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Tried explaining why Captain Underpants was banned to my 8 year old nephew, got a very different result than expected
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pat_park21h ago
Banned books just make kids want to read them more.
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gavin_kim319h ago
Three of the most challenged books in my local school district last year were "Gender Queer", "The Hate U Give", and "Maus" - and I saw kids passing them around like trading cards. @pat_park, does the banning actually tell teenagers "this is dangerous and you're too fragile to handle it", which just makes them want to prove the adults wrong? Like with "Maus" being pulled in Tennessee, that comic about the Holocaust, kids weren't reading it for class anymore but suddenly everyone wanted to see what was so supposedly offensive. The copy at our library had a waiting list longer than any new release that month.
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knight.diana17h ago
Hmm, I mean yeah kids get curious when stuff is banned, but maybe it's more about them not having the maturity to handle certain topics yet. Like with "Gender Queer" in high school libraries, idk if every 14 year old is ready for that content. Some parents might have a point about wanting some guidance on what's age appropriate, not just outright banning but still.
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skylercooper17h ago
But honestly though, do you think the whole "forbidden fruit" thing actually works better when its a school or library doing the banning versus a parent just saying "not yet" at home? Like with your nephew, you were trying to protect him from something you thought was too mature, but he just saw it as a challenge instead. I wonder if kids are smart enough to tell the difference between when adults are trying to control them versus when adults are just trying to guide them. Maybe the key isnt about banning at all but about having those awkward conversations earlier so they dont feel like youre hiding something. Cause the moment you say "you cant read this" without explaining why, youve basically given them a mission.
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