Funny Friday -- Banned Books Week

The Sadness of Banned Books - a poem by Cheryl Rainfield

The Sadness of Banned Books

When I hear of books being challenged
removed from libraries
banned from shelves
from the minds of young readers
from hearts that need those stories
    to know they’re not alone
    to survive the pain they’re living
I feel a sadness so deep
my chest aches.

I know the desperation
of needing to find
reflections of my pain
in the safety of books.
of needing to know
I’m not alone
I’m not crazy
I can get through this
and healing can happen.

Every book that’s challenged
Every book that’s banned
and removed from shelves
creates a void
where healing could have happened.
It keeps the book from the hands
of someone who needs it
someone who might have used it
to stay alive
the way I did
with books.

© copyright Cheryl Rainfield, September 22, 2013

Top 11 Most Challenged Books of 2018

1. George by Alex Gino
2. A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss, illustrated by EG Keller
3. Captain Underpants series written and illustrated by Dav Pilkey
4. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
5. Drama written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier
6. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
7. This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Jillian Tamaki
8. Skippyjon Jones series written and illustrated by Judy Schachner
9. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
10. This Day in June by Gayle E. Pitman, illustrated by Kristyna Litten
11. Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
    

Banned Books Week