LeVar Burton Wants You to Read Banned Books, Kids. “That’s Where the Good Stuff Is.”

LeVar Burton inspired an entire generation of kids to read more. I know; I’m one of them. Many of us grew up watching Reading Rainbow and being thrown into a world with our books like no other. Now, it seems, that the younger generation is struggling with reading—no, not in a weird “these kids today!” way, but mainly because parents want to ban every book under the sun for reasons that make little to no sense because they’re just an excuse for bigotry. That’s something that Trevor Noah pointed out on The Daily Show, with some help from Burton.

The latest culture war (because that’s what it is) is between parents and libraries, schools, and more. With talk of “burning books” like we’re in the Dark Ages, the war is dangerous because it is trying to erase the truth about history. Calling stories “divisive” if they talk about segregation or promoting “sexual perversions” if there are two boy penguins as fathers, it’s just (mostly) conservative parents pushing their own narrative on actual history.

So Noah broke down the problem with this current culture war, with a special guest to help encourage kids to read.

“You can see how crazy this book banning trend has gotten. They’re banning books about race, gender, sexuality, emotions, history. Guys, that’s all books,” said Noah. He also pointed out that this isn’t a new thing. If you grew up when I did, you probably remember the parents who thought that we should ban Harry Potter for promoting witchcraft. But this is all to an entirely new level. This isn’t about “protecting” kids but more about leaving them in the dark about history and the truth of the world.

Personally, the book I loved the most in this world growing up was a banned book, and it spawned a love of an author for me that carries into this day. The Catcher In The Rye inspired me to read the rest of Salinger’s work but was, in the past, banned in various places for various reasons—which brings us to Burton’s suggestion for kids: Read banned books.

In the clip above, The Daily Show leverages the internet’s favorite reading advocate at about the 8:35 mark for a Reading Rainbow-esque segment in which every book gets Burton censored for one ridiculous reason for another. Finally, in frustration, Burton says, “Read the books they don’t want you to. That’s where the good stuff is,” and it reminds me of the joy that Reading Rainbow and shows like it brought to me as a kid and why it is important to encourage kids to read books that are outside of some bland, sanitized norm and give them a real-world perspective. It makes us more well-rounded and informed.

Taking that away from kids because you don’t agree or you’re racist is harming your child more than any book would. So kids, if you’re reading this, listen to LeVar Burton. Go read those banned books because he’s right, that’s where the good stuff is.

(image: PBS)