The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

in ,

Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy kinda saunter into the magical world of Narnia and tear stuff up. It's good to be the Sons of Adam and the Daughters of Eve.

Banned

1990 - Maryland - Challenged in Howard County schools for "graphic violence, mysticism, and gore."

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.

Lanzendorfer, Joy. "16 Facts About The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." Mental Floss, 2014. Retrieved on January 10, 2018 from http://mentalfloss.com/article/58698/16-facts-about-lion-witch-and-wardrobe

Lewis, C. S. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. HarperEntertainment. New York, 1994.

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The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

in
The Catcher in the Rye
By J.D. Salinger

Advice and ghosts are in the library as well as the classic novel about a whiny jerk going out on the town and learning that life if full of hypocrisy, even himself.

Banned

1960 - Oklahoma - Teacher was fired in Tulsa from an 11th grade English position for assigning the book. Teacher appealed and was reinstated but the book was removed from the school

1963 - Ohio - Columbus parents asked the school board to ban the novel for being "anti-white" and "obscene." The school board refused.

1975 - Pennsylvania - Removed from reading list after parents complained about the language and content. The book was reinstated after the school board vote, orginally 5-4, was deemed illegal as they required a two-thirds vote in favor to remove a text.

1977 - New Jersey - Challenged and the board ruled the book could be read in an advanced placement class with parental permission.

1978 - Washington - Issaquah school removed it from their optional reading list

1979 - Michigan - Removed from the required reading list at Middleville.

1980 - Ohio - Removed from Jackson Milton school libraries in North Jackson

1982

Alabama - Removed from Anniston High School libraries and later reinstated

Manitoba, Canada - Removed from school libraries in Morris along with two other books as they violate committee's guidelines covering "excess vulgar language, sexual scenes, things  concerning moral issues, excessive violence, and anything dealing with the occult."

1983 - Montana - Challenged at Libby High School due to the book's contents

1985 - Florida - Banned from English classes at the Freeport High School in De Funiak Springs as being "unacceptable" and "obscene"

1986 - Wyoming - Removed from Medicine Bow senior high school English reading list because of profanity and sexual references

1987 - North Dakota - Banned from a required sophomore English reading list at Napoleon High School after parents and the local Knights of Columbus chapter complained of profanity and sexual references

1988 - Indiana - Challenged at the Linton-Stockton High School as being "blasphemous and undermines morality"

1989 - California - Muroc Joint Unified School District board in Boron High School removed the book from school reading lists after parents complain the novel was unsuitable because of profanity, blasphemy and promotion of anti-family values. Local resident and religious activist Patty Salazar said she supports the board action because the novel "doesn't belong in a public high school." "It uses the Lord's name in vain 200 times," she said. "That's enough reason to ban it right there. They say it describes reality. I say let's back up from reality. Let's go backwards. Let's go back to when we didn't have an immoral society."

1991 - Illinois - Challenged at Grayslake Community High School

1992

Illinois - Challenged at the Jamaica High School in Sidell for profanity, depiction of premarital sex, alcohol abuse, and prostitution

Iowa - Challenged at Waterloo schools for profanity, lurid passages about sex, and statements defamatory to minorities, God, women, and the disabled.

Florida - Challenged at Duval County public school libraries for profanity, lurid passages about sex, and statements defamatory to minorities, God, women, and the disabled.

Pennsylvania - Challenged at the Cumberland Valley High School after parent's objections of profanity and immorality.

1993 - California - Challenged and retained at Corona Norco Unified School district because it is "centered around negative activity."

1994

Wisconsin - Challenged but retained at the New Richmond High School for use in some English classes

New Hampshire - Challenged as mandatory reading in the Goffstown schools for language and sexual content

1995 - Florida - Challenged at the St. Johns County Schools

1996 - Maine - Parent challenged over the word "fuck" ("f" word) at teh Oxford Hills High School

1997

Georgia - Challenged but retained at the Glynn Academy High School in Brunswick after a student objected to profanity and sexual content.

