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Teens, this week is Banned Books Week, a time when libraries across the U.S. affirm and celebrate your freedom to read. Every year, the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom releases a list of its top ten most challenged books for the year and guess what? Young adult titles invariably dominate the charts. Congrats, teens (ha)! Last year was no exception. YA titles like “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You” by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds, “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson, “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie, “All American Boys” by Jason Reynolds and Brandon Kiely, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, and “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas all made last year’s list.

The truth is, these books (and many, many others) may indeed contain parts that offend you. They might use language or deal with topics that make you cringe. They might very literally say things that hurt you. It’s not that librarians think every book ever written is worthy of praise and your time. We find some books offensive, even repulsive, and we might secretly wish no one would read them.

But (and this is a big “but”) we do believe that you should be able to seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction, a.k.a. enjoy what’s called intellectual freedom. It’s one of the core values of librarianship. We believe that it is your job/privilege/responsibility, in collaboration with your families, to determine what is right for you to read, and we believe that about every single person. And because everyone is different, with different values and different political viewpoints and different thresholds for revulsion, we resist censorship in all its forms. Basically, library workers are like glasses-wearing superheroes who passionately defend your right to read things that might make you sick (just kidding, we don’t all wear glasses). You’re welcome!

All that being said, let me tell you about some frequently challenged YA books that you may or may not want to read to celebrate this year’s Banned Books Week.

“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie is one of the best books I’ve ever read. It’s funny, it’s heartbreaking, it’s relatable, and according to the American Library Association, it gets challenged A LOT for several reasons, including “profanity, sexual references, and allegations of sexual misconduct by the author.” This book definitely offers an opportunity for you to check in with your family and decide if it’s a good fit for you.

The story is about Junior and his life on—and off—a Spokane Indian Reservation. When Junior leaves the “rez” to attend and play basketball at an all-white high school across town, he finds himself stuck between two worlds, and rejected by both. Junior is a victim, an outsider, a hero, a ruffian, a survivor…a lot of the identities many of us experience in high school, but on an exponential scale. If you like books that wrench your guts but still leave you hopeful, then this book might be one you are relieved to still find on the library shelf.

“All American Boys” by Jason Reynolds and Brandon Kiely, another of last year’s most challenged books, is a story told from two perspectives. Rashad is sixteen when he is mistaken for a shoplifter at a corner store. The situation quickly escalates, misinterpretations ensue, and he is fiercely beaten by a police officer. Quinn Collins, Rashad’s classmate, witnesses the scene, but feels conflicted about coming forward with the truth about what he saw, as the police officer is a close family friend.

Tensions boil as calls of racism and brutality echo through the community. This book explores the agonizing effects of one violent moment from the points of view of two American boys. According to the American Library Association, “All American Boys” was on this year’s Top Ten Most Challenged list for “profanity, drug use, and alcoholism and because it was thought to promote anti-police views, contain divisive topics, and be ‘too much of a sensitive matter right now.’”

Teens, in the American Library Association’s “Freedom to Read Statement,” they list a series of propositions designed to help librarians and publishers understand how to best protect your freedom to read. They write, “We do not state these propositions in the comfortable belief that what people read is unimportant. We believe rather that what people read is deeply important; that ideas can be dangerous; but that the suppression of ideas is fatal to a democratic society. Freedom itself is a dangerous way of life, but it is ours.” We wish you free reading in the days ahead and trust you to think critically, even about those titles you decide to put down.

For more information about Banned Books Week, visit www.bannedbooksweek.org.

Adventurous spirits, human-animal connections, incredible journeys, kindness of strangers, danger, and unexpected fame—these three new non-fiction books have all of these things in common, and more. They also rank highly on my list of interesting books that I thoroughly enjoyed.

“The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey across America” by Elizabeth Letts is a story you won’t soon forget. In the fall of 1954, 63-year-old Maine farmer Annie Wilkins, who had pretty much lost everything and had been told she only had a couple of years to live, decided she wanted to see the Pacific Ocean. She set out on horseback with her dog, very little money in her pocket, no maps, and no real plan, except to get to California. Her journey of over 4,000 miles took over a year and was packed with unexpected events and lots of kindness from strangers. Annie’s story and travels were picked up by the Associated Press and she became quite the humble celebrity.

