Select a book that has been challenged, and make censorship the focus of your group discussion. For a list of challenged books and magazines, go to the Censorship in Canada section. This list includes details on when and why each book or magazine was challenged.
Recommended titles that have been discussed in book clubs include the following:
- THE GOLDEN COMPASS by Philip Pullman
- THE HANDMAID’S TALE by Margaret Atwood
- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee
- THE WARS by Timothy Findley
- WILD SWANS by Jung Chang
Here are some discussion questions to use with any challenged book:
- This novel has been challenged at least once. Why do you think it has been challenged? Which group or groups may object to the book?
- Which elements of this book continue to be controversial today? Do you think there will ever be a time when this book would never be challenged?
- Schools regularly field challenges from parents or members of the community who feel that a book is inappropriate for younger readers. Is it important that younger readers read and study this book? Why or why not?
Book discussion guides and background content can be found at www.readinggroupguides.com and www.readinggroupchoices.com.