My son's favorite book was Animal Farm by George Orwell, after his school class had to read it when he was about 12. He thought it was hilarious. I rate it 9/10, an excellent book.This morning I learned from a couple of other blogs that the book is in trouble in Miami. Yesterday, the library and human rights group FREADOM sent a hardcover copy of Animal Farm to the Bossard Miami elementary school library after a parent group announced they had "kidnapped" the book because it distorted the reality of Cuba. But wait, it gets worse! Now the school says it may not be able to accept their donation.
Isn't kidnapping the book the same thing Cuba has been doing under Castro? A book is no less "gone" by being kidnapped than by being burned. These parents are NOT furthering education by taking books from the shelves. I can hardly wait to find out why the school library won't accept a replacement copy. All of this so I can say, "Freedom to Read Week" starts Monday!
If you haven't read Animal Farm lately (or ever), check out a copy from your library and read it next week. Or choose another banned book from the ALA list: BannedBooks. Or read what Wikipedia has to say about banned books: Wikipedia.
4 comments:
Nice blog Bonnie!
"Animal Farm still haunts me to this day! For such a small book, it sure had a lot to say!
Teddy
Oh Bonnie....you KNOW how I feel on this subject!! Banning books is such a sad thing! I love the FREADom website. I have it saved as a favorite!!
I'm taking my kids to see Bridge to Terabithia on Sunday.
Crazy! It was required reading for me in grade 6. I'm sure most of it went over my head. I'm sure kids in Miami wouldn't get the connection unless pointed out to them anyway, which it has now. I don't know why someone would move to a free country only to try and deny others freedom.
Anyway, when I think of that book I think of the Cold War and "99 Red Balloons" (I was a kid in the 80's) and how scared I was of nuclear war!
I happened upon your blog when doing a Google search on exploring Animal Farm with elementary-aged kids. I am reading it with my home-schooled 10-year-old son. I'm also reading it -- for the 2nd time -- with my 14-year-old, who has a special interest in banned books, by the way. I really like your site! I have a particular weakness for book blogs. :-)
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