It’s that time of year again! Banned Books Week! It kind of crept up on me this year, so I didn’t have as much time to read and prepare. Here are the ALA’s Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2015:
1. Looking for Alaska, by John Green
Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age group.
I haven’t read this one because I’m not a fan of John Green, but I will be giving it a try!
2. Fifty Shades of Grey, by E. L. James
Reasons: Sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, and other (“poorly written,” “concerns that a group of teenagers will want to try it”).
We all know I’ve read this one. And I’d have to agree that it’s poorly written.
3. I Am Jazz, by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings
Reasons: Inaccurate, homosexuality, sex education, religious viewpoint, and unsuited for age group.
My library doesn’t own this one, so I’ll be ILLing it.
4. Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out, by Susan Kuklin
Reasons: Anti-family, offensive language, homosexuality, sex education, political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, unsuited for age group, and other (“wants to remove from collection to ward off complaints”).
I did read this one when it first came out, and it was great! I can’t really see the “anti-family” complaint since most of the teens featured came from very loving, accepting families. It was really interesting to see so many different people and the different ways they live their lives under the umbrella term “transgender.”
5. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon
Reasons: Offensive language, religious viewpoint, unsuited for age group, and other (“profanity and atheism”).
I tried to read this one 2 years ago as part of my Clear Out my GoodReads goal. My complaints were about how uncomfortably gimmicky it was.
6. The Holy Bible
Reasons: Religious viewpoint.
LOL. Perfect.
7. Fun Home, by Alison Bechdel
Reasons: Violence and other (“graphic images”).
I really liked this graphic novel! It’s autobiographical, about growing up in a funeral home and Bechdel’s complicated relationship with her dad.
8. Habibi, by Craig Thompson
Reasons: Nudity, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age group.
Another one my library doesn’t own that I’ll be ILLing.
9. Nasreen’s Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan, by Jeanette Winter
Reasons: Religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group, and violence.
And another.
10. Two Boys Kissing, by David Levithan
Reasons: Homosexuality and other (“condones public displays of affection”).
I haven’t read a David Levithan book since 2014, when he wrote the worst book I read that year. I guess I’ll be giving this one a go, but I don’t have high hopes.
Yay! Banned Books Week!
Previously: Banned Books Week 2014