Would you let them read that?

Banned Book Week has come around again and once more librarians, teachers and parents are reminded of all the great children's books that have been challenged in our libraries and schools. Judy Blume, still one of the most popular children's authors in our libraries, is also one of the most frequently challenged. She is articulate on the subject of how book banning can limit the variety of information and recreation that children find in books. The freedom to read is one of the basic tenets of our democracy, and the American Library Association is one of the guardians of this freedom. It's worth taking some time to think once again about letting our children find the courage to search and judge opinions and actions on their own.