This week, children will get a chance to read controversial books banned from public schools across the country.

DeKalb Public Library is hosting Banned Books Week to raise awareness of books both challenged and banned from children.

The library will display a variety of mainstream banned or challenged books in the children’s section of the library. The books will be behind bars kids can lift to claim the book.

“It’s not just sex and violence,” said Dee Coover, director of the library. “There are other reasons people will challenge books.”

A public school in Beloit, Wis., banned Shel Silverstein’s book “A Light in the Attic” because it was believed to teach children to break dishes rather than clean them, Coover said.

Harry Potter books are the most popularly challenged books and are banned in several states. The book’s use of magic is a common reason why the book is banned.

On a political level, the children’s book “The Butter Battle” by Dr. Suess is banned in some states due to its portrayal of war.

Theresa Winterbauer, youth services department head, believes the book just showed war is ridiculous.

“It always depends on the reader’s interpretation,” Winterbauer said.

Coover said the DeKalb community is very supportive of reading banned books.
“They recognize if they don’t like a book, someone else will,” Coover said.

Generally, books are banned from public schools and not public libraries, where there’s a choice, Coover said.

Because of the rapid decline of adults reading literature, Banned Books Week is also one of many events to encourage people to read more.

According to a survey conducted by the Census Bureau in 2002, from 1992 to 2002 the amount of readers decreased by 10.2 percent, compared to a decline of only 2.9 percent from 1982 to 1992.

“People who are literary readers volunteer and do charity work more,” Coover said. “People who read do more of everything.”

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