Randomness

It's been almost a week since I've checked in over here. I've been busy - not with anything in particular, just life :)

Yesterday was probably the highlight of the week. We travelled to a friend's house and spent most of the day outside in sunshine and 60 degree temperatures. Our visit included a nature hike that included frog egg sightings (protected by green slime which truly impressed my boys), two beaver lodges and several fallen trees and stumps that had been created by the previously mentioned beavers.

While we were hiking my four year old (who is known for being a little awkward) put together a mantra of sorts and I couldn't help but smile while he chanted "Balance. Balance. Balance. Balance . . ." It must have done the trick because while we were a little slower than our hosts who take these kinds of hikes regularly, we emerged from the wilderness without incident and both boys wanted to know if we could hike through our woods at home.

It truly was a beautiful day in which I actually found myself taking deep breaths of the fresh, spring air. And, of course, the adult conversation couldn't be beat ;)

And while it's not exactly the same as conversation, I finished reading Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience" today (which, by the way, is timeless and has reignited my political fire - at least for the time being) and now I'm onto D.H. Lawrence's Sons and Lovers as part of my Banned Book Challenge. After finishing this one I'll be just over halfway to my goal of reading 12 "subversive" and "controversial" books by June 30th.

I recently read Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five and it was amazing! I had never read anything by Vonnegut before and I will definitely read more. The biggest impression it left on me was to reinforce my own viewpoint about how pointless war is; that war isn't about soldiers fighting other soldiers in order to preserve freedom or some other moral ideal, but war is really about countless civilian murders that often go uncounted because they don't happen in an "official" capacity and besides it doesn't put the combatants in a very good light.

But enough of that . . . I want to think some more about my peaceful nature hike . . .

One Book Down, 11 To Go

Well, I told you all at the beginning of the week that I was going to be going on a "banned" book tour this week and while I thought I would be able to read three books in seven days, it looks like I'll have to settle with just two. I've been suffering from a pretty nasty cold for a couple of days and my reading output has suffered.

But I finished "The Chocolate War" today and I'm starting "Bridge to Terabithia," as soon as I finish this. I was somewhat disappointed in myself because as I was reading I realized how much I had forgotten since I'd read the novel in my sophomore(?) year. It was almost like reading it for the first time. I'd completely forgotten the ending (which was tremendous), but it was apparent to me that in high school I pretty much approached assigned reading as such: Get it done. Remember as much as you have to for the quiz/report. Move onto the next assignment.

Sad really since there were so many great titles on those required reading lists. So I decided to do something about it. I was tipped off by fahrenheit451moderator on a previous post that the Pelham Public Library in Ontario was going a step further with the "Freedom to Read" campaign and issuing a "Banned Book Challenge." The challenge is to read as many banned or challenged books as you can between now and June 30th. The library is inviting the world to participate and have started a blog with more information about the challenge, list after list of challenged books, as well as plenty of links for further research about censorship and banned books.

I'm taking the challenge and I've pledged to read 12 books by June 30th. I've got a list to work from and was (again) surprised to read some of the titles that have earned challenges. My biggest surprise was the listing of Dr. Seuss' "The Lorax". Apparently, the Laytonville, California School District challenged this classic because it "criminalizes the forestry industry." (One quick wit remarked, "Don't they mean the de-foresting industry?")

Exactly.

So, yes, "TheLorax" has been added to my list of subversive reads and I think I'll have my son bring it to preschool next week when they celebrate the life and writings of Dr. Seuss.


P.S. I just realized that Dr. Seuss' birthday is tomorrow (March 2nd)! In celebration, gather your kids, get your copy of "The Cat in the Hat" and join millions of others in reading this classic tale at 2:36 p.m. tomorrow. And when you're finished with that, check out the Cat in the Hat 50th Birthday website; Send a birthday card to the cat and Random House will donate one book for every birthday card sent to children in need.

While you're there be sure to find out other ways you can help Random House get books into the hands of children who so desperately need them through the Project 236 project. (I was actually saddned to read that MA ranked 50th among all 50 states, Washington D.C. and Canada. Alaska was #1 for cryin' out loud!!)

It's estimated, according to the CITH website, that children in middle-income neighborhoods have on average 13 books per individual child, while children living in low-income neighborhoods have one book for every 13 children. That's appalling! And it's also why public libraries are so important. Literacy is still a BIG issue in the U.S., so be sure to take this opportunity to find out what you can do to help.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!!!

Be Really, Really Bad This Week

"Books, not which afford us a cowering enjoyment, but in which each thought is of unusual daring; such as an idle man cannot read, and a timid one would not be entertained by, which even make us dangerous to existing institution /such call I good books." -- Henry David Thoreau

Tomorrow, February 25th, marks the beginning of Canada's "Freedom to Read," week. Yes, even in 2007 books are challenged and (crazy) people demand they be taken out of libraries for their "explicit sexual content," their use of "offensive language," because they "promote homosexuality" (god forbid!) or, my personal favorite (because I was surrounded by people like this during my teen years in the early 90's when supposedly little children were being sacrificed daily in the woods), because of an "occult theme or promoting the occult or Satanism."

According to the American Library Association (which holds a similar event in the fall, but I couldn't wait that long!) the top 10 challenged authors in 2005 were - now be prepared; these writers are scandalous - Judy Blume, Robert Cormier, Chris Crutcher, Robie Harris, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Toni Morrison, J.D. Salinger, Lois Lowry (author of The Giver and one of the greatest books I never read in school but am so glad it was recommended to me as an adult), Marilyn Reynolds and Sonya Sones.

I realize that several of these authors probably aren't surprising to you, but what about these from the ALA's list of Top 10 Most Challenged Authors from 1990-2004 (those not mentioned above): Alvin Schwartz (Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark), J.K. Rowling (The Harry Potter series), Michael Willhoite (Daddy's Roomate), Katherine Paterson (Bridge to Terabithia), Stephen King, Maya Angelou (I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings), R.L. Stine (Goosebumps series) and John Steinbeck (Of Mice and Men).

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!?!

**If you want a real hoot, check out this list of the ALA's 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–20001. I'm proud to say I've read quite a few of them and most were assigned to me when I attended a wonderful public school!!!

Now bear in mind that 71% of these "challenges" were brought against books assigned in schools or in school libraries and, yes, in an effort for us parents to control everything, 60% of those people making the challenges were parents. *sigh*

So what I'm asking you to do this week is pick up at least one of these really evil, scandalous, moral eroding tales and READ IT! And feel really, really good while you do ;)

I've already got a couple I want to try and read this week with Bridge to Terabithia at the top of the list, followed closely by The Chocolate War. This stuff is just too good to pass up and having an event like "Freedom to Read Week" is the perfect inspiration.

So be bad this week ... be very, very bad. And let me know what you're reading.