Banned and Challenged Books Belong in Your Library

The right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction.

American Library Association

not only to choose what we read, but also to select from a full array of possibilities, which is firmly rooted in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Although we enjoy an increasing quantity and availability of information and reading material, we must remain vigilant to ensure that access to this material is preserved; would-be censors who continue to threaten the freedom to read come from all quarters and all political persuasions. Even if will intentioned, censors try to limit the freedom of others to choose what they read, see, or hear.
from Robert P. Doyles Books Challenged or Banned

remain the primary categories of objections, and most occur in schools and school libraries. Frequently, challenges are motivated by the desire to protect children. While the intent is commendable, this method of protection contains hazards far greater than exposure to the evil against which it is leveled. U.S. Supreme Court Justice William Brennan (in Texas v. Johnson) said, If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the Government may not prohibit expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable. individuals may restrict what they themselves or their children read, but they must not call on government or public agencies to prevent others from reading or viewing that material. from Robert P. Doyles Books Challenged or Banned

The challenges documented in [Robert P. Doyles] lists are not brought by people merely expressing a point of view; rather, they represent requests to remove materials from schools or libraries, thus restricting the access to them by others. Even when the eventual outcome allows the book to stay on the library shelves and even when the person is a lone protester, the censorship attempt is real. Challenges are as important to document as actual bannings, in which a book is removed from the shelves of a library/bookstore or from the curriculum in a school. Attempts to censor can lead to voluntary restriction of expression by those who seek to avoid controversy; in these cases, materials may not be published at all or may not be purchased by a bookstore, library, or school district. from Robert P. Doyles Books Challenged or Banned

In this age of censorship I mourn the loss of books that will never be written, I mourn the voices that will be silenced -- writers voices, teachers voices, students voices -- and all because of fear. How many have resorted to self-censorship? How many are saying to themselves, Nope...cant write about that. Cant teach that book. Cant have that book in our collection. Cant let my student write that editorial in the school paper. Judy Blume

CENSORSHIP IS NOT ACCEPTABLE

SELECTION (USING CRITERIA TO CHOSE RESOURCES) IS ACCEPTABLE SET ASIDE YOUR PERSONAL BELIEFS

PARENTS HAVE A RIGHT TO CENSOR WHAT THEIR CHILD READSNOT WHAT OTHER PEOPLES CHILDREN READ WARNING: THERE MAY BE SOME SPOILERS.

INCREASE AWARENESS ABOUT BANNED/ CHALLENGED BOOKS INSPIRE YOU TO ADD AT LEAST ONE EDGY TITLE TO YOUR COLLECTION RECRUIT INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM FIGHTERS TO ACTIVELY DEFEND YOUR PATRONS RIGHT TO READ BY BLOCKING CENSORSHIP FROM ANY SOURCE PUT DOWN THE BLACK SHARPIE OF CENSORSHIPAND TAKE OUT YOUR HIGHLIGHTER OF SHARING IDEAS

Arnold Spirit, known CHALLENGED FOR:as Junior, is a budding MASTERBATION cartoonist who has grown EXPLICIT SEXUAL up on the Spokane REFERENCES Indian Reservation. He ENCOURAGING decides to take his future PORNOGRAPHY into his own hands by leaving his troubled RACISM on the rez to school RELIGIOUS attend an all-white farm IRREVERENCE town high school where the VULGAR LANGUAGE only other Indian is (INCLUDING F-WORD the school mascot. & N-WORD)
2010, 2011, 2012

CHALLENGED A traumatic eventAS: in the SOFT-PORNOGRAPHY summer before her year of high freshman GLORIFIES DRINKING, school AND has a CURSING, devastating PREMARITALeffect SEX on fourteen-year-old TEACHES PRINCIPLES Melinda's first year CONTRATY TO THE of high school BIBLE

2010, 2011

Four teens recount the course of their friendship CHALLENGED FOR: at one of New York City's FOUL LANGUAGE AND most prestigious CUSSING public high schools, ADOLESCENT SEX from their horrified witness to the DRINKING September 11 attacks to DRUG USE their efforts to juggle SEXUAL ORIENTATION demanding schedules and social pressures.

2010

As their lives take them in CHALLENGED different directions, FOR: Lena, Tibby, Carmen, SOME OF THE and Bridget discover CHARACTERS ARE many more things about SEXUALLY ACTIVE AND themselves and the ALCOHOL ISof PART OF importance their THEIR RECREATION relationship with each other.

2010

CHALLENGED FOR: EXPLICIT HOMOSEXUAL AND HETROSEXUAL Augusten Burroughs SITUATIONS describes his bizarre coming-of-age PROFANITY years after his adoption by his UNDERAGE DRINKING mother's psychiatrist, AND SMOKING during which he EXTREME MORAL witnessed such SHORTCOMINGS misadventures as a fake suicide CHILD MOLESTERS attempt and GRAPHIC PEDOPHILE front-lawn family/ SITUATIONS patient sleepovers. TOTAL LACK OF NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES
2010

Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the CHALLENGED AS: investigation that led TOO VIOLENT FOR A to the capture, trial, YOUNG AUDIENCE and execution of the killers of a farm family in Holcomb, Kansas.

