Should Young Adult Books be Banned from 6^th Grade Libraries?

By Isobel Weiner 813

 

Dear Ms.Berner,

The banning of young adult books has become a very controversial topic. While some people involved in the literary world argue that certain books are just too dark for young readers, others protest against banning, saying it limits children from gaining knowledge and relating to the book. Young adult books should not be banned from 6th grade libraries because it would hinder readers from being educated or advancing, as well as holding them back from a whole new world which could help them deal with problems in their own lives.

Banning young adult books would hold back some 6th graders from advancing their reading skills. For example, banning books such as “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky would limit their knowledge on the subjects of depression, peer pressure, and sexual abuse. Chbosky’s book allows the reader to dive deep into the story of Charlie, the protagonist, who struggles through school socially and academically, while attempting to fit in as well. Reading books such as this that are above the average reading level would help the 6th graders to comprehend and understand more, making them more advanced readers over all.

Another example of why banning books in 6th grade libraries would be a bad choice is because it could take away the potential for a child to relate to the book. Sherman Alexie, the author of the novel “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” discusses in his article “Why the Best Kids Books Are Written in Blood” how reading young adult fiction at a young age helped him “battle the real monsters” in his life. If a 6th grader is having problems at home, or is depressed, or anything of the sort, reading books with characters facing the same difficulties can help them. As Sherman Alexie writes in the last paragraph of his article, “And now I write books for teenagers because I vividly remember what it felt like to be a teen facing everyday and epic dangers. I don’t write to protect them. It’s far too late for that. I write to give them weapons – in the form of words and ideas – that will help them fight their monsters. I write in blood because I remember what it felt like to bleed.” Some teenagers relate so deeply to young adult books that they completely immerse themselves in the story, self-identify with the characters, and have their personality changed as a result of how meaningful the story was to them. This new study of how teenagers are affected by young adult books is discussed in the article “Reading Fiction ‘improves empathy’, study finds, US researchers measure impact of reading JK Rowling and Stephenie Meyer” by Alison Flood. The article states how researchers from the University of Buffalo gave students chapters from either 'Twilight' or 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' to read. As written in paragraph two, "The candidates then went through a series of tests, in which they categorized "me" words (myself, mine) and "wizard" words (wand, broomstick, spells, potions) by pressing one key when they appeared on the screen, and "not me" words (they, theirs) and "vampire" words (blood, undead, fangs, bitten) by pressing another key." The result of the study was that people who read the Twilight passage self-identified as vampires, while people who read the Harry Potter passage self-identified as wizards. According to the article, "belonging to these fictional communities" can help improve the reader's mood and personality. This research shows how young adult fiction can deeply connect with the reader, and even positively affect their mood, both of which would be highly beneficial for 6th graders at Ms.51.   

Some people argue that young adult works are too lurid and dark for young readers, including Meghan Cox Gurdon, the author of the article “Darkness Too Visible”. Gurdon remarks in her article how teens will find themselves “surrounded by images not of joy or beauty, but of damage, brutality, and losses of the most horrendous kinds.” This statement can be completely refuted. While certain young adult books include dark aspects, over all they have a moral or a resolution, or even just an ending note that will educate the reader. Young adult is a very popular genre among teenagers, because the stories are moving and relatable, and they shouldn’t be banned just because specific parts contain questionable material.

In conclusion, young adult books should not be banned from 6th grade libraries because it would hold the students back from learning and expanding their knowledge, as well as robbing them of the opportunity to relate to the book, and use the moral of the story to help them face problems in their own lives.