Here is a brief overview of the most frequently challenged books of 2007-08 along with what have been the most commonly made objections for each one.
- And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell. Reasons stated for challenging the book’s suitability for schools and libraries: Anti-Ethnic, Sexism, Homosexuality, Anti-Family, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group
- The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier. Reasons stated for challenging the book’s suitability for schools and libraries: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Violence
- Olive’s Ocean by Kevin Henkes. Reasons stated for challenging the book’s suitability for schools and libraries: Sexually Explicit and Offensive Language.
- The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. Reasons stated for challenging the book’s suitability for schools and libraries: Religious Viewpoint
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Reasons stated for challenging the book’s suitability for schools and libraries: Racism
- The Color Purple by Alice Walker.Reasons stated for challenging the book’s suitability for schools and libraries: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language
- TTYL by Lauren Myracle.Reasons stated for challenging the book’s suitability for schools and libraries: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. Reasons stated for challenging the book’s suitability for schools and libraries: Sexually Explicit
- It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris. Reasons stated for challenging the book’s suitability for schools and libraries: Sex Education, Sexually Explicit
- The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. Reasons stated for challenging the book’s suitability for schools and libraries: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
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Derren, please come to London!
Danielle x
now i somehow want to read all of these books- especially sexist ones;)
hehehe .. sex is still not normal to a lot of people apparently ..
and how can people say that a book can not be read due to the fact that is contains racism, offensive language and homosexuality .. by saying this they are racists and offensive theirselves …
I recently read ‘The Perks of Being A Wallflower’ & while I was slightly disappointed with the endings’ reliance on repressed memory syndrome (something I thought had been disproven?) I very much wished it had been around when I was a teenager. I may not have felt quite so alienated if it had been.
I also dislike the implicit judgement contained within the list that teenagers are incapable of asessing things for themselves. Many books of a certain era, like Huck Finn, routinely contain the racist values of the time but reading HP Lovecraft at age 13 didn’t make me reject my parents’ liberal values & run off to join the BNP.
Anyway, why am I bothering to preach to the converted?
Ooooh, The Chocolate War…I might read that. : )
And therein lies the irony that these permanently petrified child protectors fail to realize-that their public demonizing of these books just makes more and more people want to go out and read them.
And Christy are people STILL banging on about The Colour Purple?!
They\’ve been on about that one for years now and when was the last time you heard someone claim that it corrupted them or their children? Get over it already!
I\’m suprised that Huck\’ Finn was included without the \”possible homosexuality\” fuss been added as a reason, you\’d think that the kind of idiots who object to books for these reasons would be all over that wouldn\’t you?
And look at the main reason given for number nine \”Sex Education\”!
I had no idea educating people about sex was a bad idea, I\’m glad that\’s been cleared up for me. : )
One little niggle – ‘The Golden Compass’ by Philip Pullman is in fact called ‘The Northern Lights’ and Philip Pullman wasn’t happy with the change, and nor am I. But hey.
BUT. I read the book a few years ago when I was 11 or 12, and it is for me, possibly the sole reason that I took a second look at Christianity. I owe it that much.
And Philip Pullman remains one of my all time favourite authors.
(Oddly enough, I first found it in the library of my strictly Catholic school – I wonder if they’d actually read any of it…)