Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Another of my personal favorites.

Gone with the Wind is the story of Scarlett O'Hara, a young woman growing up in the south in her father's cotton plantation. The story follows Scarlett through her personal struggles with love, loss, and poverty set to the time period of the Civil War, the freeing of slaves, and the hardships of the south's recovery.

Gone with the Wind has been banned by several schools since the release of the book in 1936. Back when it was first released it was banned for the use of such words as "whore" and "damn." Those are only sidenotes today in what many schools consider to be wrong with the novel. Now the book is often challenged for the use of the word "nigger," the most recent bannings being in 1978 and 1984. The book is also challenged for the actions of the main character, Scarlett, as she manipulates many of the people in her life by use of her charm and sexuality to survive and reach closer to where she wants to be in life.


* For more info on the bannings of Gone with the Wind - http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/challengedclassics/reasonsbanned

* For more detail on the story of Gone with the Wind - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gone_with_the_Wind


Is Gone with the Wind appropriate for school reading? Is the use of the term "nigger" in poor taste in this novel or does it offer insight to the students on a very real time in American history? If it does offer insight, do you think it's relevant to teach students of the lifestyle African Americans lived at the time or do you believe most students are beyond it?

*5 points extra credit


Happy reading,
Ms. Lewis

Bridge to Terabithia by Kathine Paterson

The story of two children, Jesse and Leslie, who are outsiders at school and even sometimes at home. The two become close friends after Leslie’s family moves to the area in rural Virginia, Jesse's hometown. They create an imaginary kingdom called Terabithia in the woods, which they access by swinging on a rope over a creek. Jesse grows a great deal as a person as a result of the time he spends with Leslie, as well as the time he spends coping with her loss once she is gone.

The book has been banned and challenged by several schools for three main reasons; language, social and religious reasons, and the book's ending.

Although the profanity in the book is limited to a few uses of the words "Hell" and "damn," the book has been challenged by schools in Nebraska, Callifornia, Texas, Pennsylvania, and more, even leading to a policy in said states that teachers must list the profanities used in the books that are being considered for classroom reading, list the number of times used, and then have parents give written permission for their children to read the book.

There are a number of issues surrounding religious and social concerns. Many challengers have stated that the books promotes an elaborate fantasty world that could potentially confuse young children and leave them with a skewed understanding of reality. Others have said that the book gives children a negative view of life and promotes witchcraft and "taking the name of God in vain."

The issue surrounding the books ending involves the death of the character Leslie. In the book, Jesse goes on a trip to Washington, D.C. while Leslie tries to go to Terabithia by herself. Unfortunately, the rope used to cross the bank into the woods snaps and she hits her head on a rock and drowns in a creek. The reason the book has been challened concerning this issue is that some deem the book to be too depressing for children to read and that young people should not have to concern themselves with death needlessly.


* For a more detailed reading of the reasons for the book's banning and challenges - http://iamthelizardqueen.wordpress.com/2007/02/04/examining-the-challenges-to-bridge-to-terabithia/

* For more opinions on the bannings of the book - http://www.scholastic.com/kids/homework/pdfs/Bridge_to_pt4.pdf




Do you think Bridge to Terabithia contains ideas and actions that are too mature for high school and middle school reading? Should young adults and children be exposed to the idea that death can occur in even their own age groups? Is the idea of an imaginary world to escape and handle real life problems a poor idea to instill in children or would it be beneficial to them?

* 5 points extra credit

Happy reading,
Ms. Lewis