Every year we celebrate Banned Books Week and books that have been challenged the most over the past year.
For the second year running the Captain Underpants series has taken the top spot.
So what is the difference between a banned book and a challenged book? According to the American Library Association a challenged book is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. Challenges are the attempt to remove the materials from a curriculum or library which is an attempt to restrict access from others. A banning is the removal of those materials.
- Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey
Reasons: Offensive language, unsuited for age group, violence - The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison
Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, offensive language, racism, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group - Fifty Shades of Grey, by E.L. James
Reasons: Nudity, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group - The Hunger Games , by Suzanne Collins
Reasons: Religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group - A Bad Boy Can Be Good for A Girl , by Tanya Lee Stone
Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit - Looking for Alaska, by John Green
Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group - The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, homosexuality, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group - Bless Me Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya
Reasons: Occult/Satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit - Bone (series), by Jeff Smith
Reasons: Political viewpoint, racism, violence
The classics list is also very interesting. The Great Gatsby, Of Mice and Men, Lord of the Flies, and 1984 are just a few of the classics making the list. Many of these books are taught in high school and in many cases the challenges occur in school systems.
For more information about banned books week check ALA.org and Bannedbooks.org.