“Nala’s World: One Man, His Rescue Cat, and a Bike Ride around the Globe” is a modern-day adventure which in many ways parallels Annie Wilkins’ story. Dean Nicholson and a friend decided to ride their bikes around the world, but not far into their journey, the friend decided to return home. Nicholson chooses to venture on alone until he discovers an abandoned kitten on the side of a remote mountain road and she becomes his traveling companion. Their bond and story captured some attention on the internet and now they can be followed on their own Instagram account, @1bike1world, on YouTube, and on worldwide news media. Nicholson has used this attention for good by raising money for animal sanctuaries and other environmental causes. He and Nala have made friends all over the world and they are still traveling on.

“World Wild Vet: Encounters in the Animal Kingdom” is Dr. Evan Antin’s accounts of traveling to take care of wild animals in their environments. His “office” can be found in oceans, jungles, on the savannah, or in his Thousand Oaks practice. His travels and perilous adventures have taken him to six continents. Dr. Antin’s concern for the animals and their conservation is evident, along with his desire to educate people about these precious creatures. There are color photographs included, but I admit to taking to the internet to look up some of the more unusual animals he describes, but does not show. Dr. Antin can also be followed on Instagram and YouTube, as well as on his show, “Evan Goes Wild,” on Animal Planet.

Are you in need of a new book to read? Well, lucky for you, our shelves are jam-packed with new books! Here are just a few new titles that are being released throughout the month of September. So, if you haven’t already reserved your copy, please do so now.

Fans of the novels, “Big Little Lies” and “The Hypnotist’s Love Story,” by best-selling author Liane Moriarty, will be pleased to know her latest work of fiction, “Apples Never Fall,” a novel about the sudden disappearance of a prominent family’s matriarch, will be released mid-September.

Author of “The Family Upstairs” Lisa Jewell has just released her latest thriller, “The Night She Disappeared,” a novel about a young couple’s mysterious disappearance at a party in the secluded English countryside.

Fans of Sally Rooney, author of “Normal People,” will be happy to know her book, “Beautiful World, Where Are You,” was released September 7.  Her latest novel is about two friends and their desire for love, friendship, and a beautiful world.

“The Last House on Needless Street,” by Catriona Ward, comes out at the end of the month and just in time for frightful October. The residents of the house have secrets, dark secrets that they thought were safe until a new neighbor moves in.

Come in to check out or reserve these titles and more.

Photography is an expressive, creative, and enjoyably challenging way to capture a moment in time and I’ve always appreciated the process of striving for that perfect shot. Whether you’re using a DSLR, mirrorless, point and shoot, smart phone or film camera, the first step to taking great photographs is to become educated about your gear. Smiley Library’s photography books will not only teach you how to use your equipment, but will help with technique, composition and taking the best possible pictures you can. Here are a few of our latest offerings.

There is a real knack for taking natural-looking photographs that convey personality, especially with a camera-shy kid or one who is unamused and completely “over” getting her picture taken. Tamara Lackey takes you along on her own photo shoots in “The Posing Playbook for Photographing Kids,” all while describing the process she uses to get outstanding images. Personality types, gear, lighting, composition, shooting indoors and out is all explored and explained. Whether you are photographing your own kids or others, you’ll want to incorporate her valuable ideas and take images with charisma.

Filled with stunning photographs and innovative ideas, Glenn Randall’s “The Art, Science, and Craft of Great Landscape Photography” is an enlightening book of outdoor photography. An intermediate to advanced book geared towards those who already have a basic understanding of photography, Randall analyzes the science behind capturing beautiful nature photographs. He shares his principles of scouting, such as acquainting yourself with an area and having an image in mind, before heading out to a shoot. He details how to determine the positions of the sun and moon to best set up your shots. From the formation of rainbows to capturing the Milky Way, there is a lot to learn here and this is one book that you’ll want to devote some time to explore.

