No matter the reason, banned books intrigue audiences and tempt readers as soon as they are restricted. Ridiculous reasons to ban books october 10, 2011 eggertma leave a comment go to comments hopefully you have noticed our earlier post andor the library display about banned books week. Top 12 silly reasons to ban a book the mixture of serious topics, tongueincheek items, and outright silliness provides something to please everyone familiar with libraries, making a. The magic in a fantasy novel can be construed as antireligious, or the language in a novel can be considered too mature for younger audiences. I loved this book from the first page to the end, which had me in tears of joy. Publishers, authors, and civil rights attorneys say the fdocs banned book list is selfserving and. Book of mercy is a truly beautiful, heartwarming novel on book censorship, the nature of love, motherhood and friendship.
Because books dont ban themselves, and so then you have to deal with the people who are banning them. In 2019, the ala recorded 377 reported book challenges in the united states, an 8. There are many different reasons an institution will ban a book. Sweet, funny, and beautifully illustrated, this better bundo book is dedicated to every. Chasing dogma and other silly books banned in wa prisons. There are a few common reasons that books have been banned or censored in schools, libraries, and book stores. Why we should never ban books it starts with coffee. The pbs newshour recently caught up with asher during banned books week, held sept. Banning books might make you feel like youre in control, but it actually screams of lack of control. Dec 21, 2017 chasing dogma and other silly books banned in wa prisons. The books on the ala list should make more than 2,000 parents nervous. Teens may not always know that there is something in libraryland called banned books week but they know that the reasons behind censoring books dont make a lot of sense.
This charming picture book was the most challenged book of 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010 with the group focus on the family action calling it very misleadinga very disingenuous, inaccurate way to promote a political agenda to little kids. What are some bollywood movies banned for silly reasons. Not to mention the books sitting on my bookshelf that i have yet to read. Thirteen reasons why was the third most frequently challenged book in 2012, according to the american library association. Sep 18, 2014 so really, what book banning and censorship are all aboutwithin both small communities and at larger, oftgovernmental levelsis personal opinions.
Hopefully you have noticed our earlier post andor the library display about banned books week. You may not like something, but thats no reason to take it away from everyone. There will always be silly reasons for attempting to ban a book, but i would have thought that there wasnt anything to challenge about holiday books. Sep 29, 2015 what books do you love that were banned for silly reasons. The most common reasons for rejection are sexual content. Books and plays are challenged for any number of reasons. Then in a 2015, a list of the most common challenged book from the american library association, tells of a parent wanting the famous book of mice and men by john steinbeck banned because of the use of jesus christ as a curse word, the use of the nword to describe african americans, and the term japs. Notice that not a single one of them referred to statistics or researchthe kind of useful evidence we try to employ, generally speaking, to support our beliefs that ideas or substances are harmful to us or to children. Why we want parents to try to ban books the atlantic. Sep 23, 2014 the heart of the book is that a family is a group of people who love and care for each other and cannot be defined by restrictive conventions.
So really, what book banning and censorship are all aboutwithin both small communities and at larger, oftgovernmental levelsis personal opinions. Another reason that the hate u give was attacked in 2017 was the depiction of drug use. The librarians book of listseeditions pdf ebook ala. School district pulls reasons why book from libraries. If you really want people not to read a book, banning it will have the opposite effect. Six books that were banned for silly reasons manybooks. Harpercollins set up a site for banned book week 1995 which features a number of their books which have been banned over the years. What would be some reasons we shouldnt bancensor books. I myself grew up to be not only a hero, but also a writer. The notion of banning books is both silly and rather scary. The only problem with that was that i completely forgot about my chockfullofbooks kindle. Stories about sensitive issues like sex, drugs or, in the case of my book, sexual assault, suicide and teen drinking, are often. Talking animals alices adventures in wonderland is about a young girl who falls down a rabbit hole only to discover a wondrous world populated by all kinds of bizarre characters.
Granted, the book is not for everyone, but lets leave the book in libraries for those of us who like the message or for those of us who want to read a cute story about penguins. The most common reasons behind a book being banned are race. Alas office for intellectual freedom oif receives reports from libraries, schools, and the media on attempts to ban books in communities across the country. Top ten silly reasons to ban a harpercollins childrens. In honor of this glorious celebration of our freedom to read what we want, lets pause for a sec and remember. This critically acclaimed, multigenerational novel was challenged and banned because it includes sexual violence and was thought to lead to. Nov 23, 2019 maya angelou s autobiographical novel i know why the caged bird sings has been banned on sexual grounds specifically, the book mentions her rape, when she was a young girl. It may subvert a popular belief of a dominating culture, shock an audience with grotesque, sexual, or obscene language, or promote strife within an otherwise peaceful society. Reasons for bans and challenges largely focus on the fact the book references drugs, alcohol, smoking, sexually explicit situations, and suicide. In that case, the school board attempted to ban a number of books because they were antiamerican, antichristian, antisem i tic, and just plain filthy, including titles such as slaughterhouse five, the naked ape, down these mean streets, best short stories of negro writers, and go ask alice. Banned books have a way of being passed around mightily and promoted during banned book week and gaining a whole other life they might not otherwise have had.