California - Removed by school superintendent required reading curriculum of the Marysville Joint Unified School District  to get it "out of the way so that we didn't have that polarization over a book."

1999-2000 - Georgia - Vanned and reinstated after community protests at the Windsor Forest High School in Savannah after a parent complained about the sex, violence, and profanity

2000 - Alabama - Challenged but retained at the Limestone County school district after complaints of language

2001

South Carolina - Removed by a Dorchester District 2 school board member in Summerville because it "is a filthy, filthy book."

Georgia - Challenged by a school board member for language but retained in Glynn County

2005 – Maine - Challenged, but retained as an assigned reading in the Noble High School in North Berwick.

2009 – Montana - Challenged in the Big Sky high School in Missoula

2010 - Florida - Challenged but retained in the Martin School District after a parent's complaint for language

"Dances and Dames"

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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The Witches by Roald Dahl

in
The Witches
By Roald Dahl

When a young boy meets up with some witches, he might be losing his damn mind. Roald Dahl, you so crazy!

Banned

#22 ALA Banned List, 1990-199

perceived misogyny. Dahl says that witches can only be women. "I do not wish to speak badly about women," the author writes. "Most women are lovely. But the fact remains that all witches are women. There is no such thing as a male witch. On the other hand, a ghoul is always a male... both are dangerous.  But neither of them is half as dangerous as a REAL WITCH."

"the children misbehave and take retribution on the adults and there's never, ever a consequence for their actions"

Devalues the life of a child

1987 - Amana, Iowa for being “too sophisticated and did not teach moral values”

1989 - Billings, Montana attempt was made wherein Dahl commented the parents had no sense of humor

1990 - Goose Lake, Iowa for violence, mouse turning, and the word “slut”

1991 - Dallas, Oregon for possiblity of turning kids to witchcraft or the occult

1992

Escondido, California for fear of desensitizing kids to violence and increasing the interest in witchcraft

La Mesa-Spring Valley, California for depiction of witches as ordinary women that children cannot defend against and promoting Wiccan and witchcraft

1993

Spenser, Wisconsin for desensitizing children to crimes related to witchcraft

Pennsylvania - Challenged at Pine Forge Elementary School in Boyertown area

1994 - Challenged but retained in Battle Creek, Michigan despite a parent claiming it is “satanic.”

1995 - Stafford, Virginia for “crude language” and encouraging children to be disobediant

1997 - Wichita Falls, Texas for satanic themes

1998 - Dublin, Ohio - “derogatory to children, hurtful to self-esteem, and conflicted with the the [challenger’s] family’s religious and moral beliefs.”

Sources:

Christian Science Monitor

SHmoop

ALA

LA Trobe University

SkepticFiles

Karolides, Nicholas J. et al. 120 Banned Books: Censorship Histories of World Literature. Checkmark Books, 1997. pg 314-320.

Doyle, Robert P. Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read. American Library Association, 2014. pg 145.

"Dances and Dames"

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

in

Once upon a time, a little boy went on a magical adventure. Except I'm betting it was all in his head because this is some crazy crap featuring bugs, giant produce, and murder in the clouds.

Banned

#50 ALA list, 1990–1999

1991

Florida - Challenged at Deep Creek Elementary in Charlotte Harbor for "not appropriate reading material for young children."

Wisconsin - Challenged at Pederson Elemntary School in Altoona for use of the word "ass" and the parts with wine, tobacco, and snuff.

1992 - Florida

Challenged at the Morton Elementary School library in Brooksville because it promotes drugs and whiskey and has a foul word

Hernando County, Florida - a woman in Hernando County, Florida, took issue with Grasshopper's statement, "I'd rather be fried alive and eaten by a Mexican!", as well as references to snuff, tobacco and whiskey. Her complaints to her 10-year-old daughter's school principal led to review by the regional school board.

