Anastasia Krupnik by Lois Lowry

in

Being ten is so hard, especially when you have to make lists about all the things you hate. Plus there's the cocaine addiction. Maybe?

Banned

#75 on the Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009

1986 - California - Roosevelt Elementary School's principal in Tulare removed the book but returned it later with the word "shit" whited out

1991 - Kansas - Challenged as offensive in Wichita public schools, it was retained.

1992 - Wisconsin - For profanity and references to underage drinking the book was removed but later returned to Stevens Point Area School elementary recommended reading list.

1998 - South Carolina - Because of "Lowry's use of a vulgarity for human waste, as well as the use of a slang term for sex," the book was removed from the Cayce-West Columbia School District's Congaree Elementary School library.

Sources

ALA. "Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009." Retrieved on 17 Aug 01 from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/top-100-bannedchallenged-books-2000-2009

Doyle, Robert P. Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read. ALA. 2014.

Lowry, Lois. Anastasia Krupnik. Yearling, 1979.

 

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"Dances and Dames." Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

in ,
The Things They Carried
By Tim O'Brien

War is hell but not in this book of truth-telling fiction. Crank up the Credence because we're going to 'Nam and learning what the war was really like.

Banned

#65 Top Banned and Challenged Books 2000-2009

1992 - Wisconsin - Because of "anti-American attitudes, offensive language, political bias, and disturbing fiction" it was removed from Waukesha classrooms

2000 - Pennsylvannia - Challenged but retained at Pennridge high school for language

2002 - Mississippi - Banned for profanity from George County schools

2006 - Illinois - Retained on the Northwest Suburban High School District 214 reading list in Arlintgon Heights with eight other titles based on excerpts from the internet. The board member instigating the challenges was elected amid promises of bringing Christian beliefs to decision making.

Sources 

ALA. "Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009." Retrieved on 17 Aug 01 from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/top-100-bannedchallenged-books-2000-2009

Doyle, Robert P. Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read. ALA. 2014.

O'Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried. Houghton Mifflin. Boston, Mass, 1990.

 

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Help support the podcast on Patreon

"Dances and Dames." Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Looking for Alaska
By John Green

An angsty kid meet some new friends in this heartbreaking tale of whiny smokers cussing a lot.

Banned

2008 - New York - Challenged, but retained for the 11th grade Regents English classes in Depew despite concerns about graphic language and sexual content. The school sent parents a letter requesting permission to use the novel and only 3 students were denied permission.

2012 - Tennessee - Challenged as required reading for Knox County High Schools' Honors and as Advanced Placement outside readings for English II because of "inappropriate language." School Superintendent Dr. James P. McIntyre, Jr. said that a parent identified this as an issue and the book was removed from the required reading list. He didn't say whether the book was still in the schools.

2013

Colorado - Parents of Fort Lupton Middle and High School challenged the books use in a 9th grade classrooms for sexual and alcohol content

Tennessee - Banned as required reading for Sumner County schools by the director of schools because of a sex scene that was "a bit much" and  "inappropriate language." The book was retained in the libraries.

2014 - New Jersey - Challenged in the Verona High School curriculum because a parent found the sexual nature of the story inappropriate.

2015 - Wisconsin - Challenged, but retained in the Waukesha South High School despite claims the book is "too racy to read."

2016

Kentucky - Marion County parent complained about book being included on 12th grade english, "calls the novel “filth” and lists his fear that the book would tempt students “to experiment with pornography, sex, drugs, alcohol and profanity.”" The book was removed from circulation until the school committee reached a decision. "Another resident has written to the local paper describing the novel as “mental pornography” and detailing the number of times the “‘f’ word” is used (16) and the the “‘sh’ word” is used (27)."

New Jersey - Challenged, but retained in the Lumberton Township middle school despite a parent questioning its "sexual content."

Sources

Doyle, Robert P. Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read. ALA. 2014.

