Freedom to Read Week (FRW) will be held from February 21 to 27. If this is news to you, FRW is Canada’s answer to Banned Books Week. You can order a kit to support this event. Free Web banners, and clip art, in English and in French, can be downloaded to make sure the word spreads. The site also offers a poster you can download in 3 formats: full size (17 x33) or in 2 multipage formats that you stick together (letter or tabloid). You will also find challenged book lists, in English and in French, (some of the challenged publications may surprise you).

Along with these resources, the site proposes a detailed list of activities and supporting resources that can be used to raise awareness of this issue in your community. To find out more about censorship in Canada and abroad, whether it be that of children’s, YA or adult books, check out the extensive list of links about the subject.

Here’s just the thing to put you in the mood and start something in your school library: check out the marvellous, award-winning video below that was created by students from Calgary Science School and that celebrates Freedom to Read Week. If you feel the need to get involved, remember to share your event on the FRW website so others can also be inspired: http://www.freedomtoread.ca/events/.

Suzanne Nesbitt