Banned Books discussion

The idea to suggest some good works of fiction about banning books came to mind with the current discussion about suggestions for the Banned Book Club of books that have been banned.
Along with the classic Fahrenheit 451 you might also like to read Memoirs of a Bookbat by Kathryn Lasky and The Day They Came to Arrest the Book by Nat Hentoff. Nat Hentoff has also written several very good works of nonfiction about censorship. Enjoy.

Joseph, shall I add them to our list of books we might read together?

If you'd like to, fine with me.

Chris Crutcher's book from 2005 _Sledding Hill_ is a book without any swear words or anything else that could be easily banned. But still it has been managed.
The below are some reviews I found on Chris Crutcher's website, which has the catchy name chriscrutcher.com

"I swear, Chris Crutcher is writing himself into my heart even as he’s writing himself into his own books! As it details the life history of a banned book from a teenager’s perspective, The Sledding Hill is a brilliant chronicle about censorship in literature and its effect on personal freedom. But this book speaks to my heart because it’s a story about undying friendship and the vast capacity for reasoning in the most unreasonable kids. I can’t think of a better kick in the pants to launch the Wild Rumpus Banned Book Club."
Collette Morgan, Wild Rumpus Books
2005 Summer BookSense Pick

"THE SLEDDING HILL is as important as it is enjoyable to read."
TeenReads.com, May 10, 2005

"Crutcher turns crusader in this story of a boy who has lost too much to let a book be taken away from him."
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, June 2005

"Some folks will say this book is all about censorship and the fight for intellectual freedom. Others will talk about its examination of death and loss. Still others might notice the discussion about what makes for a good book or a good teacher. It touches on conflict and the nature of disagreement and how polarizing people never accomplishes anything."
Teri Lesesne, The Goddess of YA Lit
http://www.livejournal.com/users/prof...

"...there are going to be a bunch of huffing, puffing, scowling preachers when they start getting an earful of Billy Bartholomew. But they're going to have a bit of a problem deep-sixing this baby. Crutcher's written a book without ANY 'naughty' words. Not a single f-word, sh-word, n-word, b-word, or a-h word. If they want to ban THE SLEDDING HILL from school libraries, they're going to have to get it banned because of Billy Bartholomew's blatantly blasphemous revelations."
Richie Partington, Richie's Picks
February 22, 2005

(And Crutcher has a new book coming out in July 2009.)

Oh! If you've read this much Nancy Garden also has a novel on book banning The Year They Burned the Books.

Julia

Beautiful!