Guardian - John Green fights back against banning of Looking for Alaska

Guardian - US battle over banning Looking for Alaska continues in Kentucky

Marshall University Libraries - Banned Books - Looking for Alaska

National Coalation Against Censorship - Looking for Alaska Under Fire in Kentucky

NJ.com - N.J. school district bans John Green's 'Looking for Alaska'

Office of Intellectual Freedom Blog - Here and Here

School Library Journal - Ban on John Green’s ‘Looking for Alaska’ Sparks Anger

School Library Journal - John Green Says ‘Looking for Alaska’ Challenged by Colorado Parents

I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel

in
I Am Jazz
By Jessica Herthel, Jazz Jennings

The autobiography of transgender teen Jazz Jennings, this heartfelt tale is one of acceptance.

Banned

2015 - Wisconsin - The Mount Horeb Primary Center planned a reading of the book to educate the students because of a transitioning student. They sent out a letter advising parents. The Liberty Council, a recognized hate group, sent a letter threatening to sue based on "inappropriate discusion of gender confusion and sexuality" with primary students. The school cancelled the reading. Local parents decided to hold a reading at a local library, attended by the author, with an audience of approximately 600.

#3 Top Ten Challenged of 2015, #4 Top Ten Challenged of 2016

Sources

My trans picture book was challenged – but the answer to hate speech is more speech

I Am Jazz Authors Call Readers to Action for Banned Books Week

I am Jazz Tag - OIF blog

I AM JAZZ - Marshall University Libraries

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

in

A banned book unstuck in time and how the library kept its forest despite mutant dogs. #godwearspants or #godalmightypees

Banned

1972 - Michigan - Rochester banned for containing and making reference to "religious matters"

1973 - North Dakota - Challenged at many communities, but burned in Drake

1975 - New York - Banned in Levittown

1979 - Ohio - Banned in North Jackson

1982 - Florida - Banned in Lakeland for "explicit sexual scenes, violence, and obscene language."

1984 - Wisconsin - Barred for purchase in Rancine by an administrative assistant for instructional services

1985 - Kentucky - Challenged in Owensboro for language a secont with an image depicting beastiality, a reference to Magic Fingers on a bed, and the line "The gun made a ripping sound like the opening of the fly of God Almighty."

1986 - Wisconsin - Restricted in Racine to parental permission at the flour Racine Unified District high schools for "language, depictions of torture, ethnic slurs, and negative portrayals of women."

1987

Georgia - challenged in Fitzgerald for profanity and sexual reference

Kentucky - challenged in LaRue County for language and "deviant sexual behavior"

1988 - Louisiana - challenged in a Baton Rouge high school library as "vulgar and offensive"

1989 - Michigan - challenged in Monroe high schools for language and portrayal of women

1996 - Texas - challenged in Round Rock high school for being too violent

1998 - Virginia - banned in Prince William County high schools for profanity and sex

2000 - Rhode Island - Removed from Coventry high school reading list after a parent complained of language, violence and sex

2006 - Illinois - A school board member in Arlington Heights, elected on a platform to bring Christian values to board decision making, raised a controversy about several books based on excerpts of the books she found on the Internet

2007 - Michigan - Challenged in Livingston County at Howell High School for strong sexual content by the organization Livingston Organization for Values in Education (LOVE). LOVE asked law enforcement to review the book for distributing sexually explicit conduct to minors. The county prosecutor said the book was not criminally liable, containing content of an artistic, literary, or political nature.

2010 - Missouri - Removed and later returned from Republic high schools, available only to parents. Teachers cannot acquire or read aloud from it. A resident said it taught principles contrary to the Bible.

Source

Doyle, Robert P. Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read. ALA. 2014.

"Dances and Dames" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

in
Invisible Man
By Ralph Ellison

Ralph Ellison's groundbreaking story about a boy becoming a man is discussed in part and we go into characters in fiction that have no name.

Banned

1975

Pennsylvania - Excerpts banned in Butler

Wisconsin - Removed from high school reading list in St. Francis

1994 - Washington - Retained the Yakima schools after two parents raised concerns about language, violence, and sex.

2013 - North Carolina - Challenged but retained at Randolph County high school libraries for language.

Sources

Doyle, Robert P. Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read. ALA. 2014.

"Dances and Dames" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/