Happy Banned Book Week
In honor of VP candidate Sarah Palin, this is banned book week.Here is some info I got from American Library Association:
Each year, the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom compiles a list of the top ten most frequently challenged books. To ensure that we include all challenges, we wait until the very end of the year to compile the information. You can expect each year's list to appear in February of the following year at the latest.
So, without further ado, the 10 Most Challenged Books of 2007:
1) “And Tango Makes Three,” by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell
Reasons: Anti-Ethnic, Sexism, Homosexuality, Anti-Family, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group
2) The Chocolate War,” by Robert Cormier
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Violence
3) “Olive’s Ocean,” by Kevin Henkes
Reasons: Sexually Explicit and Offensive Language
4) “The Golden Compass,” by Philip Pullman
Reasons: Religious Viewpoint
5) “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” by Mark Twain
Reasons: Racism
6) “The Color Purple,” by Alice Walker
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language,
7) "TTYL,” by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
8) "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” by Maya Angelou
Reasons: Sexually Explicit
9) “It’s Perfectly Normal,” by Robie Harris
Reasons: Sex Education, Sexually Explicit
10) "The Perks of Being A Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
You can also look at the Top 100 Banned/Challenged Boos in 2000-2007 here: http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlists/TOP_100_in_2000_2007.pdf
I really like this list! In fact I printed it, and am making it my goal to read every book on this list (not actually quite a hard accomplishment since between high school and college, I've read about 95% of them anyway). The thing I really liked though, is this may be the only reading list I've seen since my Women's Studies day that over 50% of the authors are female. It's all very interesting!
Go ahead, feel naughty, please enjoy a banned book today!