Join the rebellion

Yes, the news story about Utah banning the scriptures made big headlines. But what I think is funny is that even if the lawmakers and policymakers ban the books from the school libraries, a huge percentage of the kids will have Gospel Library or another scripture app on their smartphones anyway, making it one of the least effective book bans in the history of banned books.

Editor's note: This seems an awful lot like an editorial cartoon. What do you think?
 

Guardians of the gates

It's still Banned Book Week. Fine a good one to read!

If you'd rather read about your friendly neighborhood LDS cartoonist, check out LDS Living.com!

Read all about it!

Yes, once again it's Banned Books Week! It's an annual event to celebrate the freedom to read. Some of the best books have been on the chopping block, ranging from Captain Underpants to Catcher in the Rye to the Holy Bible and other religious texts. In fact, some of my favorite books have scored high on the lists! One thing that some people don't understand is that as soon as you try to ban a book, it soars in popularity!

Celebrate the ability to read this week!

Reading time!

If you look at the list of books that have been banned, it's surprising what's on it: Fahrenheit 451, The Call of the Wild, For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Grapes of Wrath, Moby Dick, Where the Wild Things Are, 1984, The Lord of the Rings, the Harry Potter series, Captain Underpants, and, of course, the scriptures. There are a few classics in there!

Seek ye learning out of the best books

So once again, it's Banned Books Week! I'm always surprised at the books that wind up on this list, and the reasons why people complain about them.

It's always wise to use discretion, however: "if there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."

Curses! Banned again!

One of the things that bothers me most about the Banned Books list is how many of them are books that I really enjoyed and that have meant something to me.

I know that the Harry Potter series has always generated a lot of controversy, but they are well-written, imaginative, explore timeless themes, and make a great place to escape from the Muggle world.

There's only one explanation:

Whaddya gonna read?

Although I'm not in favor of banning books, I do have a simple guideline: "If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." (Articles of Faith 1:13). Coupled with that is D&C 88: 118 "...seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith."

In my book, that includes quite a spectrum, ranging from Calvin and Hobbes to, yes, textbooks. Rats.

Subversion

One of the books that's become a perennial chart-topper on the Banned Books list is Dav Pilkey's CaptainUnderpants series (which is highly recommended by readers in our home — it got some of them interested in reading!).

It's not just novels that wind up on the banned books list. Not surprisingly, religious texts are often challenged, and a recent trend is folks seeking to ban some comic books — not just graphic novels, but actual comic books.

Be subversive. Read a good book!

See what Dav Pilkey has to say about the topic.

And on your birthday, even!

Yes, it's that time of year again when I get on my soapbox to promote freedom of the press! This is Banned Books Week, in which we celebrate the ability to read.

I'm always surprised at what shows up on the lists of books that have been challenged or banned. One of my favorites that's also a perennial favorite on the banned books list is The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien (No. 40 on the banned and challenged classics).

In case you didn't know, yesterday was the birthday of both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. I wonder if that's why they chose this week to celebrate Banned Books Week?

Literary friends

Reading has always been a major part of my life. The first book I ever bought with my own money was a Peanuts collection, Slide, Charlie Brown, Slide! I picked it up at the BYU Bookstore to keep myself entertained while my folks went to classes during Education Week. I still have it among my collection.

The first chapter book that I owned was Marguerite Henry's Brighty of the Grand Canyon. I thought it was awesome! It, too, still sits on my shelf in a place of honor.

Spend some time today with a friend: read a good book!

Banned books!

Yes, once again it's Banned Books Week! Time to celebrate the ability and opportunity to read!

Technically, I guess, Banned Books Week ends tomorrow, so you could have been celebrating this whole time. Sorry I didn't tell you sooner!

I was intrigued to discover that the book that got the most complaints last year was one by Dav Pilkey, Captain Underpants! It's a favorite in our home (which tells you a little something about us!). Other books receiving complaints include the Hunger Games, the Harry Potter books, and The Lord of the Rings. Go figure!

2012 Countdown: Top Ten, part I

Here they are at long last: the 2012 Top Ten!

No. 10 - I did some special cartoons for Banned Books week. I'm not sure about anyone else, but the high school librarian liked them!

No. 9 - This was a silly throwaway cartoon, but it proved more popular than I expected. You gotta love Primary!

No. 8 - Another Canadian cartoon! Plus Zen guys!

No. 7 - Thanksgiving always has some fun cartoons.

No. 6 - There were a couple of good Mission President cartoons this year, too. This was one of the more popular ones.

Tomorrow we finish up the Top Ten!

Banned Books Week, part 2

The American Library Association has a list of books that have been challenged or banned. Some I can kind of understand the argument that they should be restricted to age-appropriate audiences. But some that are on the list are just crazy! The Hobbit, works by Maurice Sendak, Faulkner and Hemingway.

J.K. Rowling was asked if she was worried how critics might receive her new book, The Causal Vacancy. She responded with something like,"I'm not too worried about what critics say. After all, I've had my books burned!"

Today's cartoon celebrates Harry Potter, the Lord of the Rings and The Hunger Games, three sets of books that have spent time on the list.

I promise I'll have General Conference stuff up here tomorrow. If you need a packet of conference activities, check out Arie Van De Graaff's stuff over on Sugardoodle.