The Banned Book Nook and Other Curiosities (BBN&OC) opened their doors in mid-October. To much the disappointment of some, this was not a store offering books for bands, or skulls and taxidermy, but a bookstore specializing in providing readers of our community with low cost used books and books that have been added to the National Banned Book list—in their cautioned taped cabinet of course...
The BBN&OC is a dream of Wilmington local, Rachel Collins, that shows one family’s love for literacy and bookstores despite the age of Amazon putting many out of business. During our interview with Rachel and her daughter, Lily, she shares that her grandmother once owned a bookstore in Wilmington. Rachel recalls some of her most fond memories as a middle and high schooler being spent reading books at her grandmother’s store after school and stopping at Julia’s Cheeser (now closed) for a “smoked string cheese.”
You may find yourself wondering, “what is a banned book and why are they banned?” According to Rachel, “You can call them ‘banned’ or ‘challenged’ but at some point, they have been taken out of a school district or library. A parent could pick up a book and say ‘I don’t like this for whatever’, fill out a form and take it to the school board… It can be as simple as something like ‘James and the Giant Peach’ being banned for having the word ‘ass’ in it.”
This leads to books that many have read in school no longer being there, such as ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and ‘Harry Potter’. If a book is banned, this does not mean you are unable to find or purchase them. It means that these books have become unavailable to communities, schools, and libraries.
Whether it’s banned books, knickknacks, or other curiosities, the Collins’ have a bit of that magic associated with story time in the BBN&OC. Their simple bookstore, brightly decorated with modern furniture and filled to the brim with books for all ages, is nothing but warm and welcoming. The BBN&OC is the perfect place to find your next great read to curl up with this winter—even if you don’t have “a smoked string cheese.”
To learn more about The Banned Book Nook, search for them up on Facebook.