Mrs. Lenkey's Write Spot



Introduction to “Banned” BooksNOTE:?For the purposes of this discussion, a “banned” book is defined as one that has been removed either from a local library shelf or a school curriculum, while a “challenged” book means that someone has simply questioned its appropriateness. On the other hand, censorship is defined as a larger-scale effort to prevent a book from being published or sold at all. The most extreme form of censorship is a mass book burning, like the one pictured to the left. Censorship is not to be confused with "censoring," which generally means that a book remains accessible, but with certain objectionable portions blocked or removed.Civilizations have been banning books throughout history for various reasons. During the Mongol invasion of Baghdad in the 13th century, the invaders burned libraries and threw the remaining books into the Tigris until the river turned black from the ink. The Nazi Party in Germany famously hosted book burning parties and destroyed any publications deemed contrary to its ideology. Today, there are various societies that outlaw certain texts viewed as controversial or oppose the values of a community. The following questions should help you become prepared for our course of study this quarter. Please complete the following questions in well-developed, but short (4-5 sentence) paragraphs. You might find the attached resources helpful when forming your answers. This response worksheet is due at the end of the class period. You may attach a piece of notebook paper to this packet if more space is needed. What are some of your favorite books? Are any of them on the attached banned list?Have you ever been offended by a book? Why? Do you think others would agree with you?What are some reasons a school board might choose to remove certain books from schools?Under what circumstances (if any) should a book be removed from a school or library?What is the difference between banning a book and restricting access to a book (e.g., requiring parental permission)?Does book banning constitute censorship? If yes, in all cases, or only in some?Does a member of the public have a right to decide whether others should be allowed access to a book? If so, under what circumstances would he or she have the right to decide?What, if anything, can be learned from reading a book that has content which some people find offensive? Can the book be viewed as a history lesson in terms of the values of a given time period? An example of poor choices that lead to poor outcomes? A lesson in flawed human beings overcoming challenges and adversity in life?Top Ten Most Challenged Books?Top Ten for 2017The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 354 challenges to library, school and university materials in 2017. Of the 416 books challenged or banned in 2017, the Top 10 Most Challenged Books are:?Thirteen Reasons Why?written by Jay AsherOriginally published in 2007, this New York Times bestseller has resurfaced as a controversial book after Netflix aired a TV series by the same name. This YA novel was challenged and banned in multiple school districts because it?discusses suicide.The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian?written by Sherman AlexieConsistently challenged since its publication in 2007 for acknowledging issues such as poverty, alcoholism, and sexuality, this National Book Award winner was challenged in school curriculums because of?profanity?and?situations that were deemed sexually explicit.Drama?written and illustrated by Raina TelgemeierThis Stonewall Honor Award-winning, 2012 graphic novel from an acclaimed cartoonist was challenged and banned in school libraries because it?includes LGBT characters?and was?considered “confusing.”The Kite Runner?written by Khaled HosseiniThis critically acclaimed, multigenerational novel was challenged and banned because it?includes sexual violence?and?was thought to “lead to terrorism” and “promote Islam.”George?written by Alex GinoWritten for elementary-age children, this Lambda Literary Award winner was challenged and banned because it?includes a transgender child.Sex is a Funny Word?written by Cory Silverberg and illustrated by Fiona SmythThis 2015 informational children’s book written by a certified sex educator was challenged because it?addresses sex education?and?is believed to lead children to “want to have sex or ask questions about sex.”To Kill a Mockingbird?written by Harper LeeThis Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, considered an American classic, was challenged and banned because of?violence?and?its use of the N-word.The Hate U Give?written by Angie ThomasDespite winning multiple awards and being the most searched-for book on Goodreads during its debut year, this YA novel was challenged and banned in school libraries and curriculums because it was?considered “pervasively vulgar”?and because of?drug use,?profanity, and?offensive language.And Tango Makes Three?written by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson and illustrated by Henry ColeReturning after a brief hiatus from the Top Ten Most Challenged list, this ALA Notable Children’s Book, published in 2005, was challenged and labeled because it?features a same-sex relationship.I Am Jazz?written by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings and illustrated by Shelagh McNicholasThis autobiographical picture book co-written by the 13-year-old protagonist was challenged because it?addresses gender identity.?Lists of Frequently Challenged Books The following lists of frequently challenged books was compiled by the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF). The lists were created from various reports provided by libraries, schools, and the media on attempts to ban books in communities across the United States. Top Ten for 2016Out of 323 challenges recorded by the Office for Intellectual FreedomThis One Summer?written by Mariko Tamaki and illustrated by Jillian TamakiReasons: challenged because it includes LGBT characters, drug use and profanity, and it was considered sexually explicit with mature themesDrama?written and illustrated by Raina TelgemeierReasons:?challenged because it includes LGBT characters, was deemed sexually explicit, and was considered to have an offensive political viewpointGeorge?written by Alex GinoReasons:?challenged because it includes a transgender child, and the “sexuality was not appropriate at elementary levels”I Am Jazz?written by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings, and illustrated by Shelagh McNicholasReasons:?challenged because it portrays a transgender child and because of language, sex education, and offensive viewpointsTwo Boys Kissing?written by David LevithanReasons:?challenged because its cover has an image of two boys kissing, and it was considered to include sexually explicit LGBT contentLooking for Alaska?written by John GreenReasons:?challenged for a sexually explicit scene that may lead a student to “sexual experimentation”Big Hard Sex Criminals?written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Chip ZdarskyReason:?challenged because it was considered sexually explicitMake Something Up: Stories You Can’t Unread?written by Chuck PalahniukReasons:?challenged for profanity, sexual explicitness, and being “disgusting and all around offensive”Little Bill?