Banned Books Week (9/21-27), is a time when libraries, bookstores, and schools celebrate our First Amendment freedom to read while drawing attention to the harms that censorship does to our society and individual freedoms.
As a self-proclaimed book nerd, advocate, and pusher...(yes, I have been known to meet people on street corners to hand over a book), it should come as no surprise I am also a HUGE proponent of Banned Books Week. Many of the books on the lists of banned or challenged books you will be familiar with, and will find it hard to believe that access to the book was challenged or denied. Some you may never have heard of, but may want to read in the future. The purpose of Banned Books Week is to keep the focus on just that: access to books for all.
For the last 2 years, Sandy from Quilting For the Rest of Us blog and podcast and I have issued a "mini quilt challenge" to our readers and listeners to show their support of a particular banned or challenged book being allowed continued availability and access for all to read. We opened a Flickr group for anyone to post pictures of their completed quilts, and are always so pleased with the response.
Here are my last 2 mini quilts from 2012 and 2013:
2012: Blubber by Judy Blume
2013: And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson
I will post more "banned book inspiration" throughout the month, but for now I invite YOU to join us! Choose a book from the lists, and make a mini quilt to post in the BBW Flickr Group.
Sandy and I will show off the quilts on our blogs, and for even more fun: GIVING AWAY PRIZES!!!!
To be eligible to win
sometime during BBW, enter at least 1 picture of your finished BBW mini quilt by 9/27. (Prizes will be drawn
throughout the week. However, to give everyone a "last minute" chance to
enter and win, at least 1 prize will be drawn on 9/28).
Watch this space for more BBW inspiration, prizes, and quilt pics. And in the meantime - go pick your book!
CGM
I'm doing it this year!! Can't wait to check the list and figure out which book I'll do. Thank you for organizing!
ReplyDeleteI was listening to Books on the Nightstand and, combined with some new fabric I got an IDEA. NOOOOO! I have enough to do! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI just finished my quilt! Is it too soon to post it to the Flickr group? Want us to wait until 9/20?
ReplyDeleteHi Nikki, that is awesome you finished yours already! We're waiting for the reveal the week of 9/21 so hold off until then. Thanks!
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