Banned Books Week 2015 will center on young adult titles
'These are the books that speak most immediately to young people, dealing with many of the difficult issues that arise in their own lives, or in the lives of their friends,' Judith Platt, chair of the Banned Books Week national committee, said of challenged YA books.
'The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian' is by Sherman Alexie.
When a book is challenged or banned, it鈥檚 often the effect the title would have on young readers that鈥檚 cited by those who want it taken out of readers鈥� hands. So this year, Banned Books Week will reportedly focus on young adult titles.聽
Banned Books Week is held every fall and is created by organizations including the American Library Association and the National Coalition Against Censorship. Schools, libraries, and other facilities around the U.S. host readings of banned books and other events to promote a person鈥檚 right to read what they choose.
Recent years have also included a Virtual Read-Out component where users can post a video of themselves talking about banned books or reading from a title that has been challenged.
鈥淵oung adult books are challenged more frequently than any other type of book," Judith Platt, chair of the Banned Books Week national committee, said of the decision to look specifically at YA titles, according to industry newsletter . "These are the books that speak most immediately to young people, dealing with many of the difficult issues that arise in their own lives, or in the lives of their friends. These are the books that give young readers the ability to safely explore the sometimes scary real world. This Banned Books Week is a call to action, to remind everyone that young people need to be allowed the freedom to read widely, to read books that are relevant for them, and to be able to make their own reading choices.鈥�
The most-challenged title for 2014, according to the , was the young adult book 鈥淭he Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian鈥� by Sherman Alexie, while other young adult titles such as 鈥淭he Perks of Being a Wallflower鈥� by Stephen Chbosky and 鈥淒rama鈥� by Raina Telgemeier were also included in the list.聽