Banned Books Week Read Out!

Join the American Library Association as they celebrate Banned Books Week by sponsoring a Read-Out on Saturday, September 25, 2010, from noon to 2:00 PM, in historic Bughouse Square (Washington Square Park), 901 N. Clark St., Chicago.

The Read-Out is an annual event to bring attention to books that have been banned and challenged in the United States. ALA President Roberta Stevens will welcome critically acclaimed and censored young adult author, Chris Crutcher, host of the event. Admission is FREE.

Some of the authors featured on the ten most frequently challenged books of 2009 will read from their work and share their experiences as targets of censors. The readings begin at noon and will be followed by book signings by all the authors in attendance from 2:00 to 3:00 PM.

A limited number of books will be given away for free to participating audience members.

Attendees

Confirmed censored authors:

Lauren Myracle (ttyl, ttfn, l8r g8r of the Internet Girl Series)

Tentatively scheduled censored authors:
Stephen Chbosky (Perks of Being a Wallflower)
Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell (And Tango Makes Three).

Local Chicago celebrities:

Rick Kogan, WGN's Sunday Papers
Elizabeth Taylor, Chicago Tribune

Performances by City Lit Theater Company

Sponsors

The American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, the McCormick Foundation Civics Program, and the Newberry Library are proud to continue to sponsor this event.

ALA Banned Books Read-Out on Saturday, 9/26 noon-3pm

The Office for Intellectual Freedom would like to cordially invite you and your families to attend the annual Banned Books Read-Out! this Saturday afternoon, September 26th, 2009. The event will be held at Bughouse Square, just up the street from ALA headquarters at the corner of Walton Street and Dearborn Street in Chicago. It begins at noon, and is scheduled to be over by 3PM.



We have a great group of authors scheduled to speak and read; best of all, they will have (limited) copies of their books to give away and sign.

The line-up is:

• Chris Crutcher, author of Athletic Shorts, Whale Talk, Chinese Handcuffs and many more. Chris will be our MC.
• Sarah S. Brannen, author of Uncle Bobby’s Wedding, number eight of the Top Ten Challenged Books of 2008.
• Cecily von Ziegesar, author of the Gossip Girl series and Jen’s personal hero, number seven on the Top Ten list.
• Stephen Chbosky, author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, number six on the Top Ten list.
• Lauren Myracle, author of TTYL, TTFN, and L8R G8R, number three on the Top Ten list.
• Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, authors of And Tango Makes Three, number one on the Top Ten list for three years.

After these authors read, we’ll be holding an open mic for any audience member to read from their favorite challenged book.

Additional goody from ALA
To kick off Banned Books Week 2009, ALA published a new Banned Books Week PSA featuring the puppets from “Crash Pad.”