Discussions Archives - Page 67 of 68

Discussion: Banned Books

Jun 12, 2014

I was watching a past episode of Tea Time by Epic Reads a few days ago and it was all about Banned Books. Last year around September when Banned Books Week is held I just couldn’t believe that books are still getting banned today.

I cannot hold my anger in about this issue. Mot only are books still getting banned but for the most stupid reasons. Don’t get me wrong parents are allowed to not let THEIR child read certain books, but they cannot prohibit others from being able to read what they want.

Banned Books

Books can be banned from school libraries, school reading list, etc. Banning a book from these sorts of things essentially causes the removal of the material. Even the notion of challenging a book to be banned makes my blood boil.

There have been so many books throughout history that have been banned or challenged and I understand certain books being banned 100 years ago but we are living in the 21st century, come on people. Banning a book from, let’s say a High School Library for offensive language? Hello parents, your teen children do and will swear, you did, they do. Saying it is not age appropriate? If the main protagonist is age 15, then I am pretty sure it is suitable for 15 year old teens.

From 2000 to 2009 here are some stats as to why most books were banned or challenged:

1,577 challenges due to “sexually explicit” material
1,291 challenges due to “offensive language”
989 challenges due to materials deemed “unsuited to age group”
619 challenged due to “violence”‘
361 challenges due to “homosexuality”
274 challenged due to “occult” or “Satanic” themes
291 challenged due to “religious viewpoint”
119 because they were “anti-family”

Yes, I know that banning books doesn’t happen everywhere and I think it rarely happens in Australia anymore, but it does still happen and it just shouldn’t. Like I said before, if a parent doesn’t want their child to read a certain book, sit them down, tell them why you don’t want them to read it, make them understand. Don’t go and try and ban the book so others, whose parents will let them read it, cannot.

What I don’t understand is how some books people are trying to ban are less ‘offensive’ than some PG (M in Australia) rated films and TV Shows. These are appropriate for 13+ (15 +),yet they swear and sometimes they have nudity and violence, but books that have less of this content get banned! It just doesn’t make sense.

I totally understand when a parent doesn’t let their child read certain books or watch certain things, but don’t take that away from others just because of your beliefs. It just isn’t fair on others. If that were ever going to happen to me, I would be furious. I cannot name how many times J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter series has been challenged. This just makes me so angry.

I also understand why certain books such as let’s say Fifty Shades of Grey being banned from a High School library. That is logical. But banning it from, let’s say a college library or a local library, just isn’t right. People can read what they want.

I just think the whole concept of banning books, and even challenging them is out of date. The reasons are even more ridiculous. Looking for Alaska by John Green has been challenged for: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, being sexually explicit, and being unsuited to age group. Drugs/alcohol/smoking I don’t know about you, but I hear about this nearly every day in the media. I see people smoking all the time, so why do people want to ban a book because it contains things that actually happen? This is seen in real life.

Again, I understand parents not letting their own children read certain books due to religious values and their own values and that is totally fine.

Challenged Books

Here are the top ten books last year that were challenged out of 307:

Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey
Reasons: Offensive language, unsuited for age group, violence
The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison
Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, offensive language, racism, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
Fifty Shades of Grey, by E.L. James
Reasons: Nudity, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
Reasons: Religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group
A Bad Boy Can Be Good for A Girl, by Tanya Lee Stone
Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit
Looking for Alaska, by John Green
Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, homosexuality, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
Bless Me Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya
Reasons: Occult/Satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit
Bone (series), by Jeff Smith
Reasons: Political viewpoint, racism, violence

You can find about more about banned books and banned book week which will be from the 21st of September to the 27th of September this year on the Banned Books Week Site.

Sorry that this post turned more into a rant then a discussion. I just have really strong feelings about this topic.

What are your feelings about banned books? Has your school or library ever had a book banned?

Fangirling is Important! – Guest Post (Millicent Nankivell)

Jun 4, 2014

I recently asked my lovely friend Millicent from Millicent Nankivell if she would like to help me while I don’t have as much time as I usually do to blog because of year 12 and she didn’t mind at all. Thank you Millicent for helping me out and I hope you enjoy this post that is all about fangirling!

Fangirling is Important!

I spent a while (read: a number of years) struggling with the fact that I was a fangirl. I would mourn when I would see screaming girls, crying and hyperventilating. I felt sorry for the poor people those girls were fangirling over! I didn’t want to be associated with that madness! I spent some time looking down my nose at fangirls, and feeling ashamed of the days when I had cosplayed as I went to Harry Potter book launch parties, swooned over Hanson, and did my hair like I was Sailor Moon.

