‘It’s great to have this wide array of books’: Schuler Books celebrates Banned Book Week

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Just past the double doors at Schuler Books on 28th Street is a table filled with the classics like George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mocking Bird, and John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. Next to them are modern bestsellers like Suzanne Collin’s The Hunger Games and Ibram X. Kendi’s Stamped and Antiracist Baby.

Dozens of people stopped to look at the display on Monday, including the yellow "caution" tape that surrounded it.

“Every year, leading up to Banned Books Week and beyond, we put up our Banned Books Week display,” said Tim Smith, operations manager at Schuler Books. “It’s one that we always like to put up because the books are interesting, and are books that everyone has mostly read or had some exposure too.”

Smith and others put over 30 books on their Banned Books Week display. It’s a weeklong nationwide celebration of banned books, between September 18-24. According to the its website, the theme for this year is ‘Books unite us. Censorship divides us.’

“Banned Books Week has been a thing since 1982, which coincidentally is when our store started,” Smith said. “So, it’s got a long history of exposing people to books that have been banned or challenged, and really bringing people together to celebrate this love of reading that we have, and an inclusive look at trying to bring people together around the idea of the free and open exchange of ideas.”

According to PEN America, an advocacy group that champions literature and human rights, there’s currently over 1,150 books that are either banned or being challenged.

“I think it’s very dangerous to ban books. I think reading should be a freedom that anybody that wants to read can read what they want to read,” said Stacy Hieneman, who was browsing through the store on Monday. “Do I think they should require [kids] to read certain books? I think in school they should have lists they can choose from and parents can have their input on whether our not they want their kids reading certain ones. But to ban ‘em and not have them in libraries and bookstores is crazy.”

Heineman said the responsibility of what a kid should or shouldn't read should fall on the parents, and should be based on the child’s maturity level. She has a teenage son who read past his grade level as a kid. She remained engaged with his reading throughout his childhood.

“He asked questions and that’s what we’re there for,” Hieneman said. “As long as you’re involved in your kids reading, then yes they shouldn’t ban [books] and they should be able to read them.”

Banned Books Week was not only celebrated at Schuler, but throughout Michigan, including Central Michigan University, Novi Public Library, and Petoskey District Library.

Even though the event lasts until Saturday September 24, Smith said they’ll keep their display up beyond this week.

“Books are a great way to go to different places, have different experiences than what is your lived experience,” Smith said. “So, it’s great to have this wide array of books for people to look at and choose from.”