It’s Banned Books Week!
Thanks to American Library Association, serves to remind all of us that some people don’t believe in freedom of speech. According to their site, the most challenged book in 2006 was “And Tango Makes Three,” an award winning children’s book by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell.
A challenge is defined as: a formal, written complaint, filed with a library or school, requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness. Public libraries, schools and school libraries report the majority of challenges to OIF.(ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom).
I’m opposed to any book banning of any sort or shape and I’m always puzzled by the kind of thinking that would drive someone to challenge the right of any book to be published, particularly when I look at the list of the 10 most challenged. Here’s the complete ALA list along with summaries of the challenges:
• “And Tango Makes Three” by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, for homosexuality, anti-family, and unsuited to age group;
• “Gossip Girls” series by Cecily Von Ziegesar for homosexuality, sexual content, drugs, unsuited to age group, and offensive language;
• “Alice” series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor for sexual content and offensive language;
• “The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things” by Carolyn Mackler for sexual content, anti-family, offensive language, and unsuited to age group;
• “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison for sexual content, offensive language, and unsuited to age group;
• “Scary Stories” series by Alvin Schwartz for occult/Satanism, unsuited to age group, violence, and insensitivity;
• “Athletic Shorts” by Chris Crutcher for homosexuality and offensive language.
• “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky for homosexuality, sexually explicit, offensive language, and unsuited to age group
• “Beloved” by Toni Morrison for offensive language, sexual content, and unsuited to age group;
• “The Chocolate War” by Robert Cormier for sexual content, offensive language, and violence.
All but one were challenged because they deal with sex. When will we get over our prudishness? Only two include violence in their challenges. That ratio fascinates and horrifies me.
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7 opinions for It’s Banned Books Week!
The First Amendment
Oct 2, 2007 at 9:06 am
[...] long as we’re talking about Banned Books Week it seems appropriate to publish the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights: [...]
Gloria Hildebrandt
Oct 2, 2007 at 9:08 am
I think that if you’re in the company of Toni Morrison you must be doing something right. It makes me wonder about a chapbook of mine called Big Fat Stinky Woman. It’s from the perspective of a dog, and probably would get banned because what dogs like to smell and what humans try to hide could be offensive and unsuited to age groups to some critics. Some people just don’t like truth.
Anne Wayman
Oct 2, 2007 at 1:52 pm
Gloria, your book sounds like a hoot… I like your point about being in Morrison’s company.
Matt Keegan
Oct 2, 2007 at 3:37 pm
While book banning isn’t something I want to see take place, there is a difference between stopping something from being published v. placing any book on the library shelves, particularly age inappropriate material.
Then again, that is the job of the parents: to guide their children.
Anne Wayman
Oct 2, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Matt, the libraries I go to have children’s sections… of course, a clever child can get to the adult sections, but the librarians act as some sort of double check… not sure that’s in their job discription… and yes, parents are the real filter, or should be.
You Have Been Banned! « Just Enough, and Nothing More
Oct 2, 2007 at 6:09 pm
[...] here’s a list of most banned books in 2007, to celebrate Banned Books Week. Most of the books were requested to be removed from [...]
Daniel Abbott
Oct 12, 2007 at 6:02 pm
I think people are too up tight and are stuck in the 1940’s and it is the year 2007. People should have the right to read what they want to read. Maybe parents should show the book that these people don’t want them to see in there home’s.
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