BANNED BOOKS WEEK - From the Los Angeles Times Sept.23.

GET hooked on a banned book.

That's the American Library Assn.'s mantra for Banned Books Week, which begins Saturday.

Part of living in a democracy means respecting each other's differences and the right of all people to choose for themselves what they and their families read," Judith F. Krug, director of the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom, said in a statement.

In 2006, there were 546 reported challenges to remove books from library shelves, most (61%) made by parents and most (71%) involving schools.

Topping the list was "And Tango Makes Three," a tale of two male penguins parenting an egg from a mixed-sex penguin. Toni Morrison's novels "Beloved" and "The Bluest Eye" also made the list, but the most challenged books of the 21st century remain J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" novels.

As part of Banned Books Week, libraries and bookstores are expected to schedule readings and special events through Oct. 6. Other sponsors are the American Booksellers Assn., the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, the Assn. of American Publishers, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and the National Assn. of College Stores.

Cover image above from the Wikipedia website.