The ALA's 2011 List of Challenged Books

CO301D Final Project: Banned and Challenged Books

Here we go, the official ALA Top Ten List of Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2011 (for those too lazy to watch the awesome video I made):


1) ttyl; ttfn; l8r, g8r (series), by Lauren Myracle
Offensive language; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group


2) The Color of Earth (series), by Kim Dong Hwa
Nudity; sex education; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group


3) The Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins
Anti-ethnic; anti-family; insensitivity; offensive language; occult/satanic; violence


4) My Mom’s Having A Baby! A Kid’s Month-by-Month Guide to Pregnancy, by Dori Hillestad Butler
Nudity; sex education; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group


5) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
Offensive language; racism; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group


6) Alice (series), by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Nudity; offensive language; religious viewpoint


7) Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
Insensitivity; nudity; racism; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit


8) What My Mother Doesn’t Know, by Sonya Sones
Nudity; offensive language; sexually explicit


9) Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily Von Ziegesar
Drugs; offensive language; sexually explicit


10) To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
Offensive language; racism



Adolescent literature is a complicated matter, though at any age there are challenged books. Societal members, especially parents, approach the ALA (American Library Association) with the intention of banning a book because they deem it “unfit.” These books are challenged for a variety of reasons but the top four are; the book was sexually explicit, there was offensive language, religious viewpoints, and finally “unsuited to age group.” Are these books truly “unsuited” for the age groups? Should they be banned? And finally, why is it so important?

I grew up in a largely religious (mostly Christian), white, middle class area. There were many times that I hated it. Most of the time actually. Aside from skiing, I had one release, one escape. And that was to read. I grew up reading. My parents read to me from the day I was born and continued. When I learned to read myself, there was no stopping me. I took the books once read to me and then read them for myself, finding new stories inside. Reading has always been a part of who I am.

So what does my love of reading have to do with a college class's final project? Well, I always read whatever I wanted to. My parents didn't hold me back. I was reading high school leveled reading in early middle school. Clearly, I forced my parents to have the sex talk earlier than they had intended. My parents always challenged me to find my own beliefs, my own ideas. In reading it was no different. Harry Potter? No problem. Wicked? Sure, why not. I never heard of a challenged book. I didn't think it was possible, after all, there is free speech? Right? Right?

My first encounter with a former banned book, frequently "challenged" book was Catcher in the Rye, an interesting book for sure. After reading it, however, I didn't understand why it had been banned. I'd read worse literature before, books that hadn't even been challenged that I knew of. I didn't even realize that Twilight, yes, Twilight had been on the 2010 list of challenged books as being sexually explicit.

To me, the act of challenging a book, trying to ban it in classrooms, libraries, communities, is sacrilege. Might as well just burn them. No really, please don't. So let's start from the top. What is a banned book? A banned book "is one that has been censored by an authority—a government, a library, or a school system. A book that has been banned is actually removed from a library or school system," (infoplease). The American Library Association has thousands of applications to challenge a book a year.

Censorship is a huge debate, here in the United States, ranging from Television to school newspapers. While Free Speech truly is a thing here, we also have to give it to idiots who want to ban books. So you can see my opinions on it, and if not here's a snapshot —I think it's nuts. But what are some other opinions?

"Censorship indeed takes away someone's access to information, but as long as the side that's left is the side that's good, then it should definitely be enacted, even if only to prevent children from getting at evil books like The Catcher in The Rye, and LaVey's Satanic Bible. Censorship limits thought, but if you take that stance, then prosecuting criminals limits their freedoms. Censorship should be used as a proactive criminal justice system, taking the ideas of Naked Lunch and others like it out of people's heads for good." Or how about "There are many, many things that the world would be better off if they could be banned. Islam, for a start, and all other religions that damn people to hell (like Christianity). Liberal propaganda. Texts defending the right to sodomy or trying to normalise it. Attacks on the family. Anti-christian materials. Pornography. Occultism. Darwinism, and other pseudosciences that destroy God. I would be happy to see all of those banned. However, there is no earthly authority that I would trust to write or to enforce the list of banned materials - there is too much potential for corruption, and without such an authority there is no option but to allow everything. This is why the first ammendment exists - of course the founders knew there were many things that should be banned, but they also realised that government cannot be trusted to do this. Better to just put up with this cultural pollution and to fight it where possible than to risk creating a position with the power to ban the bible and hoping it's only ever occupied by good people. All we can do as Christians is fight to silence and surpress unholy speech and those who continue to make it on a case-by-case basis, to keep it as quiet as possible." And lastly this one because I can't tell if it's a troll or not..."Alll books should be banned that do not include god." These opinions are courtesy of...Conservapedia...yeah that just happened.

