This week (September 22-28, 2013) is Banned Books Week, a week set aside to take note of books that are banned across our country. Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to read for everyone without censorship. Because we had a book banned right here in North Carolina, I chose to focus our exhibit on The Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. This book chronicles the story of an African American man who feels invisible because of his race. The book, published in 1952, and won the National Book Award for Fiction in 1953. The Invisible Man was recently banned in libraries in school of Randolph County, North Carolina. A parental complaint prompted a County board member to move to have this book banned.

The American Library Association simply wants everyone to be able to read whatever they wish without any censorship. There are lots of events centered around Banned Books Week.

According to ALA, the top 10 book banned in 2012 are:

Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey.
Reasons: Offensive language, unsuited for age group

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie.
Reasons: Offensive language, racism, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group

Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher.
Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited for age group

Fifty Shades of Grey, by E. L. James.
Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit

And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson.
Reasons: Homosexuality, unsuited for age group

The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini.
Reasons: Homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit

Looking for Alaska, by John Green.
Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group

Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
Reasons: Unsuited for age group, violence

The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls
Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit

Beloved, by Toni Morrison
Reasons: Sexually explicit, religious viewpoint, violence