Let's Talk is a new weekly feature here at i swim for oceans. I think it's important that we all have our say, and there's something to be said for raising our voices. Simply put, here on the little old blog, I like to host some of my very own discussion posts because, well, I like to converse with you all.

And so, Let's Talk will feature questions or prompts, which I will answer, too. Love it or hate it, weigh in or don't, it's my hope that Let's Talk will at least get you thinking...and maybe even get you discussing with the rest of us!

Question: What are your thoughts on book censorship in schools?

Hello, hot-button issue! When I started this feature, I knew I wanted to make it a mix of fun discussion topics and heavy-hitting, relevant issues that concern people beyond the book blogging and publishing world. What is a bigger discussion topic than censorship? Censorship, in and of itself, simply makes my skin crawl. I believe that there is merit to just about any written work, and to ban a book across the board, regardless of the content makes me want to pull up my soap box, stand with my head held high and preach to the world just why exactly I think book censorship in schools is wrong.

I'll state it right here and now: my opinions will rub some people the wrong way. I don't apologize for my opinions because they are really and truly my own. Just as I want people to respect my opinions, I truly respect opposing viewpoints. Simply put - I think that banning books across the board in schools is wrong. Many school boards like to gloss over the messiness and call their reading curriculum a "selection," rather than the blatant banning that I believe it is. I'm not going to lie and say that some of the banned books I've seen don't have messy content...because they do.

Consider Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn. One of my all-time favourite authors takes a harrowing story of an abusive (both emotionally and physically) relationship between teens and creates a story that is startlingly realistic and relevant for the young adult crowd. Is it brutal? Heck yeah. There's no glossing over the violence and the drama. There shouldn't be. Abuse is abuse. There are no shades of gray, and a story like that is important for teens who might otherwise be scared into silence because they are the abused and ashamed, or they're the abuser and are afraid to seek the help they need to get better. A Washington school district banned this book due to the graphic nature of the content. Is it right to take this book out of schools just because it makes the parents uncomfortable that their children are reading it? It should make the kids uncomfortable. It should make them think.

Take, for another example, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Written about a young teen who is raped at a party, haunted by the memory, taunted by classmates and friends and damaged to the core, this book is harrowing. I'm not going to lie. It's not an easy read to stomach. Last year, it was referred to as "soft core porn." Needless to say, the bookish community was outraged. Such a comment says that we should ban this book because the victim brought it on herself. The rapist should be allowed to run free through the story. Should such a book truly be banned because it makes someone upset? It's not meant to be pretty, or easy, or simple. Real life is messy. Real pain is tangible and speaks volumes to someone who might otherwise be too afraid to speak up that they, too, were a victim. The same goes for another of the author's novels, Wintergirls. Tackling eating disorders and cutting, it's a hard-edged approach to an all-too common disease. Should it really be pushed under the rug?

There are so many books out there today that are banned because of their "offensive" content. Think of Catcher in the Rye, or the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Think of Bridge to Terabithia, or Harry Potter, or Lord of the Flies. Yes, books might offend people. Content speaks volumes to different people in different ways. That's a good thing. In my humble opinion, parents should read what their children are reading. If you have a problem with the material, discuss it with your child. Don't fight it. Embrace the challenge and open the communication. Speaking about it might just diminish the fear of those words, and children might actually stand to gain more from reading it.

For a long while now, I've been a huge fan of Alex Flinn's writing style. The author has the unique ability to spin incredible fairy tales, while also creating gut-wrenching stories full of life, reality, compassion and depth. Censorship is a hot button issue in the book industry, as well is in the world today, as a whole, and I couldn't sit idly by when I heard the news that Alex Flinn's critically-acclaimed novel, Breathing Underwater, is facing censorship in Richland, Washington. Below is a description of the novel:

Nick is one of the chosen few at his high school: intelligent, popular, and wealthy. People think his life is pretty easy. Except for one thing. Nick has never told anyone about his father's violent temper.

When Nick meets Caitlin, he thinks she is the answer to all his problems. Caitlin is everything Nick has ever wanted—beautiful, talented, and in love with him. But then everything changes, and Nick must face the fact that he has gotten more from his father than green eyes and money.

The Richland, Washington school district is stating that that Breathing Underwater features "profanity," "dark themes" and "sexual content." As a conservative individual who has read the book, I can objectively state the profanity never goes beyond name-calling such as "b*tch or "slut," the dark undertones mimic the severity of the situation that the novel is actually bringing to light and the sexual content is merely alluded to. There is no action, there is no physical description and, frankly, the content to which the school board is referring is much like a tactful fade-out, if you will.

