Banned Books discussion

Hey Readers!
You've seen the lists, right?

http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offic...

Tell us which "banned" books you've read! From the 2007 list and from the Top 100 list.

Happy Reading,
rift

I've read most of them, "Tango for Three" and "The Perks of Being A Wallflower" are the only ones I've not read yet.

It amuses me that "Forever" by Judy Blume continues to be banned - it was first published in 1975 and was a hot title for those of us (in 8th grade) to read in 1980.

The top banned books for the 21st Century (so far) are here: http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offic...

I've read all of these challenged books, many of them BECAUSE they were challenged.

*And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell
*The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
*The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
*Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
*Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
*Forever by Judy Blume
*Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
*The Giver by Lois Lowry
*The Witches by Roald Dahl
*The Goats by Brock Cole
*To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
*James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
*A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
*Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
*Lord of the Flies by William Golding
*Native Son by Richard Wright
*The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
*Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford

I've read a great number of them, most without being aware they were on banned book lists. Thank goodness my schools introduced me to many with no qualms at all.

I did read And Tango Makes Three deliberately because of its banned status. I took it from the library but if I was buying books these days I'd love a copy for myself. I have recommended it to others, especially parents of young kids. What an adorable, sweet, AND innocent book. How silly it is to put any book on any banned list. And sad, very sad, as it does mean some people (especially kids) do not have access to books they would otherwise. Some adults won't read them or allow their kids to read them. It's a shame.

I just reread Bridge to Terabithia (found it at a yard sale for only $0.75!) and I just took In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak out of the library for my son. I think I'll get And Tango Makes Three next!

From the Top 10 books I've read:
* The Chocolate War
* The Color Purple
* I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
* It's Perfectly Normal
* Perks of Being a Wallflower
Top Authors I've read:
* Mark Twain
* Robert Cormier
* Toni Morrison
* Lois Lowry
* Chris Crutcher

I just joined so I CAN read the list of banned books. I've read The Color Purple, I Know Whe the Caged Bird sings and numerous Toni Morrison books.
Iberostar

I would like to know what is wrong with the Light in the Attic?

I don't understand a lot of the reasoning behind banning books. I've read 18 of the top 100 banned books but plan to read more.

Reasons/Documented Cases of Banned and Challenged Books

I read Perks of being a Wallflower a while ago. And I read the captain underpants series a while ago in french hah. No clue why they'd ban that one.. It's a comic book?

Not that I think any book should be banned ... just telling a funny story.
A second grade teacher where I work was reading some of the Captain Underpants books to her class. (you know what's coming) One day one of her more special little boys came back from the b.room with his underpants on outside his pants.

I'm not sure about the brewhaha that followed, but ... ya gotta love it when kids really get into their literature!!!!

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck
The Lord of the Flies, William Golding
1984, George Orwell
Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
The Jungle, Upton Sinclair
Naked Lunch, William S. Burroughs

(from the Banned and/or Challenged Books from the Radcliffe Publishing Course Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century list, because my numbers looked better this way)

After joining this group I looked at the 2007 list of most commonly challenged books and tried out a few. I liked And Tango Makes Three but it seemed too innocent to be banned. I mean it's just a gay penguin storybook. That happens all the time in nature!

And I don't get why Olive's Ocean was challenged. It's a young adult novel about a girl who wants to be a writer and a girl she's never really met gets hit by a car and leaves a note addressed to her. What in God's name can be challenged in this book as crass, indecent, or immoral? Can someone please tell me?

I googled Olive's Ocean. This is from an Amazon list of banned books and why.

"challenged for containing issues related to growing up and adolescence such as death and puberty."

The list of *why* books are banned and/ or challenged is disturbing.

Julia

I clicked the link in the first post provided, but unfortunately it says 'page not found'. Bummer. I was looking forward to it too :(

Sorry, this discussion was started a long time ago.

Index page for lists (in the left nav bar):
http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy...

Top 100 classics banned:
http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy...

By year, 2008 (2009 isn't out yet):
http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy...

Thanks for the links Kelly. Those are going straight to my favourites.

No problem, glad to help!

Here are the ones I have read:
-To Kill a Mockingbird.
-1984
-Animal Farm (currently Reading)
-Heart of Darkness
-Things Fall Apart


Here are the ones I own but have not yet read:
-The Catcher in the Rye
-The Color Purple
-The Lord of the Flies
-Charlotte's Web
-Catch 22
-The Lord of the Rings
-In Cold Blood
-The Wind in the Willows
-Kim (I think I own this)

I was looking through these lists, and I was suprised how closely the top 100 banned list seems to follow a lot of top 100 books of all time lists. A lot of the list is pretty similar to Time magazine's version, and the BBCs The Big Read. (Sorry, I don't have links). Just kind of an interesting thought...

Well there happen to be a lot of those books on my list of to reads... But the ones have read so far are

-The Great Gatsby
-To Kill a Mockingbird
-The Lord of the Flies
-Catch 22
-His Dark Materials trilogy
-My Sisters Keeper (reading)
-Harry Potter series
-Bridge to Terebithia


And probably many more than that...

I read The earth, my butt and other big round things. It was a good book. I found that I have only gotten to 4 of the titles on that list so far.
Funny the last book I read is under the radar because it isn't mainstream, but would fit the criteria to be challenged.It is "Eon: Dragoneye Reborn".But because every kid in the world isn't reading right now it is not on the list yet. I am recommending it to more and more people each day that want a book about adventure.

Pattee wrote: "Neil Gaiman is the Chair for this years Banned Books Week sponsored by the ALA. September 25 - October 2, 2010.

There are a lot of things that we can do locally. The ALA has a list of ideas at:
h..."

Thanks for the link, Pattee. We must all fight censorship, especially if it means having books permanently removed from the school or college/university curriculum or public and school library shelves.

