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Banned Books Read-in Places Spotlight on Censorship

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Harry Potter and Charlotte’s Web Among Books Banned Somewhere Wilmington College students, faculty and staff celebrated the freedom to read by staging a four-hour Banned Books Read-in at Watson Library Sept. 30. (LEFT) Junior Thomas Donoghue reads from Judy Blume's novel, Forever, during the annual Banned Books Read-In. Titles included such popular fiction as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Harry Potter, Charlotte’s Web and The Catcher in the Rye to the autobiographical Persepolis, the latter of which depicts the experiences of a girl during the Iranian revolution and Iran-Iraq War. The only stipulation for selected readings was the book had to have been banned or censored some place in the world, a qualification that, for some, might surprisingly include To Kill a Mockingbird, Huck Finn and the Holy Bible. Other books read this year at WC were Dr. Seuss’ Butter Battle Book, Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Lord of the Rings Return of the King, All Quiet on the Western Front and The What’s Happening to My Body Book for Boys. Watson Library sponsored the annual Banned Books Read-In as part of the American Library Association's 33rd anniversary observance of “Banned Books Week.” The event is designed to raise awareness of the need to be ever vigilant about the potential for reading censorship by government and other entities in American society