Welcome to Banned Books Week (September 29 to October 6, 2007)! This year’s theme from the American Library Association is “Ahoy! Treasure Your Freedom to Read and Get Hooked on a Banned Book.” (Click here for more information on Banned Books Week from the ALA.)

First observed in 1982, Banned Books Week reminds Americans not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted. The event is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, the American Library Association (ALA), the Association of American Publishers, the American Society of Journalists and Authors and the National Association of College Stores.   It is endorsed by the Library of Congress Center for the Book.

I hope you take an opportunity to read a banned book or two either by yourself or with your kids. In 2006, I reviewed Judy Blume’s Forever, Captain Underpants and A Catcher in the Rye, and asked people to Stop picking on poor Harry Potter. But there are (unfortunately) many other banned books to read, especially in the YA (young adult) section.

Here’s a list of the 10 Most Challenged Books of 2006:

• And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, for homosexuality, anti-family, and unsuited to age group
• The Gossip Girl series by Cecily Von Ziegesar for homosexuality, sexual content, drugs, unsuited to age group, and offensive language
• Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor for sexual content and offensive language
• The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler for sexual content, anti-family, offensive language, and unsuited to age group
• The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison for sexual content, offensive language, and unsuited to age group;
•   Scary Stories series by Alvin Schwartz for occult/Satanism, unsuited to age group, violence, and insensitivity
• Athletic Shorts: Six Short Stories by Chris Crutcher for homosexuality and offensive language
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky for homosexuality, sexually explicit, offensive language, and unsuited to age group
• Beloved by Toni Morrison for offensive language, sexual content, and unsuited to age group
• The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier for sexual content, offensive language, and violence

Off the list this year, but on for several years past, are the The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Of Mice and Men (Penguin Great Books of the 20th Century) by John Steinbeck and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Bantam Classics) by Mark Twain.

I think I’ll check out The Chocolate War for myself and And Tango Makes Three for Lucie. What banned books are you planning to read this year?

From Charlesbridge children’s books publishing comes Wiggle and Waggle by Caroline Arnold and illustrated by Mary Peterson. This beginning reader chapter book is about two friends – Wiggle and Waggle – who dig tunnels in the dirt and have fun together singing, swimming and picnicking.

Nathan and Lucie got a big kick out of this book while I had problems telling which worm was Wiggle and which one was Waggle. This would be a good choice for a first or second grader to read, and anyone under that age to be read to.

Things to do with Wiggle and Waggle:

• Visit their MySpace page.
• Watch the Wiggle and Waggle YouTube movie.
• Download a Wiggle and Waggle Activity Kit.

Some wormy food ideas

From MarthaStewart.com Kids comes Worm Ice:

Breed gummy worms in ice and infest a cold Halloween drink. Put the worms in an ice-cube tray, letting them stick out of the top and sprawl over the edges, and fill tray with water; freeze. Add cubes to a clear beverage, and watch as kids squirm with delight.

Besides gummy worms, you can cook up some spaghetti. (Spaghetti’s worm-ish, right?) Martha has some great ideas for various types of pasta pies, like Eleanora’s Spaghetti Pie. We made Rigatoni Pasta Cake over the weekend, which was a big hit with the kids (we adults liked the leftovers, too). And even though I didn’t follow Martha’s directions exactly, the cake held together and was delicious.

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Did you catch the first episode of Ken Burns’ film The War about World War II on PBS this weekend? Like much of Burns’ work, I was touched, horrified and spellbound – all at the same time. The story is told through the personal accounts of women and men from four American towns, a terrific way of making the experience of war more personal and heartbreaking.

Click Communications sent me a preview copy of the six DVD set. The first episode was so good that I’m tempted to watch the whole thing right now while Lucie’s at preschool this week. (Plus the premier of Heroes is on tonight, so I’ll miss part of the second episode anyway.)

Released on PBS Home Video, The War – A Film By Ken Burns and Lynn Novick will be available for purchase October 10, just after the series finishes up on TV. Good thing too, because you should watch The War after the kids go to bed. Within the first 30 seconds, you’re shown footage of dead soldiers, soon followed by footage of dead civilians (including children) and a horrifying shot of a Jewish infant who starved to death in the Polish ghettos.

