It's scary to think that so many books are still being banned or challenged in 2018.

Every year we celebrate banned or challenged books to help spread awareness that literature is still being censored in schools, libraries and bookstores all around the country. Many classic novels have been questioned for years but books are constantly being challenged due to their content.

The Pleasant Valley Library is trying to spread awareness by creating their very own section dedicated to such books. If you're caught reading one you'll even get a mug shot taken.

Just as a reference, According to the ALA, one of the most complained about and challenged books in a children's book called 'And Tango Makes Three' which about two gay penguins raising a baby penguin. The novel for the popular Netflix series, 'Thirteen Reasons Why' was challenged and is still under review in some places.

Some Hudson Valley residents even found issues with the popular book, 'Scary Tales to Tell in the Dark' because it had content about death.

Here are some other books that we may not have ever read if they had remained banned per the ILA.

  • To Kill a Mockingbird.
  • Lord of the Flies
  • Of Mice and Men
  • Catcher in the Rye
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone 
  • Dracula
  • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

  • The Outsiders

I'm a fan free speech as we all should be. It's absolute so that includes unpopular speech too. Don't fight to ban something just because you don't understand it.

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