Reading enthusiasts in San Diego and across the country are celebrating Banned Book Week.
The annual event, promoted by the American Library Association, highlights books that have been eliminated from schools or libraries for one reason or another, and celebrates the freedom to read.
Some well-respected books have been banned in the past, including "The Grapes of Wrath" and "To Kill a Mockingbird."
"The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” was the most banned book in 2014, according to the ALA.
The young adult book by Sherman Alexie is about a Native American teenager. Offensive language, including the word "boner," was one of the reasons why an Idaho school district banned it.
Barbara Jones, director of the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, said books that talk about real-life experiences can help teenagers.
"A lot of people think, including some book reviewers, (young adult) literature has gotten too dark," Jones told KPBS Midday Edition on Tuesday. "It talks too much about teen suicide or teen problems with their diet, drugs or alcohol."
Jones said teens write to authors who explore these topics thanking them for their work.
"We do not believe these books cause young people to do unfortunate things. We think the opposite," Jones said. "When you can read it and have a discussion with a teacher — it makes it all the better."
To celebrate the freedom to read, San Diego's Central Library is holding its fourth annual Banned Books All-Day Read-Aloud Read-A-Thon from noon to 5 p.m. Friday. It's free and open to the public. Special guests from the San Diego Costume Guild will be there, dressed as characters from famous banned books like “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone” and “Alice in Wonderland.”