Frankly sometimes I do wonder what it would be like if we actually banned all these books from every school and library. And then I shudder out of my nightmare and begin to read. For my Adolescent Lit class, yes the one I created this blog for, I read a couple of the books on that list. Yes they are challenging (not in the way that it is hard to read, but that the material challenges your thinking), but isn't that what literature is all about? Learning something. Challenging yourself to think in new ways.

I'd like to offer a message to those out there that think that books like these should be challenged (especially those like Harry Potter though it is no longer on the list), I read Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. In its entirety. I am a liberal person. I am Democrat through and through. Yet Atlas Shrugged is not on the challenged book list. Nope, even though it had many of the same elements as those up top there, it is championed as great literature. So I challenge you to read a book that is the complete opposite of what you believe, what you grown up believing, and have discovered to be your own beliefs. You don't have to like it, but you have to read it. I surely do not agree with Ayn Rand, I personally think she's nuts, but I'm not trying to ban her work.

Throughout history there has been a war between those who wish to ban and those who believe in their rights to believe. It is not just Adolescent Literature that has taken a hit. James Joyce, Mary Shelley, Mark Twain, Washington Irving, Darwin, Shakespeare, oh so much Shakespeare, has been banned in the past and present.

So what do you believe. Do you believe in creating a padded world of solid, Christian, family values, or do you believe in reading the cold hard truth of this world? Not every book is a champion among literature. I wholeheartedly hate the Twilight series, but it shouldn't be banned.

Banned Book week is a fairly famous, protest on reading banned books. This year it is to be celebrated September 30th-October6th. I've just heard of it, and I like it. According to the website, bannedbooksweek.org, "This year marks the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week and the theme is '30 years of Liberating Literature.' Check back frequently to find out more information about Banned Books Week events and this year's Banned Books Virtual Read-Out." 

I end this rant, this raving about the power of books, and leave you with two messages. First, I will take it upon myself as a future teacher of English, that I will not hide my students from the books that are "challenged." And lastly, I leave you with a quote from Kurt Vonnegut, the renowned Science Fiction author;

"All these people talk so eloquently about getting back to good old-fashioned values. Well, as an old poop I can remember back to when we had those old-fashioned values, and I say let's get back to the good old-fashioned First Amendment of the good old-fashioned Constitution of the United States -- and to hell with the censors! Give me knowledge or give me death!"


BIBLIOGRAPHY:


1. "Banned Books Week." Banned Books Week. 1 Aug. 2011. Web. 07 May 2012.              <http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/>.


2. "Debate: Should Certain Books Be Banned from Libraries?" - Conservapedia. 11 Aug. 2011. Web. 08 May 2012. <http://www.conservapedia.com/Debate:_Should_certain_books_be_banned_from_libraries%3F>.


3. "Frequently Challenged Books of the 21st Century." ALA. American Library Association, 2012. Web. 2 May 2012. <http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/21stcenturychallenged>.


4. Infoplease. Infoplease. Web. 09 May 2012. <http://www.infoplease.com/spot/banned-kids-books.html>.


5. Gordon, Mandi. "Censored Quotes About Banning Books{a Must Read for Anyone That Likes Freedom}." Gather.com. Gather, 9 Nov. 2007. Web. 7 May 2012. <http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977172841>.

