In recent years, the trend of book banning has significantly increased. Many institutions are increasingly banning books because they may be deemed too controversial, graphic, or inappropriate for younger audiences. According to the American Library Association, “between January 1 and August 31, 2024, ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 414 attempts to censor library materials and services. In those cases, 1,128 unique titles were challenged.”
Last year, Ellie McEnerny (LP ‘25) gathered a group of students to meet every month to have a conversation about why these works are restricted and deemed as they are. Each month members of the club vote on a different challenged book they’ve read to discuss why the book was restricted. The group refers to themselves as the “Challenged Books Club.” It is not a school sponsored club.
“I considered starting a banned books club junior year after hearing about an increase in books being banned or challenged in public libraries and schools. I began specifically reading books that had been banned or challenged and researching recent book banning instances,” Ellie said. “When I asked my friends if they knew anything about book banning, nobody did, which led me to want to try to raise awareness about the issue.”
The club focuses on determining why works of literature are being banned in the first place and what impacts or affects it would’ve caused students had it been left in the classroom. The club’s goal is to address the importance of the exposure that these books bring. More exposure leads students to widen their lens to be more open and in depth with diverse perspectives and topics they may not be familiar with.
“The reason that a specific book is banned says a lot about who is banning it and why they don’t want students reading that book. For example, the book And Tango Makes Three, a children’s book about the true story of two male penguins who raised a chick together at the Central Park Zoo. It is a story of accepting non-traditional families but it was banned because the penguins [appear to be gay],” said Ellie.
The club believes that there is an urgency to examine the practice of book banning. Many childhood classics like Dr. Seuss and Charlotte’s Web for example have been banned in some institutions.
“All students are welcome to meet in the library before or after school. We encourage all students to read books that are of interest to them, and it’s exciting that this group of students gets together to discuss literature and its importance and impact,” West Campus Head Librarian Ms. Aimee Allison said.
The goal of this club is not to change the way people think but rather inform, educate, and foster conversations about topics that surround us outside of school.
“Encouraging people to read banned books counters the efforts of people restricting access to them. If book banning efforts continue on the upward trend, it is so important that people, especially students, take an interest in reading banned books so that the voices of authors that are being limited can be heard and celebrated,” Ellie said. “I think banning books often has the opposite effect. When information has been released that a book has been banned, people begin to have more interest in the book.”
The club’s most recent book, 1939’s The Grapes of Wrath, involves debate over migrants and workers rights. When first published, the book was rejected by society but its message is applicable to today’s world. The club’s next book is The Daughters of Eve, which is a fictional commentary on feminism set at a high school.
“I look forward to discussing topics like feminism and sexism in our next meeting. I also want to discuss books that offer different perspectives on gender and racial identity in the future because these are the books that are banned most often,” Ellie said.
