Banned Book Reading Wed. night

Celebrate the freedom to read at "Well, I'll Be Banned: A Reading of Challenged and Censored ‘Tween and Teen Books” Wednesday, Sept. 21. The free event will begin at 7 p.m. in Room 149 of the Center for the Visual Arts on the ISU campus.

The reading is organized by the students in my ENG 470 class.  Students will read short selections from books aimed at middle school or teen readers that have been banned or challenged and discuss why the texts are controversial.  Students are also working on publicity.  Thanks to that work the Pantagraph ran an article yesterday about the event, "ISU to host banned book event."

The reading is being held ahead of the annual national Banned Book Week that encourages people of all ages to advocate for their right to read. 

ISU's English Department has a long history of supporting the freedom to read.

Banned Books Week is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association; American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression; the American Library Association; American Society of Journalists and Authors; Association of American Publishers; and the National Association of College Stores.  It is endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. In 2011, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund; National Coalition Against Censorship; National Council of Teachers of English; and PEN American Center also signed on as sponsors.