Book 12: Annette Curtis Klaus' "Blood and Chocolate"

Here we go again. I have given you another "chick" book but at least it's a little more violent, bloody, and sexy. The fantasy romance novel takes the legend of the werewolf in a slightly new direction. They are not made but born and they're an evolutionary special part of our world.

The werewolves (though they are far too proud to call themselves that), are in big trouble. Their leader, our main character Vivian's father, burned up in a raid by humans. All because one of the teen wolves got a little too frisky with a human girl and ate her. Yum yum, fake boobs, it's what's for dinner. So the clan moved to a new city and scattered around and started bickering like any other family. 

Vivian a sexy blond with big boobies struggles to find her niche in the new school where everyone hates her because she's beautiful. She misses her father and falls in love with gasp! A human. She wants to share her beautiful, wolfy side with him along with her naughty bits. But her family and the rest of the clan don't like that because well, look what happened the last time humans found out. 

This is a bit of a cheesy romance for adolescents, most of the fun parts are not explicitly talked about but made very, very clear. Hidden beneath the sex and violence there's a wonderful  message to accept who you are oh and don't have interracial relationships because those will only end in violence and tears. Right...

Again, a very quick read that doesn't have much meat and potatoes, just a side salad, but good for a weekend read after reading abundant amounts of Shakespeare and articles on Rhetoric and Literary Criticism. I would not suggest this for readers that like in depth reading or find romance novels tedious. I find them hilarious, hence I was able to get through this book unscathed. 

This book is another 2 out of 5, quite a bit of a doozy. But again if you're really bored...why not.

Book 11: Terri Farley's "Seven Tears into the Sea"

Okay, okay, I know, I'm reading one of those dreaded "chick books." I am a chick after all and might as well get it out of the way, at least I'm not reading "Twilight." These chick books do have a time and a place and hey, a lot of adolescent girls love these fantasy romance books. I'll admit, for the longest time, I was one of those girls...I even read every single one of the "Twilight" books...then realized what I just read and came to my senses.

So, this story is based off the legend of the Selkie, a man or woman who is actually a seal who shed its skin and became a human and usually find love. The human will then hid the skin of the Selkie to keep it from swimming away (giving Dori's "just keep swimming" phrase to be a tad bit difficult). The Selkie may love the human but usually ends up hating them and calling for revenge. This legend comes from Ireland, Scotland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands. It's quite a depressing legend. 

Now in the book, the story tells of Gwen who has a big mystery in her past (dun dun duunnn), and at the fresh age of seventeen finally returns to the place it all happened to help out her dear old Gran. No this is not based off of "Little Red Riding Hood." She gets a cottage all to herself, which I'll admit, I completely want it. She meets Jesse who seems so familiar, oh no could this be related to her mysterious past?! Yes. Obviously. And obviously though she hates him at first they end up making sweet, sweet oceany love. Well, they kiss. I mean no seventeen-year-old girl has sex. Come on.

This book was so fast to read, I don't remember how I got from page 1 to suddenly page 100 in what seems to be five minutes. No it was not difficult, nor particularly interesting. The plot was so predictable that I bet you can guess how it ends. The title kind of implies that already. 

Despite the beautiful imagery and an awesome legend to base it off of, this book is pretty much a 2. If you're really bored, have no homework or work, and it's raining and you're lonely but can stand to feel worse because you have no "epic" love than this is the book for you. If not find something else to read.

Book 10: Frank Beddor's "The Looking Glass Wars"

We all know the story of "Alice in Wonderland," whether or not we have read the actual book (I read most of it and then decided this is too weird even for me). This classic tale has been re-imagined by Disney several times as well as SyFy (their miniseries Alice is awesome), and other film industries (also check out Malice in Wonderland). But this book is one of my favorite stories inspired by Lewis Carrol's work.

The story tells of Alyss, the princess of Wonderland, thrown alone into the midst of the human world after her aunt, Redd, viciously murders her parents and takes the crown. Her powers of "imagination" are soon lost after years around we humans who lack that skill. Upon her sixteenth year she must return to Wonderland and face her bitchy dictator of an aunt who never learned to share.

