A local library banned a kids book I actually REALLY liked

I picked up "The Rabbits" by John Marsden from a library in Portland last year thinking it was just a weird picture book. Turns out it's about colonization through animal art, and they pulled it from the kids section after 3 complaints. I learned that even gentle-looking books can get pulled for being "too dark" or "political." Has anyone else found a banned book that surprised them with how tame or clever it actually was?

2 comments

2 Comments

lee_bailey651d ago

Censorship always seems to creep in sideways like that. It makes me notice how quick we are to wrap everything in bubble wrap these days, especially for kids. A book that makes you stop and think is way more valuable than something perfectly safe and forgettable. We're all scared of a little discomfort, but that's where the real learning happens.

the_mary1d agoMost Upvoted

Ngl @lee_bailey65 I read "The Rabbits" to my own kid thinking it was just bunnies doing cute stuff and then spent twenty minutes trying to explain colonization while he asked why the rabbits had guns. A real "parenting fail but also a win" moment. It's wild what gets flagged when it's actually just honest.