For. Shame.

It all came to a head for me just over two years ago now, when I went to see My Chemical Romance (my favourite band these days!) at Festival Hall. I was doing my usual thing of looking down my nose at the other screaming fangirls, but when the music started playing and I could see my favourite band standing right in front of me? I lost it. There was screaming, tears, and a whole lot of flailing.

Image credit unknown [ contact if you know ] | My Chemical Romance

Ahh… “forget this nonsense!” I told myself. “I’m a fangirl, and I have got to stop feeling so ashamed about it, and I have got to stop judging others for their fangirling actions!”

(Don’t get me wrong – I still feel really bad for the different people that we all fangirl over!)

Even though I finally stopped denying my fangirling ways though, I still wrestled with the idea. A lot. Did it make me immature, the fact that I loved watching anime? Was I antisocial because I would rather spend my time with a good book than with my peers? Was I crazy for mentally dating Adrian Ivashkov? Well, yes to the latter, but perhaps that’s a story for another day.

Screenshot by me | Card Captor Sakura Movie 2

It wasn’t until recently when I sat down with my good friend, Lisa, and was going between swooning because I had just met Nic Wheeler a few days prior, and tearing my hair out because I didn’t know what I was going to do about my blog (and had no idea what direction it was taking – or what direction I should be attempting to steer it in), that she gave me a level look and told me that others had been right. That same day I got to meet Nic (you can read about that over here, by the way), some other friends had told me that I should be writing about being a fangirl, and now Lisa was sitting before me telling me the same thing. But why?!

Vampire Academy Movie Meet Melbourne (March, 2014) | Nic Wheeler & Millicent Nankivell

Photo taken by Lu of myself with Nic Wheeler

How on Earth can fangirling be important?!

After I took a deep breath and asked that question with a slightly more rational tone, we started discussing it in depth, and I began to realise why being a fangirl was such a powerful and important thing. “Fangirl” is a term that is often used to be derogatory. Horrifyingly enough, it isn’t just men who use it as such either. Past!Me being exhibit A.

Women are made to feel small, or as though if they’re still a fangirl past a certain undefined age, they’re immature. Some women are capable of shrugging this off (kudos to you ♥), but the rest of us then in turn perpetuate this stupid idea – and I genuinely believe that it is often done out of fear, jealousy, and/or shame. Notice though how there isn’t really a stigma like this used against men? It’s generally okay for them to talk non-stop about sports (or whatever their “fan” obsession may be) without ridicule, but if women get passionate about something? They’re a fangirl and people look down their noses at them.

The keyword there though, was passionate. To be a fangirl, is to be passionate about something. To care, invest time, energy, and belief in something – no matter what it may be! I love books, art, anime, and music. I care deeply about those things, and have a strong connection to them, just like you (if you’re a fangirl, of course…) will have a strong connection to whatever you obsess (aka are passionate) over. It’s sad to think that society is so prepared to hate on people, and make them feel ashamed, simply because they care about something.

Yes, I do care about Draco Malfoy!! Screenshot by me

I’m a strong believer in modelling and leading by example, rather than dancing around with signs in protest. So this is why these days, I am so proud to be twenty-seven years old and an active part of the fangirling community – regardless of what others might say or think! (All fights over Adrian Ivashkov need to be taken outside, okay? Just let me finish writing this first! Sheesh!) I just wanted to take this moment to tell you all to stay strong, keep on caring, love the haters, but love your awesome and amazing book boyfriends more, and to remind you that having passions is hugely important and sign of good character! Go you!

Also, the power of fangirls is pretty amazing. Hello Veronica Mars kickstarter, and now we’re even getting a Morganville Vampires web series! The things we can achieve! And to all the fanboys who read this? We all have mad love for you too, for supporting the things that we love as much as we do! Thank you! ♥

Art by Jemina Venter | Morganville Vampires

Thanks for giving me this opportunity to share my thoughts and generally ramble here, Angel! You live up to your name, for sure! ♥

You can check out my website here! Be sure to add me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and Instagram for updates and more supercool fun times! You can also add me on Bloglovin’! Thanks for reading! ♥

PTA Live Melbourne 2014

Apr 15, 2014

Last night I went to my second PTA Live Melbourne and I am so glad I went. There was so much excitement being built through social media via the Penguin Teen Australia Twitter and facebook page. There was a whopping 350 people there which was amazing to be apart of.

So after a very anxious day, and my crazy friends arriving at my house, we hop on the train (to LAX..okay, okay, I am kidding) to Melbourne Central where the event was being held. After going up too many escalators we finally arrived at Hoyts. We then meet up with the lovely Millicent, Erin, Amy and Kat.