Pet photography is so much fun and those blessed with animal friends love to show off pictures of their goofy smiles and silly antics. “How to Take Awesome Photos of Cats” by Andrew Marttila is loaded with helpful suggestions and photos of animated feline furballs. Marttila investigates cat behavior as well, while teaching you all the photography basics you’ll need to enhance your skills. Don’t worry, I’m currently on the hunt for a book to teach my fellow dog lovers how to get awesome photos too.

Smiley Library is continually expanding its circulating collections and searching for the best books we can find. Here are even more brand-new additions to our photography collection ready for you to take home and enjoy.

• “Digital Photographer’s Handbook” by Tom Ang
• “Digital SLR Photography All-in-One for Dummies” by Robert Correll
• “National Geographic Photo Basics: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Great Photography” by Joel Sartore
• “Smartphone Photography in Easy Steps: Covers iPhones and Android Phones” by Nick Vandome

One, two, three…say cheese!

Support from the Redlands community has helped the Redlands Adult Literacy Program provide one-to-one tutoring which helps adults learn to read and write in English. Adults seeking help with their reading and writing skills often want to get a new or better job, assist their children with their homework, or further their own education. The Redlands Adult Literacy Program has a wonderful team of trained volunteer tutors who help these adults reach their unique literacy goals.

The Redlands Adult Literacy Program’s tutor volunteers and materials assist learners in overcoming lifelong reading and writing challenges. Adult learners in the program have shared their gratitude for their new reading skills that allow them to read their mail, product labels at the grocery store, restaurant menus, or books to their young children. Tutors focus 100% of their efforts on helping learners meet their individual literacy goals. The strong connection between tutors and learners helped learners to continue to improve their literacy during the pandemic by meeting with their tutors remotely over the phone, Zoom, or other applications. Today, tutor and learner teams can choose to continue to meet remotely or at the Library.

Some adults who ask for literacy assistance have little or no foundation in reading. At this level, participants learn the sounds of the letters of the alphabet so that they may read and write common words for the first time. Others who join the program are able to read words, but cannot comprehend longer texts. By working with a tutor who properly introduces reading passages, models fluent reading, and checks in with the learner by asking pointed questions about the readings, learners improve their understanding of the stories they read.

Adult learners join the program with a wide range of writing needs. Some learners only know how to write their names but want to learn how to fill out forms or write notes to friends or family members. At the opposite end of the spectrum, advanced learners join the program to learn how to organize and improve their writing skills so that they may pass a standardized exam, write coherent emails at their jobs, or advance their own education by going to college. One-to-one tutoring provides opportunities for all learners to work on their individual writing goals regardless of their current writing level.

The literacy program supports tutors by providing continuing education and networking opportunities through round table meetings and workshops enabling tutors to gain ideas and strategies to help learners work toward their goals. The program supports literacy teams by providing materials at a range of levels from basic phonics workbooks through advanced grammar and writing materials. All literacy materials are available to borrow at the Library and are listed on the literacy webpage (www.akspl.org/literacy).

The Redlands community can celebrate when adult learners read their first book or newspaper article, write their first letter, get a better job, or advance their own or their children’s education. Improved literacy skills enable adult learners to change their own and their families’ lives. The Redlands Adult Literacy Program’s services are made possible by the generous support of volunteers, donors, the Friends of A.K. Smiley Public Library, the Library Endowment Fund, the Redlands City Council, and the State of California. Working together, the lives of individuals and families are changed for the better!

If you would like to volunteer with the Redlands Adult Literacy Program, please contact Diane Shimota, Adult Literacy Coordinator, at (909) 798-7565 ext. 4138 or email literacy@akspl.org. To learn more about the adult literacy program, contact Ms. Shimota about the next volunteer tutor orientation scheduled for September 16, 2021.

If you know of someone who needs help with their literacy, please encourage them to take the first step in changing their lives by contacting the Redlands Adult Literacy Program. All tutoring services are free and confidential.