This is the beginning of Banned Books Week and I’ve started reflecting on my reading life. As a young person, I was lucky to have parents that allowed me to read a variety of literature. I was able to explore my tastes without the fear. My mother read Stephen King when I was in junior high school and I followed her example. I read THE STAND, THE GUNSLINGER SERIES, THE BACHMAN BOOKS: 4 Early Novels by Stephen King very early in my reading life. Soon, I started to explore what was available and chose books for myself. I read FOREVER and other books by Judy Blume. I read THE CLAIMING OF SLEEPING BEAUTY, BEAUTY’S PUNISHMENT, and BEAUTY’S RELEASE by Anne Rice when she published as A. N. Roquelaure. These books are definitely intended for more mature audiences, with the exception of Judy Blume, but I still picked them up and read them. As a professional librarian and someone just a breath away from completing my PhD, I don’t think reading these books harmed me one bit.

I’m reading CANDOR now, but as soon as I’m finished I’ll be choosing a challenged/banned book. Maybe something from Lauren Myracle’s TTYL series. I’ve read the first one (and maybe the second one, I can’t remember) so that is an option. I’ve never read PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER so I might choose it. I don’t know – the possibilities are endless. What are you guys going to be reading this week?