With amazing detailing and creation of a whole new world, along with a clever case of Stockholm Syndrome, new and old characters, and the message of a powerful imagination, this book makes my list of great for young and old. It is marketed to the younger side of adolescents but I enjoyed it still. It's an easy read, but a great story. And who doesn't love a great story? Hitler, that's who (I really have no idea but off the top of my head it was Hitler or Dick Cheney and I probably shouldn't mention him being an ass on the internet, he might shoot me in the face).

In the middle of the book as an awesome bonus, there's a series of illustrations depicting some of the main characters. These drawings are amazing and detailed, giving form to some of the complicated creatures that are described in the story. Being of a softhearted artist myself, I may be "an adult" but I do love myself some picture books.

For adolescents who love fantasy or just great books I'd recommend this 3.8 out of 5 star book.

Book 9: Donna Jo Napoli's "Sirena"

I suppose you could classify this as a bit of a letdown after the last book. Not nearly as powerful or remotely probable but it is not that which led me to this book in the first place. What led me to it was an overabundance of knowledge about the Greek Myths. I studied those for several years and was positively obsessed with it.

The tale (pun absolutely intended) tells of Sirena, a siren of myth who with her sisters sings to sailors (ha alliteration), causing them to shipwreck and hopefully fall in love with the sirens. Only then will the sirens gain immortality. Sirena leaves the island and her sisters to Lemnos, where she meets an abandoned soldier, named Philoctetes. Who actually existed. She hides from him but falls for him.

Greek myths of the Gods and Goddesses are woven into this story. And frankly, there's not much depth to it, hence this short little blog about it. Yet, it is entertaining and I think adolescents would quite enjoy it, even if they aren't as nerdy as I am and don't know the Greek myths by heart.

This book gets a three out of five for being soundly entertaining but lacking in substance. Until next book dear readers.

Book 8: Jenny Downham's: "Before I Die"

Oh my god. I don't normally use that phrase, I prefer a good holey shit or other words you're still not allowed to say on network television. But wow, this book is probably the most powerful, amazing, awesome, just wow books I have read. So amazing that apparently, my vocabulary goes right out the window.

The story told is one of a teenage girl, Tessa by name, who is a little bit different from normal teenagers. She has leukemia. And she's given up treatment and has decided to put a list together with the help of her best friend of ten things she wants to do before she dies. Now this isn't a list like Disney World and meeting Brad Pitt. Make a Wish Foundation probably wouldn't help with it. Number one is sex. Drugs follows shortly thereafter.

Tessa's father quit his job to take care of her and her estranged mother took about a year to come back after she was diagnosed. Her little brother remains a powerful character as he attempts to go about his normal life while still being a loving brother. The characters are truly real. 

Tessa knows she will die, and soon. And she chooses to enjoy the rest of her life, even though it may hurt the others around her. She is selfish, mean, caring, loving, and scared. She is a character I would expect to meet randomly because of how real she is created. 

We see the rest of our lives in years, and she, though young, sees it in months. Her relationships are true and difficult. Her fear doesn't disappear, she isn't brave, she isn't perfect. She steals her father's car even though she lacks a license, and does shrooms out in the middle of nowhere. Just because. Perfect? No. Real? Yes. 

I apologize if I repeat myself (meh, not really sorry, I'm hungry and not thinking all that clearly), but this book deserves repeating. I'm not ashamed to admit, I read it twice, and cried both times. I expect to read it several more times and cry each and every time. 

Her death, no spoilers here, she gave up treatment and this isn't a fantastical book of random miracles, is amazingly written. The sentences are fragments, the paragraphs spaced, the chapters short, and the thinking not coherent. It makes it even more real. Her fantasies mix with reality as she dies, after days, weeks, we don't know. 

I could go on and on about this book because I will mark it as one of my all-time favorites. This isn't adolescent literature, this is pure literature. A book that deserves both young and old eyes because a character in a book, is so real, so vivid, teaches us all about life and death.

This isn't five out of five, it is beyond that. I dare you to read it. Until the next book, dear readers.