Why Banned Books Matter in 2017
Because Trump is president and our civil liberties are under threat!
The American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) promotes awareness of challenges to library materials and celebrates freedom of speech during Banned Books Week, which took place this year September 24 – September 30. Here are the top ten most challenged books as reported in the media and submitted to ALA by librarians and teachers across the country in 2016.
Top Ten for 2016
Out of 323 challenges recorded by the Office for Intellectual Freedom
- This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki and illustrated by Jillian Tamaki
Reasons: challenged because it includes LGBT characters, drug use, and profanity, and it was considered sexually explicit with mature themes - Drama by Raina Telgemeier
Reasons: challenged because it includes LGBT characters, was deemed sexually explicit and was considered to have an offensive political viewpoint - George by Alex Gino
Reasons: challenged because it includes a transgender child, and the “sexuality was not appropriate at elementary levels” - I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings by Shelagh McNicholas
Reasons: challenged because it portrays a transgender child and because of language, sex education, and offensive viewpoints - Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
Reasons: challenged because its cover has an image of two boys kissing, and it was considered to include sexually explicit LGBT content - Looking for Alaska by John Green
Reasons: challenged for a sexually explicit scene that may lead a student to “sexual experimentation” - Big Hard Sex Criminals by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Chip Zdarsky
Reason: challenged because it was considered sexually explicit - Make Something Up: Stories You Can’t Unread by Chuck Palahniuk
Reasons: challenged for profanity, sexual explicitness, and being “disgusting and all around offensive” - Little Bill (series) written by Bill Cosby by Varnette P. Honeywood
Reason: challenged because of criminal sexual allegations against the author - Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Reason: challenged for offensive language