This week, the 3rd/4th grade classes learned about challenged and banned books during Banned Book Week. They were very surprised to learn that several books with which they are very familiar have been banned or challenged in some places.
We talked about each title and students guessed why it was banned. In several instances, students objected to the reason for banning; for example, students didn't think William Steig meant any disrespect when he drew police officers as pigs in the anthropomorphic Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. The reasons for banning some books, like The Lorax by Dr. Seuss and Wings by Jane Yolen, were difficult to figure out. Others, like In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak, were very easy to understand almost immediately!
We talked about each title and students guessed why it was banned. In several instances, students objected to the reason for banning; for example, students didn't think William Steig meant any disrespect when he drew police officers as pigs in the anthropomorphic Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. The reasons for banning some books, like The Lorax by Dr. Seuss and Wings by Jane Yolen, were difficult to figure out. Others, like In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak, were very easy to understand almost immediately!
