The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini A Digital Booktalk by Rob Hallenbeck For LSIS 5525

Hosseini, Khaled (2003). The Kite Runner. New York: Riverhead Books What could be more innocent than kite flying? Did you know that kite flying is a sport in many parts of the world? It’s sort of like WWII aerial dog fights with kites instead of planes!

Background In Afghanistan, young boys take “kite running” very seriously! The goal is to try to take out each other’s kite by cutting the string which is really strong wire. Kite edges are razor sharp!

“For you, a thousand times over” Amir & Hassan who both live in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, win the local kite flying contest. But a terrible tragedy happens to Hassan afterwards and Amir chooses not to help his friend.

My Critical Assessment One of my favorite books of all time! I teach about Afghanistan and love to read historical fiction about the places that I teach In addition to historical realism, the plot, characters and settings were engaging I was surprised that book was challenged… But also realize it’s not really a YA book, hence the challenges.

“There is a way to be good again” His decision haunts him his whole life & taints his relationship with his friend Amir leaves Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion & moves to California During the Taliban uprising, he returns to Afghanistan to save Hassan’s son & avenge his earlier actions

The end In the end, Amir finds Hassan’s son in an orphanage where he is mistreated and arranges to adopt him When he brings him back to the US its not until he tells him stories of his father’s kite flying that he comes out of his shell

Controversies & Criticism The terrible tragedy in the first part of the book was a boy-on boy-rape Early criticism of the book centered the stereotyping of this type of violence as common place & Afghanistan's “dirty little secret”

Challenged in 2008! The Kite Runner made the ALA’s Challenged book list General Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and “unsuited to age group”

“unsuited to age group”? Khaled Hosseini never intended for the book to be for young adults School systems included the book on High School Summer Reading lists & in school media centers

Summer Reading List Ban A challenge was made in the Champaign, Illinois area when the book was required summer reading for sophomores The book was removed from the list but kept in the library

NC & Florida Challenges Challenged as not“ appropriate” in a 10 th grade honors English class in Morgantown, NC Removed from a summer reading list in Marianna, Fl. But kept in library by a vote of 5- 2

To Ban or not to Ban that is the question? Appropriate for a High School Media Center! Probably not appropriate for younger ages Since the author intended the book for adult audiences I would have no problem sending kids to a public library for it

School challenge procedures The school system requires a written request to remove materials The principal forms a review committee The committee has 30 days to review request

Assignment # 8 - Challenges & Censorship - Booktalk : MLA citation Genre, format (if not print0 Interest level or author’s recommended age level (not your guess) Critical assessment of the book, including your personal reaction in your own words Then…be sure to address the follow: Describe the circumstances leading to its challenge or ban (i.e., date; community; nature of the challenge, etc.) Was the book challenged more than once? Explain. Would you include this title in your collection? Explain. Explain the steps you would follow if there were a challenge of this title in your library. This booktalk is due February 13, Submit by and post on Discussion Board by midnight on February 13, 2011.

References "By Year," American Library Association, May 19, d/frequentlychallenged/21stcenturychallenge d/index.cfm (Accessed February 13, 2011) default.asp