1995 - Virginia - Challenged at Stafford County Schools for crude language and encourages children to disobey authority. The book was removed from classrooms and placed in the library where it is restricted

1999 - Texas - Banned from an elementary school in Lufkin for containing the word "ass."

Indian River County, FL - mystical element

Wisconsin - spider licking her lips could be sexual

Toledo, Ohio - book store owner claimed it was advocating communism

Sources

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

100 most frequently challenged books: 1990–1999

Favorite Banned Books

Book Slut

Smart Bitches Trashy Books

DeleteCensorship.org

"Dances and Dames"

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

in
Bridge to Terabithia
By Katherine Paterson

A young boy makes a new friend and is drawn deeper into an evil world of Satanism and the occult, learning sometimes sacrifices must be made.

Banned

1986 - Nebraska - Challenged in Lincoln schools as 6th grade recommended reading because of inclusion of “profanity,” including the phrases “Oh Lord” and “Lord” as expletive.

1990 - Burlington, Connecticut: Challenged as suitable curriculum material because it contains “language and subject matter that set bad examples and give students negative views of life.”

1992

Apple Valley, California: Challenged in Unified School District because of “vulgar language.”

Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Challenged in school district because of “profanity and references to witchcraft.”

Cleburne, Texas: Challenged because of “profane language.” School board voted to retain book in libraries, but not to include it as required reading.

1993

Oskaloosa, Kansas: Challenge led to new policy requiring teachers to examine all required material for profanities, list each profanity and note number of times it is used in book, and forward list to parents, who must then give written permission for children to read material.

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania: Challenged because of “offensive language.”

1995 - Medway, Maine: Challenged because book uses “swear words.”

1996 - Pulaski Township, Pennsylvania: Removed from 5th grade classrooms of New Brighton Area School District due to “profanity, disrespect for adults, and an elaborate fantasy world” that “might lead to confusion.”

2002 - Cromwell, Connecticut: Challenged in Cromwell middle schools (along with another Newbery Award-winning book, The Witch of Blackbird Pond and the Harry Potter books in general) because they are “satanic [and] a danger to our children.” Argues that the “witchcraft” supposedly displayed in the books equates with the religion of Wicca, and because Wicca is an organized religion, it violates the First Amendment concept against the establishment of religion by the government.

Sources:

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

University of Minnesota, Dr. Roggenkamp;

ALA Newbery Winners;

ALA Banned Books 1990-1999;

Banned Books Awareness “Bridge to Terabithia”;

American Bookseller’s Association “Connecticut Residents Seek to Ban Two Newbery Medal Winners from School”

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Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter #1) by J K Rowling

in ,

The Harry Potter that started it all! Join Evan as he talks about wizards, wizardry, how Hogwarts is a hellscape, and how unicorns are not innocent.

Banned

1999

California - Parent's objected to the book's use in two Moorpark elementary schools

Colorado - Parents objected at Douglas County schools

New York - Parents objected in suburban Buffalo among other districts

South Carolina - Challenged in schools because "the book has a serious tone of death, hate, lack of respect, and sheer evil."

2000

Ontario, Canada - Challenged but retained in the Durham School District because of witchcraft

Brisbane, Australia - Banned from Christian Outreach College library, being considered violent and dangerous

Alabama - Challenged but retained in Arab school libraries, claiming the author "is a member of the occult and the book encourages children to practice witchcraft."

California

Challenged but retained in the Simi Valley School District after a parent complained the book was violent, anti-family, had a religious theme, and lacked educational value.

Challenged but retained at the Orange Grove Elementary School for magic and bad experiences.

Challenged in the Fresno Unified School District by a religious group voicing concerns about sorcery and witchcraft.

Florida - Challenged in six Santa Rosa County schools in Pace for witchcraft.

Iowa - Challenged in Cedar Rapids school libraries because the book romantically portrays witches, warlocks, wizards, goblins, and sorcerers

Illinois - Challenged but retained in Frankfort School District 157-C after parents complained of lying and smart-aleck retorts to adults.

