It’s Banned Books Week, and bookstores, libraries, authors, and readers around the country are celebrating by participating in the Virtual Read-Out, an officially sponsored YouTube channel that compiles videos of people reading their favorite banned and challenged literature.
Stephanie Hartwell-Mandella, Children’s Librarian with the Katonah Village Library, makes a passionate plea about the importance of the freedom to read before her Virtual Read-Out of And Tango Makes Three, a frequently-challenged children’s book by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell that depicts the true story of two male penguins that incubated and raised a chick together.
We noticed that there aren’t very many videos of people reading comics in the Virtual Read-Out. If you’re feeling inspired, you can submit a video of your own! You can find the criteria here and video submission information here. Consider reading a comic from our list of Banned and Challenged Comics. Send us an email with Virtual Read-Out in the subject line to let us know you posted a video, and we may feature it here!
Given their visual nature, graphic novels and comic books are among the most-challenged books in libraries and schools. CBLDF is an official sponsor of Banned Books Week, which takes place September 30 – October 6, 2012. Please help support CBLDF’s defense of your right to read by making a donation or becoming a member of the CBLDF!