Maus by Art Spiegelman
Author Spiegelman interviews his father, a Polish Jew and Holocaust survivor, while representing various groups in the story as animals.
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The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
David did a bad thing and gets cursed by an old lady while figuring out who his friends are and what middle fingers are for.
Banned
#92 Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009
1991 - California - Challenged at Thousand Oaks Library for language
1993
California - Challenged at San Ramon's Golden View Elementary school for profanity, frequent use of obscene gestures, and inappropriate subject matter
Indiana - Removed from Clay City's Jackson Township Elementary School due to "unsuitable words."
New York - Removed from Red Creek's Cuyler Elementary school library because "the age level and use of some swear words may make it inappropriate for younger children."
Sources
ALA. "Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009." Retrieved on 17 Aug 01 from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/top-100-bannedchallenged-books-2000-2009
Doyle, Robert P. Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read. ALA. 2014.
Sachar, Louis. The Boy Who Lost His Face. Yearling Books. New York, 1989.
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"Dances and Dames." Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
A young girl befriends wolves and makes her way across the tundra looking for where she belongs.
Banned
#91 Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009
1982 - Missouri - Challenged for "socialist, communist, evolutionary, and anti-family themes" in Mexico.
1989 - Colorado - Challenged as sixth grade reading because "the subject matter was better suited to older students" in Littleton school libraries
1994 - Arizona - After a Erie Elementary School teacher in Chandler chose the book for an Antarctic unit, some parents challenged the book for a passage "in which a man forcibly kisses his wife."
1995 - California - Challenged in Palmdale school libraries for description of a rape
1996
California - Challenged in Ramona's Hanson Lane Elementary School for including an attempted rape of a thirteen-year-old girl
Pennsylvania - Removed for a graphic martial rape scene from the sixth-grade curriculum of the New Brighton Area School District in Pulaski Township
Sources
ALA. "Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009." Retrieved on 17 Aug 01 from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/top-100-bannedchallenged-books-2000-2009
Doyle, Robert P. Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read. ALA. 2014.
George, Jean Craighead. Julie of the Wolves. Harper & Row. New York, 1972.
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"Dances and Dames." Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
A problematic author with a story containing a very muddled message about suicide.
Banned
2012 - 3rd most challenged book, according to ALA; Challenged for drugs, alcohol, smoking, being sexually explicit, suicide, and being unsuited for age group
2017
Alberta, Canada - St. Vincent Elementary School in Edmonton banned all mention of the series on campus
Colorado - At Mesa County School District, the curriculum director ordered librarians to stop circulating the book. Librarians and counselors deliberated for three hours and determined the book was not as graphic as the TV series. Parents in the school distrcit recieved notices alerting them to the possible influence of the series.
Illinois - Challenged and under review in the sophomore-level Academic English II classes at Lemont Hishg School District 210 because a parent considered it "pornographic."
Sources
ALA. "Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009." Retrieved on 17 Aug 01 from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/top-100-bannedchallenged-books-2000-2009
Ahsan, Sadaf. "Netflix adds trigger warnings to 13 Reasons Why after Canadian school board bans series for 'glamorizing' suicide." National Post. May 2, 2017. Retrieved March 9, 2017 from http://nationalpost.com/entertainment/television/netflix-adds-trigger-warnings-to-13-reasons-why-after-canadian-school-board-bans-series-for-glamorizing-suicide
Asher, Jay. Thirteen Reasons Why. Razorbill. New York, 2007.
Collins, Cathy. "Thirteen Reasons Why Controversy." Intellectual Freedom Blog. The Office for Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association. June 7, 2017. Retrieved on March 9, 2018 from http://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=9793
Highfill, Samantha. "13 Reasons Why: Netflix says Jay Asher 'was not involved' in season 2." EW.com. Retrieved on March 9, 2018 from http://ew.com/tv/2018/02/13/13-reasons-why-season-2-jay-asher/
Titus, Ron. "Thirteen Reasons Why." Marshall University Libraries. June 28, 2017. Retrieved on March 9, 2018 from http://www.marshall.edu/library/bannedbooks/books/thirteenreasonswhy.asp
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"Dances and Dames." Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison
The "new" host Harker reads today as Georgia learns a lot, especially about boys and pooping.
Banned
2008/9 - Menasha, Wisconsin - Parent found sexual content offensive and challenged the book. It was retained, yet school board members voted to adopt procedures to secure and record parental consent before limited access books were given to students.