Michigan

Zeeland schools restricted the book to parental permission for fifth to eighth graders as well as no future installments would be purchased. Restrictions were overturned by the superintendent except one: teachers are prohibited from reading the book aloud to students below sixth grade. Restrictions place because the book contained an intense story line, violence, wizardry, and the sucking of animal blood.

Removed from Bridgeport Township public school for promoting witchcraft

New Hampshire - Challenged but retained in the Newfound Area School District in Bristol despite complaints the book was scary.

New York - Challenged at the Salamanca elementary school library for dark themes

Oregon - Challenged in Bend at Three Rivers Elementary school for witchcraft and concerns that the book would lead children to hatred and rebellion

Texas - Restricted to parental permission in the Santa Fe School District because of witchcraft promotion

2001

Florida - Challenged but retained in the Duval County school libraries despite complaint of witchcraft.

New Mexico - Burned in Alamogordo outside Christ Community Church as being "a masterpiece of satanic deception."

Pennsylvania - Challenged in Bucktown's Owen J. Roberts School District because the "books are telling children over and over again that lying, cheating, and stealing are not only acceptable, but that they're cool and cute."

2002

Moscow, Russia - Challenged by a Slavic cultural organization that alleged the stories about magic and wizards could draw students into Satanism

United Arab Emirates - one of 26 books banned from schools that contradicts Islamic and Arab values

Arkansas - Originally challenged for characterizing authority as "stupid" and portrays "good witches and good magic" and placed on restricted access. Parents of a fourth-grader filed a federal lawsuit against the restriction and the federal judge overturned the restriction.

Kentucky - A teacher's prayer group in Russell Springs proposed this for ghosts, cults, and witchcraft as well as fifty other titles for removal. 

2003 - Connecticut - Challenged but retained in the New Haven schools as it "makes witchcraft and wizardry alluring to children"

 

2006 - Georgia - Gwinnett County for guess what, but the school board rejected it. Georgia Board of Education ruled December 14, 2006 that the parent had failed to prove her contention that the series "promote[s} the Wicca religion and therefore that the book's availability in public schools does not constitute advocacy of a religion." On May 29, 2007, Superior Court judge Ronnie Batchelor upheld the Georgia Board of Education's decision to support local school officials. County school board members have said the bo oks are good tools to encourage children to read and to spark creativity and imagination.

2007 - Massachusetts - Removed from the St. Joseph School in Wakefield because the themes of witchcraft and sorcery were inappropriate for a Catholic school.

2010 - Calgary, Alberta, Canada - Salvation Army post refusing to take donations of Harry Potter items because they “promote black magic and the occult.”

2019 - Tennessee - Rev. Dan Reehil, the pastor of St. Edward Catholic School, consulted with exorcists and the Catechism of the Catholic Church before making the decision to remove the book series from the school library due to the possibility of risking “conjuring evil spirits” as well as concerns that the book teaches Machiavellian approaches to problem solving. Students may still read the book on school grounds.

Sources

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

Willingham, AJ. “A Catholic school removes 'Harry Potter' from its shelves, claiming the books' spells are real.” CNN.com. CNN, September 3, 2019. Retrieved September 3, 2019 from https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/03/us/harry-potter-catholic-church-st-edward-nashville-trnd/index.html

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"Dances and Dames"

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard

in

When evil comes to pray on poor Dudley the Stork, he calls upon his animal friends to help him. Too bad they are all crazy idiots. The quick and funny ghost story is written for just beginning to read children as a first chapter book containing surprises with a bit of complexity in the language. Honestly, the twist at the end is not one I will spoil as written, but it is sure to make you say Hay! I hate puns. Stand out character is the medium Madam Creepy, the mystic alligator. The drawings are fun and in keeping with the artist and writer's other collaborations. A fun time.

