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Banned Books Week: Future Vampire Academy and House of Night novels already banned

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Banned Book WeekThis is Banned Books Week, an annual event where we celebrate our right to read, access to information and revisit those “controversial” classics that shaped our world. Some books show up on the Banned Book List each year. (The list is put out by the American Library Association from the challenges they receive, requesting books be pulled from library shelves or removed from classrooms.) Classics that can open a new world to teenagers like A Catcher in the Rye, 1984 and To Kill A Mockingbird have been challenged and banned since their first publication.

The books we like — fantasy and paranormal — are key targets for contemporary bans usually under the note of “religious viewpoint” or “witchcraft.” The Harry Potter and Twilight books both fell victim there.

But this last year two great young adult vampire series — including any future novels published — were banned at a school in Texas: Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy series and P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast’s House of Night series. View other 2009-2010 challenges.

Mead’s Vampire Academy series is by far one of the best written young adult series we’ve read. Complex characters, important themes, a vivid world and top-notch prose. (Hey! If you join our Vampire Academy series reading challenge, you’ll be reading banned books. Be a rebel.)

The reasons for objecting to the House of Night series were for sexuality and nudity. Sure, there is sex in the books, but it’s downplayed and far from graphic. The seventh book in the series, Burned, came out last April, but this series is set to be 12 books. That means the school has banned five works not even published yet. (You can read our review of Burned here.)

So, vampire book fans, we encourage you to read banned books this week — including Vampire Academy and House of Night books. If you’re already set on the vampire side, pick up The Great Gatsby, The Grapes of Wrath or Huckleberry Finn. (View the list of banned classics)

8 Responses to “Banned Books Week: Future Vampire Academy and House of Night novels already banned”

  1. kristen says:

    I will never understand this concept of banned books. How dare some stupid group from telling me what I or my son can read! It is MY job as a parent to review what books he is allowed to read. He may be 14, but he is fully aware of the 1st Ammendment and what it means. If parents pay attention to this, instead of um I don’t know parenting, their child will lose out on such wonderful teachable stories.

    Here’s a radical idea: Why don’t the READ these books while their children do? It really does lead to some wonderful conversations. My son loves when I read what he is into. If there are parts that he doesn’t understand, we discuss them. If I think the content is too mature, we put it off until I know he is ready.

    I believe that this is MY job, not the school and not some group of literary gestapos. If a book is going to change my son’s morals so easily, then perhaps I am a failure as a mom. But maybe that is too difficult for some parents to handle?

  2. Kim H says:

    Hey so I’ve already read and recently reviewed the first 2 Vampire Academy books. Do you want me to re-read and re-review them for the challenge?

  3. Casandra says:

    Ok those books are great xD I don’t see why they were banned… I’m a 10th grade student in Kentucky and I started reading those when I was in middle school so yea….

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  5. Bandit says:

    I’ve read all of the House of night in one day and i don’t care about it being banned, i’ve always been a rebel to things why stop now

  6. lisa says:

    What is astonishing about this book is that for nearly a third of the story, the main character’s most terrible imaginings are of the destruction of books and persecution of bookstore owners and customers. He is unable to conceive that there’s anything that could be worse, in spite of the trucks packed with unhappy prisoners, soldiers, guns, and burning houses he encounters. Even when he finally recognizes the reality of what’s happening, he clings to his own notebook of stories. His notebook, and his ability to tell stories changes lives and makes tragedy a little more bearable. In the end, the fate of the characters is unknown, although for most it appears to be inevitable. Stories can’t save everyone. But there’s always the possibility that a book, a story, the power of imagination, will save someone, and destroying them also leads to the destruction of hope.

  7. Christina says:

    I don’t understand why these books were banned. I have read all the Vampire Academy books and loved them. Someone bought me the House of Night series so I just started them but I can’t put them down. If these books are banned then why are there so many other series out that are similar and they haven’t been banned. Freedom of speech should come into effect here and banning these books should be a violation of our rights.

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