Thursday, September 30

banned books week

Image from NorthcoastZeitgeist via Widdershins

Out of 460 challenges as reported to the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, below are the top 10 titles by frequency of challenge -that is people advocating their removal from public library stacks. Not going to get out the soapbox, just don't ban books.

1. ttyl; ttfn; l8r, g8r (series), by Lauren Myracle
2. And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
3. The Perks of Being A Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
4. To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
5. Twilight (series) by Stephenie Meyer
6. Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
7. My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult
8. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things, by Carolyn Mackler
9. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
10. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier

Banned Books Week takes a moment to highlight the list of books that have been targets of attempted bannings. In a majority of cases the books were not banned, thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, booksellers, and members of the community to retain the books in the library collections. Further reading via ALA.

Not in MY TOWN!!! Right?? Have a look and see...
[This map is drawn from cases documented by ALA and the Kids' Right to Read Project, a collaboration of the National Coalition Against Censorship and the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression.]

View Book Bans and Challenges, 2007-2010 in a larger map