What's "wrong" with these books:

The Great Gatsby
Bridge to Terebithia
Charlotte's Web
Are You There God It's Me Margaret
The Wind in the Willows (????? That was a shocker)

Thanks Pattee :) I remember reading Margaret and for the life of me I can't remember it being amoral 8-) There are some pretty sick souls out there....

Someone can always find something wrong with something. If they want to.

Pattee wrote: "Yep! And their attitude is that I do not want my kids to read it and no one else should either! They forget the little detail called the First Amendment to the Constitution which guarantees our rig..."

If a book like Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret (which was one of my favourite books when I was about twelve) is banned in a school district, could a student be suspended or expelled for bringing a copy to school, or does it just mean that the book is not allowed in the library or to be used in the classroom (which is already bad enough, but I would hate to have children disciplined for exercising their right to read, their right to be exposed to new ideas etc.)?

Pattee wrote: "There are no cases of expulsion - a school banning either removes it from a specific curricula or the school library, depending on what the challenge specified.
In some instances, challenged books..."

The idea of "one" or even a few parents dictating to everyone is so not democratic. I wonder if it also depends on which parent(s) make a fuss. I bet if the parent making a fuss is some big shot or supposed "pillar of the community" the book would likely get banned much quicker, and I bet if (esp. in the USA), the parents play the "socialism" or "communism" card, or the "sex" card, the school boards cave even more quickly. Another question, is it always complaints by parents, or does the school board sometimes move by itself, because their members are affronted by certain books and/or ideas?

Those of you who live outside of North America, does book banning happen in your country too?

So, sexuality and offensive language are more of a problem than gratuitous violence or overt racism? I don't believe in censoring and banning books, but I would think that the latter would be more of a problem for parents and school boards than the former.

So far of banned books I've read The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Outsiders, and Are You There God? It's Me Margaret.

The last one was my favorite book when I was in late grade school. I didn't get the whole boob thing then, but I do now. I don't think I'm much bigger than I was then. :)

Here’s a list of controversial or banned books:

https://hpb.com/quirky-feed/controver...

Along with a Banned Book Giveaway:

https://halfpricebooks.com/banned-boo...

Anyone still reading this group? #24BB (read 24 banned/challenged books in 2024).

Star wrote: "Anyone still reading this group? #24BB (read 24 banned/challenged books in 2024)."

No but I will look for it. Where can I find it? If you count picture books I can handle more than 24. I've already read a couple and two middle grades books. I have a huge list!

I'm working from PENAmerica's lists and individual school district lists. Banned, challenged and sometimes I find some that might be soft censored.

QNPoohBear wrote: "Star wrote: "Anyone still reading this group? #24BB (read 24 banned/challenged books in 2024)."

No but I will look for it. Where can I find it? If you count picture books I can handle more than 24..."

Hi ... Whatever you read counts. There is no end to the madness. I saw a booktuber MJ at channel Reading This Life. Her video was The 24 in 2024 Banned Book Challenge. She appealed to readers and included #24BB. I used the list on this thread by Krista 9/20/22 @ 11:25 a.m. HPB.com/quirky .... I found there to be quite the variety of genres, lengths, audio, E-books, and Adult, childrens, and middle grade. No picture books though -- do you have a link?

As I read, I'm going to post the book here, and hope you do too.

Pen America's officially banned list
https://docs.house.gov/meetings/GO/GO...

However, new laws in Florida, Iowa and elsewhere mean more book bans. I can't keep up with all the lists. I just add them to my library lists when I see them.

I'm reading Little Leaders: Brave Men in Black History

and this week I read

It is a sweet picture book about how to deal with a bad day. Tell yourself "it will be OK!" It's not about mental health, depression, suicide, bullying, racism, homophobia, etc. whatever else they think will cause their special snowflakes to feel upset.



Inspirational story about a girl who doesn't feel like a girl or a boy- somewhere in between. A strong youth who wants to lead the hula chant (a typically masculine warrior thing). Native Hawaiians believe in the concept of "two spirit" and not a gender binary. Banning the book is not only promoting homophobia, it's all culturally insensitive and denying kids a chance to read about this beautiful culture.

Next week I'll have more Middle Grades and YA books. I have a stack of books to read this weekend already so I didn't grab more.

Gracefully Grayson
Ana on the Edge
will probably be next.

I will check those out. I added two for the weekend.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (4 hour audio)

Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes (3 hour audio)

I found both on the list above (HPB - quirky). I decided to read them, form my opinion and then look for why some want them banned.

I like your covers, etc. I dont have clue how to do the fancy stuff.

I also read The Story of Ruby Bridges which absolutely should not be banned. Ironically, she prayed for those who hated her and the parents eventually realized they were denying their own kids a chance at education by not sending them to school. Let's hope they figure it out again.

I added Little Leaders and The Story of Ruby Bridges. Hoopla has most of yours.


I read 5 children's books from NetGalley every month. Now I understand what a picture book is, I like that age group.

Next week I think I'm going with an adult book -- The Kite Runner.

I read a lot of the banned adult books when I was in school. There's plenty I haven't read but I decided to start with the bonkers ones. I can see the argument for not wanting your child to read some of the adult books but that's a decision for the parents and teens to make together. I was in honors classes and the parents just accepted the old dead white man canon was part of getting a quality education.

Niece #1, freshman in HS, is reading Of Mice and Men for English class. She doesn't like it and I don't recall it being the most enjoyable Steinbeck novel we were forced to read when I was her age in the same school district. It's apparently more dated and insensitive now even though she gets why she has to read it. I'll ask her if she's heard of this challenge and if she wants to let me post which books she's reading. She LOVES LGBTQ+ graphic novels.

This is how we make a difference.