Ban This Book

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Three Perspectives on One Book”

In this activity, students will demonstrate their understanding of key ideas in Ban This Book by evaluating a favorite book from various characters’ perspectives.

One of the main ideas in Ban This Book is that different readers can have different ideas about the same book. In this activity, you will show that you understand the differences in the ways Mrs. Jones, Amy Anne, and Mrs. Spencer view books. You will choose one of your own favorite books and then write about this book from each character’s perspective.

Write three separate paragraphs—one from Amy Anne’s point of view, one from Mrs. Spencer’s point of view, and one from Mrs. Jones’s point of view. Each character should write about the same book and answer the same question: “What will the impact of reading this book be on students?”

As you think about how to write your paragraphs, think carefully about what makes each character’s perspective different:

• Imagine that Mrs. Spencer wants to get the book banned. Given what you have learned about Mrs. Spencer’s personality and her way of looking at the world, what might she find to dislike about this book?
• What if this book was also one of Amy Anne’s favorite books? Given who Amy Anne is as a person and what she loves about reading, how might she defend this book?
• Why does Mrs.