February 23 to 29 is the annual Freedom to Read Week. Freedom of expression is a fundamental right of all Canadians and freedom to read is part of that precious heritage.
Freedom to Read Week is an annual event that “…encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom, which is guaranteed them under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.”
The following list contains just some of the titles which have been challenged in Canada:
- Alligators All Around : an alphabet by Maurice Sendak
- American Gods by Neil Gaiman
- The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler
- The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill
- Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
- The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
- Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff
- The Dumb Bunnies Go to the Zoo by Sue Denim
- Fear Street & Goosebumps series by R.L. Stein
- The Giver by Lois Lowry
- The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
- The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
- His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman
- Hop on Pop by Dr Seuss
- Lives of Girls and Women by Alice Munro
- Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
- Power Play by Eric Walters
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- Underground to Canada by Barbara Smucker
- The War by Timothy Findley
- Warlord by Ted Bell
A number of popular magazines have also been challenged, including:
- Cosmopolitan
- Esquire
- GQ
- Health
- MacLean’s
- Men’s Fitness
- Rolling Stone
- Seventeen
- Sports Illustrated
- Teen Vogue
- US Weekly
- Women’s Health
This week, read a challenged or banned book or magazine, revel in the power of words and celebrate your freedom to read!
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