rattle dem bones, pa!
Every year, BANNED BOOKS WEEK sneaks up on me, and I'm only reminded of it by the wagon train of Google Alerts pointing me to blogs and webpages and news items that point out, don't you know, that some of the "Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder have been challenged or banned over the years. You see, the "Little House" books are racist, especially Little House on the Prairie (Indians! Dr. Tann!) and Little Town on the Prairie (minstrel show!).

Of course the "Little House" books are racist. They're also sexist (no married female teachers!). Isn't it grand, then, that I live in a country where I'm allowed to read - and love - and even be obsessed with - books that are so controversial? Let's all read a "Little House" book this week, and don't forget to thank a librarian for your continued access to the series.

Funny thing is: I haven't been seeing the usual number of mentions of "Little House" and "banned books" come through today. It turns out that according to the ALA, the Top 10 Most Frequently Challenged Titles of last year were challenged not because of racism, but due to religion, sexually explicit content, or homosexual storyline (among other things). Seven of the books were also said to be "unsuited to age group."

Everybody knows that all it takes to make a person want to read something is to tell them they shouldn't for some reason. Let's get "Little House" back in the limelight; just because we've all worked through our problems in Indian Territory doesn't mean we can't find something to gripe about... Woman with a knife! Just rock that seat! Cheat the government! Hang the paymaster! Love that cigar smoke! See Willie drool! Let's go hunting! Set more traps! Laugh at the drunk men! Child bride, anyone?!
- posted by pioneergirl at 4:14 PM