Library displays banned books

Fifty controversial novels are wrapped in a mystery book luckydip at Invercargill City Library to remember the banning of books throughout history.

The event marks Banned Book Week, which runs from September 27 to October 4 and commemorates banned literature worldwide, and follows the banning of Into the River, a teenage fiction facing an interim ban for sexually explicit content.

Teen librarian Rowan Kiff opposed the banning of books, and said reasons behind legal action were often found laughable by later generations.

‘‘Harry Potter was banned because it exposed children to a cult and vaguely inappropriate language, and it’s been taken out of high school libraries and other libraries just because of that.’’

‘‘ James and the Giant Peach was banned for being racist, defy- ing authority, drug use, sexually explicit.’’

Into the River, written by Auckland author Ted Dawe, was deemed too sexually explicit for young and vulnerable readers.

Libraries or schools who override the interim ban are liable for fines up to $10,000.

Many books were written off for legitimate reasons, Kiff said. ‘‘There’s a 100 best joke book and it was banned because of racial slurs.’’

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communications manager Bonnie Mager said the majority were banned for encouraging children to rebel against society, or particular industries.

‘‘It’s often been something ridiculous, like asking children to rebel against the forestry industry. It portrays the forestry industry in a negative way.’’

The element of mystery intrigued readers, she said.

‘‘We actually ran a similar promotion earlier this year called blind date with a book, and people went crazy.’’