Challenged Books

According to ALA:

A challenge is defined as a formal, written complaint, filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness. The number of challenges reflects only incidents reported. We estimate that for every reported challenge, four or five remain unreported. Therefore, we do not claim comprehensiveness in recording challenges.

A book can be challenged, but not banned. Challenging a book is just attempting to remove the book from the collection.

Here's the Top Ten of 2012 List:

Out of 464 challenges as reported by the Office for Intellectual Freedom

1. Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey.
   Reasons: Offensive language, unsuited for age group
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie.
   Reasons: Offensive language, racism, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group
3. Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher.
   Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited for age group
4. Fifty Shades of Grey, by E. L. James.
   Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit
5. And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson.
   Reasons: Homosexuality, unsuited for age group
6. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini.
   Reasons: Homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit
7. Looking for Alaska, by John Green.
   Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group
8. Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
   Reasons: Unsuited for age group, violence
9. The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls
   Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit
10. Beloved, by Toni Morrison
    Reasons: Sexually explicit, religious viewpoint, violence

Some of the books on this list, in my opinion, should be challenged. When Fifty Shades of Grey was published, I must admit, I began reading it. It seemed like everywhere I went the book was being promoted in some form. I began reading this book, and had to stop. I attend a very relaxed Baptist church, yet my preacher still felt so strongly about this book that he preached an entire sermon about it. I heard several ladies talking about buying a Kindle- just to read this book. They were too ashamed for anyone to see them physically holding the book. As a general rule of thumb- if you're too ashamed to hold the book, you probably shouldn't be reading it! I think this book offers women an escape, and that is why it is so appealing to them.

Other books, such as the Captain Underpants series, seem okay to me. There comes a point in a child's life, that they have to know right from wrong. It is the job of parents and other adults, to instill values in the children. All of my life, I knew right from wrong, and I never let a book influence my choices in a negative way.

I think it is SO IMPORTANT that parents or guardians be involved in their child's reading interests. As a parent, if you do not feel comfortable with your child reading a book, you need to do what you feel is right. On the other hand, at some point, that child will have to make decisions for themselves.

Again, all of this is a matter of opinion. Each family's values and beliefs will influence they way they feel about this topic.