ALA Banned Books Week Sept. 24 – Sept. 30, 2017 The American Library Association (www.ala.org) celebrates Banned Book Week each September
What is Banned Books Week? Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship.
Definitions Censorship: The removal, suppression, or restricted circulation of literary, artistic, or educational materials on the grounds that they are morally or otherwise objectionable (Reichman, 1988). Selection: The right to choose certain books and reject other for use with children on the basis of literary quality and knowledge of child development and psychology. Does not insist upon removing the rejected books from the shelves for everyone else (Jalongo & Creany, 1991).
What Does Banned/Challenged Mean? A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others (www.ala.org) When a book is banned, it has been removed or censored.
How are books challenged? Individuals, organizations, or institutions may challenge a book. The organization to whom the challenge has been made then reports the challenge to the Office of Intellectual Freedom, where it is added to the database on reported challenges. The OIF uses this database to create its “top” lists and to provide resources to libraries, schools, and institutions.
Where/why are books challenged?
Example of Challenged/Banned Books
Captain Underpants! Insensitivity Being unsuited to age group Encouraging children to disobey authority
Walter the Farting Dog Uses the word “fart” and “farting” 24 times
Harry Potter Series Wizardry and magic Portrays authority figures as “stupid”
Private Parts are Off Limits in Either Fiction or Non-Fiction
Witchcraft/Wizardry
Scary/Violent Scenes/Themes
References to Gay and Lesbian Families
Anti-Authority
Offensive Language
Careful how you choose characters
Censorship is not just for fiction! Too depressing!
Julie of the Wolves Sexual content Offensive language Violence Socialist, evolutionist, and “anti-family” themes Unsuited for age group
The Chocolate War The Most Challenged Book of 1998 Offensive Language Unsuited to age group
A Light in the Attic Too dreary Too negative
The Giving Tree: Sexist
The Lorax Being an “allegorical political commentary”
Top Ten Challenged Authors 1990-2004 Alvin Schwartz 2. Judy Blume 3. Robert Cormier 4. J.K. Rowling 5. Michael Willhoite 6. Katherine Paterson 7. Stephen King 8. Maya Angelou 9. R.L. Stine 10. John Steinbeck
Top Challenged Authors 2012, 2013 Dave Pilkey Sherman Alexie Ellen Hopkins Patricia Polacco John Green Alvin Schwartz Lauren Myracle Chris Crutcher Carolyn Mackler Sonya Sones Suzanne Collins Aldous Huley Harper Lee Phyllis Reynolds Naylor Don Hillstad Butler Cecily Von Ziegesar
Top 25 Challenged Books, 2000-2009 (14 were also on the 1990-1999 top 100 list, but 7 were not yet published) Harry Potter (series), J.K. Rowling Alice series, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor The Chocolate War, Robert Cormier And Tango Makes Three, Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou Scary Stories (series), Alvin Schwartz His Dark Materials (series), Philip Pullman ttyl; ttfn; l8r g8r (series), Myracle, Lauren The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky Fallen Angels, Walter Dean Myers It’s Perfectly Normal, Robie Harris
Captain Underpants (series), Dav Pilkey The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison Forever, Judy Blume The Color Purple, Alice Walker Go Ask Alice, Anonymous Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger King and King, Linda de Haan To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee Gossip Girl (series), Cecily von Ziegesar The Giver, Lois Lowry In the Night Kitchen, Maurice Sendak Killing Mr. Griffen, Lois Duncan
Top Ten Challenged Books 2015
Are They Just Bad Books? Newbery Winners: “Classics” The Higher Power of Lucky (2007) Bud, Not Buddy (2000) The Giver (1994) Shiloh (1992) Hatchet (1988 honor book) The Great Gilly Hopkins (1979 honor book) Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (1977) Julie of the Wolves (1973) A Wrinkle in Time (1963) “Classics” The Great Gatsby The Catcher in the Rye The Grapes of Wrath To Kill a Mockingbird The Color Purple Ulysses Beloved The Lord of the Flies 1984 Lolita Of Mice and Men Catch-22 Brave New World Animal Farm The Sun Also Rises