There’s an alarming wave of book bans shaking the globe. James Patterson, a world-renowned author, recently took a stand against the removal of Maximum Ride, a series of young adult fantasy novels, from an elementary school in Martin County, Florida.
Maximum Ride wasn’t altogether banned by school district officials. It was radically deemed unfit for children. “Radical” because no one on the school board reported to have read the book. Patterson said, in an interview with USA Today, “If you are going to ban this book, then no kids under 12 should go to any Marvel movies.”
Where’s The Fair Love?
James Patterson’s diplomatic response to the school district officials is justified, for he understands that what seems controversial about the issue has nothing to do with controversy. It isn’t new news that other mediums, for example, film, enact content obstructive for children. Overlooking the negative impact of other mediums on children devalues the library.
The overwhelming threat to the library is the main point of James Patterson. The removal of Maximum Ride from an elementary school is beyond a personal matter. It caters to misguiding the youth, all the future we have. It promotes quantity over quality.
As mentioned in the article 15 Book Reading Statistics You Must Know in 2023, “75% of US citizens read at least a book in the last year.” I average reading 5-7 books a year. But my intent in reading is about learning knowledge I could apply to my life. There are other useful and shocking observations in the aforementioned article that correlate to Patterson’s love and defense of the library.
Conclusion
As a book-lover, I more than agree with Patterson’s response to this book removal. For books aren’t merely for holding words. They serve to inform us about history, including ourselves. They are portals that lead to answer deep questions we have about being human.
Overall, what’s more important than statistics here is the preservation of written language. Whether it’s a handheld novel or an audio book, the decline in reading is increasing on uncertain authoritative grounds. The famous adage “The pen is mightier than the sword.”doesn’t have to be taken face-value. However, in this context, it should serve as enlightenment about the horrors of radical book-banning.