Banned

  • #93 on the Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009
  • occult and various supernatural issues, description of families in a derogatory manner and encourages disrespectful language and disobedience to parents
  • 1986 - challenged at Wasilla Library, Alaska, retained

"Dances and Dames"

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Carrie by Stephen King

in
Carrie
By Stephen King

Meet Carrie. She's a sad and lonely girl who gets picked on until she kills everyone. With super powers. Like you do. The novel is a blend of third person narration and secondary fictional material outlining some history, background, and context for the events of the novel where Carrie gets picked on and kills everyone. This blend can be jarring, but also aids in the suspense. The reader knows where all this bullying, premarital sex, cursing, and general shitty teen behavior will lead as soon as we learn the crazy girl can move things with her mind, but the "nonfiction" additions help stretch out the quick pacing. If you are a Stephen King purist, you already know this book by heart. Everyone else deserves to check it out from the library.

Banned

1975 - Nevada - Challenged at Clark High School Library in Las Vegas, considered “trash.”

1978 - Vermont - Delegated to a special closed shelf at Union High School library in Vergennes citing it could “harm” students, especially “younger girls.”

1987 - Iowa - Book removed from West Lyon Community School library in Larchwood, Iowa cited as “it does not meet the standards of the community.”

1991 - New York - Banned from all of the district libraries of Altmar-Parish-Williamstown, New York.

1994

Pennsylvania - Challenged by a parent in the Junior High East Library located in Boyertown, Pennsylvania. Complaining of “the book’s language,” sexual descriptions and a “satanic killing” sequence.

North Dakota - A minister from Bismarck, North Dakota wanted this book and eight other King novels (Cujo, Christine, The Dead Zone, The Drawing of the Three, The Eyes of the Dragon, Pet Semetary, The Shining, and Thinner), to be banned from the school libraries. He challenged the books because of “age appropriateness.”

Sources

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

"Dances and Dames"

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

in ,
Bless Me, Ultima
By Rudolfo Anaya

A boy and his magical grandmother battle evil while going to church and finding fish gods. Also, the farmer and the cowman can be friends.

Banned

1992 - California - Challenged at the Porterville high schools for "many profane and obscene references, vulgar Spanish words, and glorifies witchcraft and death"

1996 - Texas - Retained on the Round Rock Independent High School Reading list after a challenge that the book was too violent

1999 - California - Removed from the Laton Unified School District for violence and profanity that might harm students after being chosen because the student population is 80 percent Hispanic.

2000 - New York - Challenged at the John Jay High School in Wappingers Falls because the book is "full of sex and cursing"

2005 - Norwood, Colorado, Norwood High School - after the book was removed from reading lists and to be destroyed, the parents asked to burn it - The book was removed by the superintendent after two parents complained about profanity. He gave all copies of the books to the parents who "tossed them in the trash." The superintendent later apologized after students organized an all day sit-in at the school gym. 

2008 - Newman, CA, Orestimba High School - removed by the superintendent for being "profane and anti-Catholic." Teachers claimed the superintendent circumvented policy on book challenges and set a dangerous precedent. 

2013 - Driggs, ID, Teton Valley School District - Removed and reinstated after being banned by the superintendent for "profanity and alleged inappropriateness"

Part of The Big Read

Sources

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

"Dances and Dames"

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

in
Where the Wild Things Are
By Maurice Sendak

A child gets sent to bed without dinner and in the throes of hunger pains experiences vivid hallucinations of wild things and voyages.

Banned

Banned for being "too dark" and for supernatural themes.

Most accounts are vague, but American Southern libraries and schools seem to be the initial place of the book being challenged.

Child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim criticized the book in the March 1969 edition of Ladies Home Journal, although in the same column admitted to not being familiar with the book.

Sources

Shafer, Jack. “Maurice Sendak’s Thin Skin.” The Slate. Original publication October 15, 2009. Retrieved September 25, 2018 from https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2009/10/where-the-wild-things-are-author-maurice-sendak-can-t-stoppositioning-himself-as-bruno-bettelheim-s-victim.html

"Dances and Dames"

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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