Although the official week has come to an end, we are giving the week an encore. There are plenty of reasons why a book might be banned. Sep 27, 2014 fahrenheit 451, brave new world, 1984, the wizard of oz, even little red riding hood these literary classics have all been banned for variously dumb reasons. Peruse the following pages to explore banned and challenged books by topic, genre, time, and audience. An idea, a scene, or a character in the book offends their religion, sense of morality, or political view. Because, per usual, womens bodieseven the cartoon onesruin everything and start wars and stuff. With new books published all the time and human nature being what it is, i shouldnt have been surprised that the list of banned and challenged books keeps growing. We compile lists of challenged books in order to inform the public about censorship efforts that affect libraries and schools. Sep, 2016 these are the movies that i feel were banned for silly reasons. The book was banned in multiple school districts around the country. Why we should never ban books it starts with coffee blog. Apr 17, 2010 the books on the ala list should make more than 2,000 parents nervous. This book was rejected because its written in two different languages.
Banned books week is an annual event started by the american library association ala in 1982. In most years, about 10% of the reported challenges result in removal or ban from the school or library. Sep 23, 2014 they said things like talking animals with confuse kids and give them false expectations about reality. Fahrenheit 451, brave new world, 1984, the wizard of oz, even little red riding hood these literary classics have all been banned for variously dumb reasons. To the parents who issue these challenges, these books are so egregious that they feel the need to censor the books entirely ensuring that no other children in the community can obtain copies. However, in 2016, five of the top ten most challenged books were removed. Some people are all too ready to embrace censorship as a necessary evil. I feel that the censor board has the prerogative to ban any movie it deems unfit for public viewing but very often it is unjustified especially if it is doing so under political press. Sep 28, 2010 some notable facts include that by far the most common reason for banning a book is because it is considered sexually explicit, and parents are overwhelmingly the initiators of book challenges and bans. Loved this post funny ban reasons from websitesforumsetc. Encroaching on the first amendment, they claim, protects some segment of society from offending materials. Loved this post silly reasons to ban a book the mixture of serious topics, tongueincheek items, and outright silliness provides something to please everyone familiar with libraries, making a fun read and a wonderful gift. Depending on the verdict of the committee or board, the book is either banned or removed from the library, or is left on the shelves. According to the ala, books are usually challenged with the best intentionsto protect others, namely children, from difficult ideas and information.
While it is good for a laugh, it is sobering to think that these childrens books have been challenged for these reasons. They are meant to take people on adventures without having to leave their house. Each book that is banned or censored is done so for the content within the pages. Mock turtle the mock turtle by john tenniel, produced for lewis carrolls alices adventures in wonderland. Some of the books on the list were bannedchallenged for reasons that many redditors may find silly. Reasons for banning books banned books libguides at. Sep 24, 2017 why your kid should read banned books. You may not like something, but thats no reason to take it. In fact, if you investigate any of the claims or reasons of schools or governments for banning this book, youll find them to be silly and utterly absurd. I recently went on a library binge where i only read books i could get for free. In the last ten years, the top ten bannedchallenged books are. Common reasons for banning books each book that is banned or censored is done so for the content within the pages. But, explains the ala, censorship can be subtle, almost imperceptible, as well as blatant and overt. Top 10 reasons banning books is a bad idea justine larbalestier.
Alices adventures in wonderland is about a young girl who. However, the childrens bookabout a young girls dream of following a rabbit down a hole only to encounter an absurd world in which illogic reigns and various creatures of all shapes, colors, and sizes residehas been attacked and banned throughout time for several different reasons. Pretty much any story that makes people uncomfortable. It makes the books cry and books are very sensitive. Its hard to believe that in our firstamendment driven society, bookbanning still goes on today. About andor encouraging racism towards one or more group of people.
In kansas, parents attempted to ban the book, based on the vulgar language, sexual explicitness, or violent imagery that is gratuitously employed. When i was an adult, i rewrote a heros guide to deadly dragons, and i included not only some descriptions of the various deadly dragon species, and a useful dragonese dictionary, but also this story of how the book came to be written in the first place. The book was similarly banned in ireland in the 1950s, and turkish booksellers were charged for spreading propaganda when they sold the. Trying to restrict everyones access to a book just because you dont like it. Its perfectly normal by robie harris aims to answer questions young people have about sex. More baffling still are some of the reasons given for attempting to ban the book. What books do you love that were banned for silly reasons. Controversial and banned books why they were banned. What is the most absurd reason a book has been banned or. And then you have to deal with the ideologies of the people who are banning the books, and why they are banning them.
Of course, the very fact that a book is on a banned book often makes kids want to read it and find out why. In this hot mess of a book thats supposed to make it difficult for you to find anything, someone managed to pick out an errant side boob in the beach scene of the 1987 version. Below is a list of books that have been banned, along with the reasons cited for banning them. While throughout history there have been books banned for all sorts of. Who, then, would seek to ban a book that has become so important to the american. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts.
This weeklong event, held during the last week of september, raises awareness of freedom of speech through celebrating challenged books and the value of free expression. May 16, 2017 school district pulls reasons why book from libraries. In the catcher in the rye, a high school student orders a prostitute to the manhattan hotel room where hes fled after being. I mean, santa, reindeer, twinkly lights, hallmark movies, present exchanges, good will towards men.
And with this in mind, i present to you five better reasons not to ban books. Top 12 silly reasons to ban a book the mixture of serious topics, tongueincheek items, and outright silliness provides something to please everyone familiar with libraries, making a fun read and a wonderful gift. Sep 01, 2016 this charming picture book was the most challenged book of 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010 with the group focus on the family action calling it very misleadinga very disingenuous, inaccurate way to promote a political agenda to little kids. However, as innocent as this childrens book sounds, there has been calls to ban it numerous times.