CHALLENGED BOOKS 2007

I looked at my school independent reading cart and recognized two of the books on this list below: "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" and "I Know Why a Caged Bird Sings" Are any of these books in your schools? Have they been challenged?


The ALA counted a total of 420 challenges last year. These include any formal, written statement to a school or library asking for the removal of a book. Here are the top 10, according to the ALA, for 2007:

1) “And Tango Makes Three,” by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell
Reasons: Anti-Ethnic, Sexism, Homosexuality, Anti-Family, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group

2) The Chocolate War,” by Robert Cormier
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Violence

3) “Olive’s Ocean,” by Kevin Henkes
Reasons: Sexually Explicit and Offensive Language

4) “The Golden Compass,” by Philip Pullman
Reasons: Religious Viewpoint

5) “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” by Mark Twain
Reasons: Racism

6) “The Color Purple,” by Alice Walker
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language

7) "TTYL,” by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

8) "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” by Maya Angelou
Reasons: Sexually Explicit

9) “It’s Perfectly Normal,” by Robie Harris
Reasons: Sex Education, Sexually Explicit

10) "The Perks of Being A Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

"Frequently Challenged Books," American Library Association, July 29, 2008. http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/bannedbooksweek/challengedbanned/frequentlychallengedbooks.cfm
(Accessed September 30, 2008)

QUESTION FOR YOU!

Most challenged and/or banned books are treated as such because of the bests interests of children. Can you think of any other group that would need to be protected from books? Why?

ALA Banned Books Week

In light of this special time of year, I decided to do a blog on banned books! Below is some general information about this years Banned Books Week from the American Library Associations. MORE TO COME SOON!

Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read September 27–October 4, 2008

Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read is observed during the last week of September each year. Observed since 1982, this annual ALA event reminds Americans not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted. This year, 2008, marks BBW's 27th anniversary (September 27 through October 4).

BBW celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them. After all, intellectual freedom can exist only where these two essential conditions are met.

BBW is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association, American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, American Library Association, American Society of Journalists and Authors, Association of American Publishers, National Association of College Stores, and is endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.

"Banned Books Week," American Library Association, July 29, 2008. http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.cf
(Accessed September 30, 2008)