October 2, 2005

Banned books

I have only read twenty-one of the American Library Association's 100 most frequently challenged books. I would be embarrassed, but, well, what the hell are most of these books, anyway?

(Seen at The Valve in a post by John Holbo, who nods to Washington Monthly.)

The list, and my picks, below the fold.

1. Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
2. Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite
3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
4. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
7. Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
8. Forever by Judy Blume
9. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
10. Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
11. Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
12. My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
13. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
14. The Giver by Lois Lowry
15. It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
16. Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
17. A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
18. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
19. Sex by Madonna
20. Earth’s Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
21. The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
22. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
23. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
24. Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
25. In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
26. The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
27. The Witches by Roald Dahl
28. The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
29. Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
30. The Goats by Brock Cole
31. Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
32. Blubber by Judy Blume
33. Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
34. Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
35. We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
36. Final Exit by Derek Humphry
37. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
38. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
39. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
40. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
41. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
42. Beloved by Toni Morrison
43. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
44. The Pigman by Paul Zindel
45. Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
46. Deenie by Judy Blume
47. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
48. Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
49. The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
50. Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
51. A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
52. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
53. Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
54. Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
55. Cujo by Stephen King
56. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
57. The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
58. Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
59. Ordinary People by Judith Guest
60. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
61. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
62. Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
63. Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
64. Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
65. Fade by Robert Cormier
66. Guess What? by Mem Fox
67. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
68. The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
69. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
70. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
71. Native Son by Richard Wright
72. Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies by Nancy Friday
73. Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
74. Jack by A.M. Homes
75. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
76. Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
77. Carrie by Stephen King
78. Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
79. On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
80. Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
81. Family Secrets by Norma Klein
82. Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
83. The Dead Zone by Stephen King
84. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
85. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
86. Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
87. Private Parts by Howard Stern
88. Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford
89. Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
90. Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
91. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
92. Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
93. Sex Education by Jenny Davis
94. The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
95. Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
96. How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
97. View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
98. The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
99. The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
100. Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

In the Night Kitchen??? I guess those three chefs are kinda gay... Scribbled at October 2, 2005 7:23 PM AST | Permanent link to this post | More? books/reading
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Hmmm?

James and the Giant Peach is fabulous. I read it with my sons last Christmas break.

Scribbled by Michelle Palmer at October 2, 2005 11:37 PM | Permalink

A lot of these books are award-winning children's/young adult novels. I've read a lot of them, and most of the objections to them (I think) focus on very mild, usually tastefully handled themes of adolesent sexuality (Judy Blume novels), that wicked witchcraft (HP, Roald Dahl) and the "upsetting" nature of some of the material. "Bridge to Teribithia" is about a couple of friends, one of whom dies/commits suicide (?). I remember being very upset when I read it at nine or ten. If only it had been banned by my local library, I would have been saved the trauma, and I'd never have to learn about death or loss...

I find it very distressing that three gems of African-American women's fiction are there (Maya Angelou's autobiography, "The Color Purple," Toni Morrison's "Bluest Eye.") There seems to be a theme there, too...

Scribbled by Jacqui at October 3, 2005 8:36 AM | Permalink

I recognize most of these both from my days as a sixth-grade teacher and from my days as a sixth-grader. Most are good books, but I do recall reading The Chocolate War when I was teaching and thinking it was inappropriate for a young audience--not because it dealt with sexual themes, but because it was just so mean-spirited. I also had to throw a book by A.M. Homes (not Jack, but The End of Alice) in the trash mid-read because it was so objectionable, I couldn't even stand to see it on the bedside table.

But How to Eat Fried Worms? A classic! I can still remember some of the recipes.

Scribbled by Denise at October 9, 2005 5:00 PM | Permalink

I am reading books for younger children -- my son is four and a half -- but I find the same thing, and often with quite popular books. The Rainbow Fish, for example, seems to be about buying friends.

Scribbled by mj at October 9, 2005 9:11 PM | Permalink

After reading the list of banned books, I am astounded at some of the titles banned. Harry Potter? Sure, witchcraft is supposed to be evil, but at the same time, the book does make a distinction between good and evil, and some of the values noted in the books (among them friendship and bravery) are important qualities for real life. Where's Waldo? I still have two books from that series, I never knew it was banned! Why ban it? It's a book along the same lines as the I-Spy series, and I haven't seen any references to sex or homosexuality in the books. ???

Scribbled by OpenMinded at October 27, 2005 12:15 PM | Permalink

Wiccan would likely argue with the assumption that witchcraft is evil.

And while I agree that explicit references to sexuality, or depictions of relationships with unpleasant dynamics (sexual or otherwise) could be upsetting to children, many of the books about homosex on this list are focused on the idea that "family" is a diverse idea, rather than on what Daddy and his Roomate do behind closed doors. The books that do deal with sexuality seem pretty tame.

A lot depends on what age children we are talking about.

But yes, I share your bemusement with this list.

Scribbled by mj at October 27, 2005 12:25 PM | Permalink

How ironic '1984'is on another list of the top ten banned books of 2005, huh?
The Bridge to Terabitha, number 9 on the list is required reading in 5th or 6th grade at my son's school. 'Catcher on the Rye' was the the most enjoyable of all the required reading I had as a kid. As history and reality contort to fit the twisted moral path they're forced to travel on I wonder who the kids will dread to read when William Shakesphere's gone?

Scribbled by Lucy at October 28, 2005 2:46 AM | Permalink

why is deeine a banned book. ok but thnxs for talking with me

Scribbled by dillon at January 10, 2006 2:21 PM | Permalink

I think it is wrong to have theses books listed as banned. I have read 90 of these listed books- this is silly. I found this page byaccident because I was looking for a book that my teacher read to my class in 3rd grade. I am a senior now and read heavily. How can you "ban" these books when there are soooo many other things worth fighting for? Have you even read some of these books? or have your children? If not let them read one and get their opinion on it. This is just my opinion- but seriously, their are worse things out there than these books.

Scribbled by Paige at May 23, 2007 5:50 PM | Permalink