2011

Brilliant and young, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin, a product of over a hundred years of genetic experiments to develop a perfect general, is drafted to the CHALLENGED AS: for orbiting Battle School rigorous military training PORNOGRAPHIC to see if he has what it takes to play a role in developing a secure defense against the next attack of a hostile alien race known as buggers.
2011, 2012

Fledgling vampire Zoey Redbird faces a crisis as human teenagers are CHALLENGED AS: becoming victims of a wave CAUSES KIDS TO THINK of murders and EVEN MOREof OF the House Night THINGS SEXUAL becomes the prime suspect in the crimes.

2010, 2011

CHALLENGED AS: ANTI-FAMILY Charlies letters to an DRUGS anonymous person detail OFFENSIVE his experiences LANGUAGE during his freshman year in SEXUALLY EXPLICIT high school and his adventures as an SUICIDE unpopular, NUDITY unconventional thinker. HOMOSEXUALITY BESTIALITY RELIGIOUS VIEWPOINT

2010, 2011, 2012

High school seniors Sara and Tobey attempt to figure out what is important in life as they CHALLENGED FOR: try to balance their preparations EXPLICIT CONTENT for their futures with their enjoyment of the present.

2012

CHALLENGED Katniss Everdeen FOR: lives in post-apocalyptic a VIOLENCE nation where an annual ANTI-ETHNIC televised competition ANTI-FAMILY forces one boy and one girl OFFENSIVE from each of the LANGUAGE twelve districts to battle SEXUALLY EXPLICIT to the death. OCCULT/SATANIC

2010

High school senior Eric Calhoune, a formerly CHALLENGED AS: fat kid, becomes concerned when PORNOGRAPHY Sarah, who has VULGAR horrible PERVASIVELY burn scars from a LANGUAGE childhood accident, suddenly stops talking and is committed to a psych ward.

2010

CHALLENGED AS: ECONOMIC In an attempt to FALLACIES/SOCIALIST understand the lives of IDEAS Americans earning near-minimum ADVOCATINGwages, ILLICIT DRUG USE Barbara Ehrenreich works BELITTLING CHRISTIANS as a waitress in Florida, a cleaning PROFANE in Maine, and a woman FADDISH sales clerk in Minnesota. HAVING NO MORAL VALUE OBSCENE
2010, 2011, 2012

Oskar Schell, the nineyear-old son of a man killed in the World Trade CHALLENGED FOR: Center attacks, PROFANITY searches the five boroughs SEX of New York for a lock that fits a City VIOLENCE black key his father left behind..

2010

Obsessed with peoples last words, sixteen-yearold Miles "Pudge" Halters first year at CHALLENGED FOR: Culver Creek INAPPROPRIATE Preparatory School in LANGUAGE Alabama includes good SEXUALLY EXPLICIT friends and great PORNOGRAPHIC pranks, but is defined by the search for answers about life and death after an accident.

2011, 2012

CHALLENGED FOR: While working with the DRUG AND WEAPON Australian Secret SMUGGLING AND Service on a dangerous GANG CIOLENCE mission, teenaged spy THAT IS TOO MUCH Alex Rider uncovers FOR ANY CHILD TO information about his HAVE parents. ACCESS AT THAT AGE

2010

As a school assignment, a thirteen-year-old boy writes an alphabiography--life from A to Z--and CHALLENGED AS: explores issues of OBJECTIONABLE friendship, family, school, and the challenges of being a gay teenager.

2012

As she reads the journal left by her best friend, who committed suicide, Caitlin struggles with CHALLENGED powerful feelings AS: of loss, sadness, RIDDLEDand WITH guilt, but friends and a first love OBSCENITIES help her to cope with her negative emotions.

2011

Mara's niece, who is only one-year-younger, CHALLENGED AS: moves in bringing the conflict ON THE between VERGE OF two teenagers because PORNOGRAPHY of their opposite personalities.

2010

Seventeen-year-old Richie Perry, just out of his Harlem high school, enlists in the Army in the CHALLENGED FOR: summer of 1967 and INAPPROPRIATE spends a devastating LANGUAGE year on active duty in GRUESOME SCENES Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

2012

Chronicles, in instant message format, the CHALLENGED FOR: day-to-day experiences, GRAMMATICALLY feelings, INCORRECT and plans of three friends, FOUL LANGUAGE Zoe, Maddie, Angela, as they and SEXUAL CONTENT begin tenth grade.