I believe there is value to books that tactfully broach upon the difficult-to-stomach issues of real life. There are going to be teens in this world that can relate to the trauma that Caitlin faces, both emotionally and physically. There are going to be boys that can relate to the internal battle that Nick fights every day to control the violence inside him. Simply censoring and glossing over such important and valuable content would be severely detrimental to the children whom the Richland, Washington school district are teaching. To ban a book simply based on the presumption that the content is too much for the sensitive minds of the children is narrow-minded and egotistical. Frankly, there are probably students who won't have the courage to stand up and step out of a situation without reading a novel like Breathing Underwater.

Breathing Underwater has won dozens of awards and honours, but perhaps the most valuable of all was not so much an award, but a clear and distinct recognition of its necessity for teens. In 2007, Rhode Island passed the Lindsay Ann Burke Act in honour of a young woman killed by her abusive boyfriend, making it mandatory for all schools in the state to address dating violence in their curriculum to raise awareness to the severity and detrimental nature of it. Nebraska and Ohio passed the act in 2009, as well. Breathing Underwater has been recommended reading for the course since.

Last year, the school district fought to ban the book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, and lost due to public support and the upholding of the novel's merit. It is my hope that as a YA community, we can rally behind not only the integrity of Breathing Underwater, but also the author in this situation. To the Richland, Washington school district: life isn't all sunshine and roses. In some situations, there is a dark underbelly that needs to be exposed to properly educate and grow the minds of the individuals being taught.

There is still time to help Alex Flinn and support her novel, Breathing Underwater. We are a vast community, and we have the opportunity to make a significant impact. Please, if you can take just a moment to do so, tweet this, share it, blog it and get it out to others that the censorship of Breathing Underwater must be stopped.

 If you would like to email the school district to rally for the cause, please do so HERE.

Talk to Me Tuesday is a brand new weekly meme where we will discuss anything (and everything) literary-related in an open forum of honesty. Questions for the next week will be posted one week prior to the post on the Features page. If you'd like to participate in this weekly feature, simply create your post, link back to me, and add your post to the wonderful Mr. Linky below. Have fun, and have at it!

This week's question: How do you feel about book banning and censorship?

Let me preface this post by saying that all I’m about to say is of my own personal and humble opinions. If you’re offended by what I have to say, don’t read it…and with that, I think that leads pretty well into the Talk to Me Tuesday topic of the day. We’re in a day and age where people seem to think that book censorship and banning is productive, or at the very least, useful. If you don’t believe me, you’ve probably been hiding under a rock. Some of the most powerful authors have had their books come under attack because of the content being deemed “offensive.” Now, I’m a conservative Catholic with a strong and pretty sheltered upbringing, but I can firmly state that I am completely opposed to book banning and censorship.

Take, for example, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. It’s the story of a young girl learning to overcome her rape which, obviously, was brutal and traumatic. She lashes out. She’s angry, and yet, she overcomes. There are some people, however, that have called Speak a work of filth and “soft-core porn.” So where do you draw the line? The book educates teens about the importance of raising your voice for yourself. It expresses the need for self-worth and overcoming. Other books like Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler are criticized for being “loose,” as well, and while I’m not one for the casual sex scenario, that’s really not the point of the book.

Then, you have people banning books like the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. This series has been challenged and banned based on its fairly blatant criticism of organized religion. As a devoutly religious person, yes, I recognize the references, and sure, I’m not the biggest fan, but aren’t we all entitled to our opinions? Reading The Golden Compass at surface-level only let me enjoy the world the author created without being offended by the opinions or religious context. In the same breath, Harry Potter is being challenged in many areas because of the, and I quote “Pagan” context. Really? That’s utter ignorance.

Here’s what some of your fellow bloggers had to say about book banning and censorship:

Danna from Friendly Reader says, “I hate book banning and censorship. It’s stupid, and there’s really no need for it.”

Aimee from Coffee Table Press says, “Society shouldn’t be able to tell people what they are and aren’t allowed to read based on what they think is inappropriate.”

John from Dreaming Reviews says, “It’s douchery. People ban books because they’re ignorant of the content and misinterpret them to meet a twisted agenda.”

Ashley from What’s Your Story Book Reviews says, “Book banning is the product of extreme ignorance. Some people can’t see the true message, so they shun it.”

Ivy from Ivy's Updates says, “I think it can’t be something one person decides. Every parent and every individual has the right to decide for themselves what is and isn’t right for them and their children.”

Here’s what I really mean to say: Not everyone is going to like every book. Not every book is going to be appropriate for every audience. However, if you are only reading a book to harp on the small details that should be overshadowed by the purpose of the book, perhaps you shouldn’t be reading it to begin with. Yes, there are some books I’d rather not read based on their content, but I have the right to make an informed decision, and an author should have the right to write their own stories. So, you don't like a book? Nobody is forcing you to read it, so don't force others NOT to read it. Just a thought... always remember to #speakloudly.

Want to weigh in and do your own Talk to Me Tuesday post for this week? Go ahead and link up!