and the eerie thought of an abusive, overpowering government. The novel also represents dystopian genres in literature. ‘Dystopia’ refers to an imagined state of future society, where injustice and totalitarianism dominates a certain environment. 

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle 

This novel tells of a story about a girl named Meg Murry, who travels through time and space in order to save her father from evil forces. Much of the novel’s thematic aspects involve religious ideology, mixed with a sense of radical ideas that intertwine science and religion. The book was frowned upon by the Christian community, labeling the novel as ‘unorthodoxy’ and ‘heretical’. Other viewers claimed that the book ‘encouraged witchcraft, or heretically conflated Christianity with the occult.’   

L’Engle believes in an overlying concept of spirituality and science coexisting together. The idea of putting figures such as Jesus, Gandhi, Einstein, and Bhudda in the presence of each other and fighting against the forces of evil challenged and went against Christian principles. Christians assumed that L’Engle was giving the implication that these four figures were of equal significance to each other. The Disney movie’s adaptation omitted aspects of the novel that originally contained depictions of science and religion mixed together.  

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Written from the perspective of Miles, the story tells of a male teen who leaves his high school and joins a co-ed boarding school and ventures out to a new exciting journey. In this new school, Miles joins a social circle where he meets another character, Alaska, a rebellious poetic prankster who alters Miles’ life. 

This YA novel was challenged due to its explicit sexual content between two teenagers. In 2012, Knox and Sumner County High Schools from Tennessee removed the book from the school’s curriculum, after a parent raised issues of its explicit language, ‘encouraging sexual experimentation’, and a ‘sexual gateway’ for teens. In Marion County, Kentucky, the book was also claimed to contain scenes of drug and alcohol use. 

“Looking for Alaska ranked No. 6 on the American Library Association’s Top Ten Challenged Books of 2016.”

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

“Set in the near future, The Handmaid’s Tale describes life in what was once the United States and is now called the Republic of Gilead, a monotheocracy that has reacted to social unrest and a sharply declining birthrate by reverting to, and going beyond, the repressive intolerance of the original Puritans… The story is told through the eyes of Offred, one of the unfortunate Handmaids under the new social order.”

This book has been banned from certain U.S. and Canadian high schools due to its sexual degradation of women, religion, and political controversy. In 2008, a parent from Toronto claimed that the novel used “profane language” and “anti-Christian tones” that were deemed inappropriate for 12th grade English classes. A superintendent of the Judson school in Texas removed the book from the English curriculum. “In doing so, the superintendent overruled the recommendation by a committee of teachers, students, and parents. The committee appealed the decision to the school board, which overruled the superintendent in 2006.”

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? By Bill Martin Jr.

In 2010, the Board of Education in Texas mistakenly banned the book, due to a confusion in the author’s name. A board member confused the author, Bill Martin Jr., with Bill Martin, the author of Ethical Marxism: The Categorical Imperative of Liberation.

Nonetheless, the Huffington Post asks: “Why would the political implications of an author’s work for adults be reason to ban his book for children?” The Texas Board of Education perhaps feared that children who enjoy this book would lead to a ‘slippery slope’ to those same students reading Bill Martin’s books in the future. The HuffPost also raised the question: “Was the board afraid that children who enjoyed Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? would decide to then read Bill Martin’s complete oeuvre, moving to Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? — and his other 298 or so books for children — and then quite naturally onto Ethical Marxism?”

Sources: 

• www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/banned

• bannedbooksweek.org/banned-spotlight-the-hate-u-give/

• ncac.org/news/blog/how-i-became-a-lit-activist-a-5-step-guide

• www.dorrancepublishing.com/censored-story-five-banned-books/

• world.edu/banned-books-awareness-1984/

• www.bannedlibrary.com/podcast/2016/12/28/nineteen-eighty-four-1984-by-george-orwell

• www.history.com/news/wrinkle-in-time-banned-christian-controversy

• www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=9315

• entertainment.time.com/2007/10/02/top-10-book-controversies/

• www.freedomtoread.ca/challenged-works/the-handmaid%E2%80%99s-tale/#.XYPMHihKhPZ

• www.huffpost.com/entry/texas-education-board-acc_b_449356

• /www.csmonitor.com/Books/2012/1003/30-banned-books-that-may-surprise-you/Brown-Bear-Brown-Bear-What-Do-You-See-by-Bill-Martin-Jr