We then went up to the theater that we were going to be in and Astrid showed up and it was lovely to see her again. After, we got our names signed off (which apparently my name wasn’t on the list for some weird reason, but all good).

We then went into the massive IMAX theater and sat down in out seats, second row from the front. In our awesome goodie bags and there was Popular by Maya Van Wagenen and my friend was lucky enough to get a Silver Edition of Half Bad by Sally Green.

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Bookworld was also there selling books and I restrained myself from purchasing any books and that was only because I didn’t have any cash on me. At 6.30 the lovely Felicity had everyone in their seats and ready to begin.

The first thing that she spoke about was how that in recent times major things have landed the same night as PTA Live including the Man of Steel premiere, and Catching Fire and Divergent advance screenings. Lucky there was nothing on last night.

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She then talked about what PTA actually do and all the PTA Chats on Twitter on Wednesday (which I love buy the way). Felicity then went on to talk about her and the Penguin crew’s 5 favourite Penguin published books including; Side Effects May Vary, On the Jellicoe Road, Anna and the French Kiss, The Fault in our Stars, and of course Vampire Academy.

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Then their favourite books from other publishes including The Pushing Limits Series, Eleanor and Park and If I Stay.

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Felicity then went on to talk about other books from other publishing houses that they like and wanted for themselves and some of my favourite books were on this list including Anna Dressed in Blood and Under the Never Sky.

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We then went on to discuss all the book adaptations including; the Vampire Academy Movie, the Morganville Vampire webseries and how amazing kickstarters were, and the Lizzie Bennett Dairies and Emma Approved.

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And of course The Fault in our Stars and here is what they recommend to bring, which I think I will be bringing. We also got to watch the trailer as well as a clip with behind the scenes footage with the cast and John Green talking about the film.

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Felicity then went on to talk about the Underrated books and sadly I haven’t read any of them but I do want to read them.

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We then talked about book mash-ups and how they present them to the readers. One which we talked about was Titanic meets Avatar meets Twilight.

The discussion then turned to YA and who could read it. I personally believe that anyone can read YA, well anyone over the age of at least 13. It is for everyone and anyone. Young adults don’t just have to read it as it’s in the young adult genre. The members of Penguin Teen felt the same.

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The conversation then moved onto the community of YA and books in general. I love being part of the community, it’s amazing talking to fellow readers and fangirls/guys, publishers and authors. It’s an amazing community. Felicity then when on and talked about the feedback from readers and the engagement.

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They then went on to thank the bloggers, as to how they review, support and market the books. I’d like to thank Penguin so much for displaying my logo. It means so much to me. Check out the others that were shown.

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We then got a very awesome sneak peak and Penguin Teen Australia TV and let me tell you it’s going to be awesome. We have a very, very special guest of one Richelle Mead. It was amazing, she talked about Silver Shadows with little to go on, the only word she gave as about it was “intense”. She also said that maybe when her sons are a little older she would come back down under. She also talked about how she now referes to Adrian and Sydney as Sydrian and that Silver Shadows will have a cliff hanger but only a 7 out of 10 ‘scary.’ Thank you Richelle for taking your time to answer those questions.

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Then came our very special guest Nic Wheeler whom plays Adrian in the bloodlines book trailers. He and Felicity talked about the book trailers, Daisy, his audition process and more.

After that we had about a 15 min intermission where photos with Nic were taken in that time. I got to chat with other bloggers and those whom I talked to on twitter and all.

After that we sat back in our really comfy seats and Felicity talked about how she got into, and how to get into, publishing – which I took particular interest in. She also talked about doing particular PTALive for things such as publishing.

She also mention that they like honest reviews, the liked to hear what people think about book if they liked it and so on. Felicity also mentioned that TFIOS is one of her favourite books ever hence why she hasn’t read any other John Green novels. Also that YA has a ‘negative pressure’ that comes with it.

Felicity then went to go on about the up and coming books from Penguin.

: Out May 20

: Out 27th of August

: Out 24th of September

: Out April 14

: Out 23rd of July

: Out May 28

: Out December 2014

: Out October 7th

: Out September

: Out July 29

: Out May 7th

: Out 28th of August

: Out September 24th

: Out September 14th

And that pretty much concluded the event. It was amazing. I loved it to much, hearing everyone fan girl over books it was amazing. every time a book came out someone would squeal. Did I say that was the end, well there were some TFIOS posters to give out, Felicity was running like a mad woman around the theater giving out these posters and I was lucky enough to pick one up.

Thank you Penguin for holding the event it was amazing. Here are some more photos from the night.