(series) written by Bill Cosby and?and illustrated by Varnette P. HoneywoodReason: challenged because of criminal sexual allegations against the authorEleanor & Park?written by Rainbow RowellReason:?challenged for offensive languageTop Ten for 2015Out of 275 challenges recorded by the Office for Intellectual Freedom?Looking for Alaska, by John GreenReasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age groupFifty Shades of Grey, by E. L. JamesReasons: sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, and other (“poorly written,” “concerns that a group of teenagers will want to try it”)I Am Jazz, by Jessica Herthel and Jazz JenningsReasons: inaccurate, homosexuality, sex education, religious viewpoint, and unsuited for age groupBeyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out, by Susan KuklinReasons: 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”)The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark HaddonReasons: offensive language, religious viewpoint, unsuited for age group, and other (“profanity and atheism”)The Holy BibleReasons: religious viewpointFun Home, by Alison BechdelReasons: violence and other (“graphic images”)Habibi, by Craig ThompsonReasons: nudity, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age groupNasreen’s Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan, by Jeanette WinterReasons: religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group, and violenceTwo Boys Kissing, by David LevithanReasons: homosexuality and other (“condones public displays of affection”)Top Ten for 2014Out of 311 challenges recorded by the Office for Intellectual Freedom?The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman?AlexieReasons: anti-family, cultural insensitivity, drugs/alcohol/smoking, gambling, offensive language, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group, violence. Additional reasons: “depictions of bullying”Persepolis, by?Marjane?SatrapiReasons: gambling, offensive language, political viewpoint. Additional reasons: “politically, racially, and socially offensive,” “graphic depictions”And Tango Makes Three, Justin Richardson and Peter ParnellReasons: anti-family, homosexuality, political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: “promotes the homosexual agenda”The Bluest Eye, by Toni MorrisonReasons: sexually explicit, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: “contains controversial issues”It’s Perfectly Normal, by?Robie?HarrisReasons: nudity, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group. Additional reasons: “alleges it is child pornography”Saga, by Brian Vaughan and Fiona StaplesReasons: anti-Family, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age groupThe Kite Runner, by?Khaled?HosseiniReasons: offensive language, unsuited to age group, violenceThe Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen?ChboskyReasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, homosexuality, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: “date rape and masturbation”A Stolen Life, Jaycee?DugardReasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age groupDrama, by?Raina?TelgemeierReason: sexually explicitTop Ten for 2013Out of 307 challenges recorded by the Office for Intellectual FreedomCaptain Underpants?(series), by Dav PilkeyReasons: offensive language, unsuited for age group, violenceThe Bluest Eye, by Toni?MorrisonReasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violenceThe?Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman?AlexieReasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, offensive language, racism, sexually explicit, unsuited to age groupFifty Shades of Grey, by E.L. JamesReasons: nudity, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, unsuited to age groupThe?Hunger Games, by Suzanne?CollinsReasons: religious viewpoint, unsuited to age groupA?Bad Boy Can Be Good for A Girl, by Tanya Lee?StoneReasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicitLooking for Alaska, by John?GreenReasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, sexually explicit, unsuited to age groupThe Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen?ChboskyReasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, homosexuality, sexually explicit, unsuited to age groupBless Me?Ultima, by?Rudolfo?AnayaReasons: occult/Satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicitBone?(series), by Jeff?SmithReason: political viewpoint, racism, violenceTop Ten for 2012Out of 464 challenges recorded by the Office for Intellectual FreedomCaptain Underpants?(series), by Dav PilkeyReasons: offensive language, unsuited for age groupThe Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman AlexieReasons: offensive language, racism, sexually explicit, unsuited for age groupThirteen Reasons Why, by Jay AsherReasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited for age groupFifty Shades of Grey, by E. L. JamesReasons: offensive language, sexually explicitAnd Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin RichardsonReasons: homosexuality, unsuited for age groupThe Kite Runner, by Khaled HosseiniReasons: homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicitLooking for Alaska, by John GreenReasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age groupScary Stories?(series), by Alvin SchwartzReasons: unsuited for age group, violenceThe Glass Castle, by Jeanette WallsReasons: offensive language, sexually explicitBeloved, by Toni MorrisonReasons: sexually explicit, religious viewpoint, violence ................
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