2012

CHALLENGED AS: While on vacation in SENSATIONALIZES: California, sixteen-year SEXUAL old best friends Anna PROMISCUITY and Frankie conspire to a QUESTIONABLE find boy for Anna's first LANGUAGE kiss, but Anna harbors a painful DRUNKENNESS secret that their threatens LYING TO PARENTS lighthearted plan and A LACK OF their friendship. REMORSE BY THE CHARACTERS

2010, 2011

Represents a variety of families, some big and some small, some with CHALLENGED FOR: just one parent and some LINE with READING: SOME two moms or FAMILIES HAVE TWO dads, some quiet and MOMS OR but TWO some noisy, all alike DADS. in some ways and special, no matter what.

2010, 2011

Irrepressible friends CHALLENGED FOR: George and Harold from Captain Underpants the CONTAINING THE stories create new PHRASE POO a POO comic book superhero, HEAD Super Diaper Baby.

2010, 2011

Three young children CHALLENGED FOR: experience the joys and SUITABILITY STORY challengesOF of being (HOMOSEXUALITY) raised by two mothers

2010, 2011

Torey Adams, a high school junior with a seemingly perfect life, struggles with doubts CHALLENGED FOR: and questions SEX surrounding the SUICIDE mysterious disappearance PROFANITY of the class outcast named Christopher Creed.

2010, 2012

Sixteen-year-old Precious Jones, an abused young African CHALLENGED FOR:in American girl living Harlem INCEST/RAPE who was raped and left pregnant by her TEENAGE PREGNANCY finds hope and father, HIV/AIDS redemption with the help of teacher.

2010, 2011

Marjane Satrapi shares the story of her life in Tehran, Iran, where she CHALLENGED FOR: from ages six to lived GRAPHIC fourteen while the ILLUSTRATIONS country came under GRAPHIC LANGUAGE control of the MATURE CONTENT Islamic regime.

2012

The hardships, dramas, and joys of seventh and eighth grade FOR: are CHALLENGED presented in a OBJECTIONABLE collection of tales, SEXUAL AND illustrated by an array of LANGUAGE graphic novelists, REFERENCES including Daniel Clowes and Ariel Schrag.

2011

Nic Sheff details his immersion in a world of hardcore drugs, CHALLENGED FOR: revealing the mental physical depths of and DEPICTIONS OF DRUG addiction, USAGE ANDand A the violent relapse one HOMOSEXUAL ORGY summer in California that forever changed his life, leading him down the road to recovery.

2011

Intelligent and observant, fourteenyear-old Lee Fiora leaves her animated, affectionate family inSouth Bend, Indiana AS: forCHALLENGED the prestigious Ault Prep School School TOO MATURE FOR in Massachusetts only to FRESHMAN READERS discover a cloistered world of jaded, attractive teenagers who spend summers on Nantucket and speak in their own shorthand.
2012

Fifteen-year-old Ruby Milliken leaves her best friend, her boyfriend, her aunt, and her mother's CHALLENGED FOR: grave in Boston and flies to Los reluctantly SEXUAL CONTENT Angeles to live with her father, a famous movie star who divorced her mother before Ruby was born.

2010

NOTE: 9/12 PROJECT CHALLENGED FOR: CALLED FOR THE BANNING TOO GRAPHIC AND OF 3 BOOKS OBSCENE DEALING WITH TEENAGE An anthology ofISSUES stories SEXUALITY AND by HOMOSEXUALITY: gay youth reveal OF their fears and joyous LOVE AND SEX: TEN moments as they STORIES OF TRUTH attempt to survive and THE FULL SPECTRUM: A thrive in a NEW GENERATION OF homophobic society. WRITING ABOUT GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, QUESTIONING, AND OTHER IDENTITIES
2010

Telling his faithful dog to make sure nobody touches his clothes but him, a cowboy jumps CHALLENGED FOR: into a New Mexico river for IMAGES COWBOY a bath,OF not realizing TAKING Amuch BATH the just how scrubbing will change his scent.

2012

Fourteen-year-old Shawn McDaniel, who CHALLENGED AS: suffers from severe cerebral palsy and INAPPROPRIATE cannot function, relates READING his perceptions of his ASSIGNMENT FOR life, his family, and his MIDDLE SCHOOL condition, especially as STUDENTS he believes his father is planning to kill him.

2012

CHALLENGED FOR: EXPLICITLY DETAILING Follows of the lives of THE LIVES AND LOVES Blair, Serena, and their OF PRIVILEGED wealthy Manhattan ADOLESCENT GIRLS friends during the (DRUGS, SEXUALLY summer following high EXPLICITY, & school graduation. OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE)

2011

As the child of an alcoholic father and an eccentric, artist mother, CHALLENGED FOR: Jeannette Walls EXPLICIT LANGUAGE discusses her family's CHILD MOLESTATION nomadic upbringing, during ADOLESCENT SEXUAL which she and EXPLOITS her siblings fended for themselves VIOLENCE while their parents outmaneuvered bill collectors and the authorities.

2011, 2012