Banned Books Week Wrap-up

Well, kiddos, today is the last day of this year's Banned Books Week. I had a lot of fun sharing with you my thoughts on BBW so I thought I'd share with you some of my favorite posts that I came across this week.

1. I liked this post from Donna at Bites! spotlighting Ellen Hopkins and the recent trouble she's had over some of her very popular books. And I LOVE this post addressing some problems Donna had with a reader known as "SafeLibraries" (I'm sure if you've visited any high-traffic BBW posts, you're familiar with SafeLibraries drivel). Donna, this post made me love you a little bit. I'm just saying. ;P
   
2. The Book Resort went the Ellen Hopkins route, too, publishing this Hopkin's poem addressing her would-be censors:

   To you zealots and bigots and false
   patriots who live in fear of discourse.
   You screamers and banners and burners
   who would force books
   off shelves in your brand name
   of greater good.
   You say you’re afraid for children,
   innocents ripe for corruption
   by perversion or sorcery on the page.
   But sticks and stones do break
   bones, and ignorance is no armor.
   You do not speak for me,
   and will not deny my kids magic
   in favor of miracles.
   You say you’re afraid for America,
   the red, white and blue corroded
   by terrorists, socialists, the sexually
   confused. But we are a vast quilt
   of patchwork cultures and multi-gendered
   identities. You cannot speak for those
   whose ancestors braved
   different seas.
   You say you’re afraid for God,
   the living word eroded by Muhammed
   and Darwin and Magdalene.
   But the omnipotent sculptor of heaven
   and earth designed intelligence.
   Surely you dare not speak
   for the father, who opens
   his arms to all.
   A word to the unwise.
   Torch every book.
   Char every page.
   Burn every word to ash.
   Ideas are incombustible.
   And therein lies your real fear.
   Manifesto
   
   — Ellen Hopkins,
   bestselling author of Crank and newly published Tricks

3. That Chick That Reads had a great post called Banned Books: Who Started This Mess?, a question I think a lot of us would like answered. She also had another great post, which included this vlog about banning and the Ellen Hopkins-ness, as well as some Maureen Johnson happenings, etc:
4. 
   
5. I also really liked WORD for Teens Banned Books and I post. Snarky greatness.
6. The Book Muncher highlighted a growing controversy over the book Castration Celebration. You can read all about it on the blog, or enter the contest to win Castration Celebration (which I think sounds fantastic).
7. April over at Good Books & Good Wine posted an awesome open letter to those who would ban books, a banned books declaration, and this piece of awesomeness:
9. Lastly, I found this over on The Shady Glade's blog. It. Is. AWESOME.
   
   
   
   So that's it for BBW, folks. I want to thank everyone who read my stuff, or any of ^this^ stuff. I also want to thank Velvet at vvb32 reads, who mentioned my Perks of Being a Wallflower post multiple times, and even made it part of her BBW giveaway. You are awesome.
   
   And remember, just because the week is over, that doesn't mean the reading stops. Lots of great banned books out there, just waiting to corrupt you...