If you’re kids are high schoolers, plan to watch The War with them. PBS’s website has a section just for educators that parents can use, too. There are 14 lesson plans with classroom activities appropriate for students in grades 9-12. You may want to go through them to find topics for you and your teenager to discuss.

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September is Library Card Sign-up Month. Each year at this time, the American Library Association reminds parents and kids that a library card is the most important school supply of all.

Here’s a list of 52 ways to use your library card – one activity for each week of the year:

1. Get to know your librarian, the ultimate search engine at your library.
2. Update your MySpace page.
3. Research new job opportunities.
4. Find a list of childcare centers in your area.
5. Learn about local candidates for office.
6. Pick up voter registration information.
7. Check out your favorite graphic novel.
8. Pick up a DVD.
9. Get wireless access.
10. Participate in a community forum.
11. Find out how to navigate the Internet.
12. Prepare your resume.
13. Get new ideas for redecorating your house.
14. Get a list of community organizations.
15. Attend a lecture or workshop.
16. Hear a local author reading his/her latest novel.
17. Join a book discussion group.
18. Attend preschool story hour with your child.
19. Get homework help.
20. Look up all kinds of health information.
21. Research the purchase of a new car.
22. Trek to another planet in a Sci-Fi novel.
23. Call the reference desk if you have a question.
24. Research your term paper.
25. Learn about the history or your city or town.
26. Decide which computer to buy using a consumer guide.
27. Check your stock portfolio.
28. Read a newspaper from another country.
29. Borrow or download an audiobook for your next road trip or commute.
30. Use the library’s resources to start a small business.
31. See a new art exhibit.
32. Volunteer as a literacy tutor.
33. Find a new recipe.
34. Ask for a recommended reading list for your kids.
35. Make photocopies.
36. Get a book from interlibrary loan.
37. Enroll your child in a summer reading program.
38. Take a computer class.
39. Hear a poetry reading.
40. Take out the latest fashion magazine.
41. Enjoy a concert.
42. Trace your family tree.
43. Check out a special collection of rare books.
44. Check out a legal question or issue.
45. Find out how to file a consumer complaint.
46. Learn about home improvement.
47. Borrow some sheet music.
48. Learn how to use a database or computerized catalog.
49. Find the latest romance paperback.
50. Pick up tax forms.
51. Connect with other people in the community.
52. Find a quiet spot, curl up with a book and enjoy.

The folks at Special Ops Media sent me a copy of Disney Princess Enchanted Tales – Follow Your Dreams to give away to my readers!

I’m holding the contest at my mommy blog, A Mama’s Rant. You can read my family’s review here.

It’s easy to win – all you need to do is blog about my contest or leave your name and email address over at A Mama’s Rant. Click here to see the contest rules.

The FunPlaydates.com blog is doing a series of articles on starting a children’s book club. So far they’ve published:

• Tips for Starting a Kid’s Bookclub
• Running a Book Club

Tips for Choosing Your Books is coming soon. I’m looking forward to that post because my adult book club has a lengthy process for choosing books, and some months we regret our choices.

I like the idea of having a Monthly Minder – the person (kid, not adult) who gets the discussion going. And unlike adult book clubs, the Monthly Minder is not the Snack Minder. The person responsible for the snacks is a different child. Probably a good idea not to pile all the responsibility on one person.

Do you or child belong to a book club? Let us know by commenting below!

Dawn and Dusk by Alice Mead and Camel Rider by Prue Mason both deal with Middle Eastern war and political/social strife as seen through the eyes of children.

Camel Rider

Published by Charlesbridge, Camel Rider tells the story of spoiled, Australian expat Adam. When war breaks out, Adam’s parents are gone. He goes with neighbors to escape the country. He soon leaves the caravan in order to go back to his compound to save his dog, which was left behind. Soon lost and out of water, Adam meets Walid, an abused boy and camel jockey who has run away from his cruel masters. Neither speaks each other’s language, but they manage to help each other survive and become friends.

Camel Rider doesn’t get mired down in war or politics. Instead, it becomes a classic boy’s adventure tale complete with ships (well, camels and automobiles) and pirates (I mean, Walid’s former masters who kidnap Adam for ransom.) The language differences and misconceptions about each other’s culture provide some laughs, too. And of course there’s the happy ending – boys, dog and parents are reunited and there’s even a visit from the Prime Minister of Abudai. Recommended for ages 9-12.

(Download the discussion guide PDF. Or read a chapter from the book.)

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