Read the books you don’t want banned for kids’ reading

I am not an advocate for book banning, but deciding to be proactive, I selected and read two books, completely at random, from the list of books that some people suggest should be banned, and other people think are fine to be in children’s libraries. I had never heard of these books nor the authors. They were written for teens and preteens. Coincidentally, they both happened to have been designated “Excellence in Young Adult Literature” by the American Library Association.

Sadly, both of these books were packed with profanity. All the filthy words that you’d never use in public are used liberally throughout both books. This much profanity in a book could make boys and girls numb to it, make them think it’s normal to talk this way. I have known adults that don’t understand that cursing is not acceptable.

The stories involved breaking rules, cigarette smoking, dope smoking, “getting laid,” drinking booze, including a drunken uncle giving beer to kids, getting drunk and puking and passing out, reading pornography and watching porn, and the continual pursuit of sex. There’s a pregnancy, a miscarriage, a rape, and casual discussions on death, herpes, preteen oral sex, and crack cocaine.

These books are inappropriate for kids and completely unnecessary. The focus on sex as well as profane language used by the authors absolutely overrides any potential value of the lessons within the stories.

Please — do your research before arriving at an opinion on banning. Read the books.

Peter Looney

Marion