#35 on Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009
Sources
ALA - Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009
Doyle, Robert P. "1446 Rennison, Louise. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson." Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read. ALA, 2014. p269.
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"Dances and Dames"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney
Welcome to this startling tale of a girl who just wants love, but instead finds success as a super popular milk carton model. And there's a ninja machete fight! Awesome read!
Read MoreMy Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln and Christopher Collier
Spoiler alerts all around, Sam is totally dead at the end in the juvenile but ultimately compelling book set during the American Revolution!
Banned
1984 - Georgia - Challenged at the Gwinnett County school libraries because of language; an abridged version without profanities was substituted
1989 - Ohio - Removed from fifth grade New Richmond classes for language and did not represent "acceptable ethical standards" for the age
1991 - South Carolina - Challenged in Greenville County Schools for using the name of God and Jesus in a "vane and profane manner along with inappropriate sexual reference."
1993 - Kansas - Challenged at Walnut Elementary School in Emporia for profanity and violence
1994
California - Removed from the fifth grade at the Bryant Ranch Elementary School in Palcentia-Yorba Linda Unified School district because "the book is not g-rated. Offensive language is offensive language. Graphic violence is graphic violence, no matter what the context."
Pennsylvania - Challenged but retained at the Palmyra schools for language and violence
1996
California - Retained at the Antioch elementary school libraries after a parent complained about profanity and violence
Colorado - Challenged in the Jefferson County Public Schools in Lakewood for profanity, references to rape, drinking, and battlefield violence
1998 - Virginia - Challenged at the McSwain Elementary School in Stauton for language and Tucker-Capps Elementary School in Hampton for language and violence
2000 - Illinois - Challenged in the fifth grade Oak Brook Butler District 53 curriculum because of violence and language
2009 - Georgia - Regained in Muscogee County elementary school libraries after parental concerns about profanity
#27 Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009
Sources
Doyle, Robert P. Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read. 2014.
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Help support the podcast on Patreon
"Dances and Dames"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
Beloved by Toni Morrison
We read an award winning book about a ghost haunting the life of an ex-slave and then talk about ghosts in the library.
Banned
1996 - Texas - Challenged but retained for violence at Round Rock Independent High School
1997 - Maine - Challenged for language at the Madawaska School District
1998 - Florida - Challenged at the Sarasota County schools for sexual content
2000 - Illinois - After a board member promised to bring Christian beliefs to board decision making at the Northwest Suburban High School District 214, a number of titles were challenged and retained. The board member had based her decisions on excerpts from the Internet.
2007
Indiana - Parents asked for parental permission for student access for five books at the Coeur d'Alene School District
Kentucky - Pulled from the senior Advanced Placement English class at Eastern High School in Louisville after two parents complained of bestiality, racism, and sex. Students had to start over with Scarlett Letter for their AP exams.
2012 - Michigan - Challenged but retained at Salem High School Advanced Placement English classes after numerous considerations of district officials including appropriate for age, accuracy of the material, objectivity of the material, and necessity of covering the material.
2013 - Virginia - Challenged at the Fairfax County schools because parent complained for beastility, gang rape, and an infant's gruesome murder
2016 - Virginia - Came into focus during legislation over whether or not parents should be notified about school materials. Excerpts of the novel were read on the state senate floor depicting the novel as a work of, as Senator Richard Black put it, "moral sewage."
Sources
Doyle, Robert P. Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read. 2014.
Gawker State Senator Emails AP English Teacher to Offer His Thoughts on Beloved (Too Many Breasts)
Washington Post Fairfax County parent wants ‘Beloved’ banned from school system
Washington Post Why a Va. senator told a teacher: ‘You do not know better than the parents’
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"Dances and Dames"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
When Dad Killed Mom by Julius Lester
We delve into the lives of two kids being disrupted by their dad shooting their mom in the face and the secrets that get revealed.
Banned
#56 on ALA's Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009
2002 - Wyoming - Teton County Board of Education voted to ban the book from Jackson Hole Middle School (JHMS) library after a parent's complaint about being unsuitable for age group
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"Dances and Dames"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
The BFG by Roald Dahl
Giants are dead all over as Evan tells a story about Granny Wendy losing her whomping stick and the story of Sophie the orphan.
Banned
Cannibalism
1987 - Amana, Iowa for being too mature for the audience, teaching poor values
Sources
Doyle, Robert P. Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read. American Library Association, 2014. pg 144.
"Dances and Dames"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
