Banned Books Week 2011 is here. Held annually during the last week of September since 1982, Banned Books Week draws attention to the importance of intellectual freedom and the danger of censorship.
Because they may use slang, sexuality explicit language, or deal with complex moral issues, books for young adults are often targets of challenges or bans. According to the American Library Association (ALA), The Catcher in the Rye, Toni Morrison’s Beloved, and The Lord of the Flies frequently face removal from high school curricula and libraries. However, books for younger readers – including picture books – commonly face challenges as well.
Picture Books with Gay and Lesbian Characters Face Challenges
In 2000, the books Heather Has Two Mommies and Daddy’s Roommate were removed from the children’s section of the library by order of the Wichita City Council and placed under lock and key in the adult section. Both books are published by Alyson Wonderland Publishing, a publisher that focuses on books for and about children of gay and lesbian parents. After concerned citizens filed suit, the court ruled that a city government did not have authority over the selection of material at a public library.
Not surprisingly, picture books exploring gender, or with LGTB characters, often face challenges. And Tango Makes Three, a true story of two male penguins who are given an egg to hatch and raise, was the most challenged book for four of the past five years. Uncle Bobby’s Wedding, about a guinea pig who worries that her uncle will no longer have time for her after he marries his boyfriend, made the ALA’s top 10 most frequently challenged list in 2008, the year it was published.
Harry Potter's Witchcraft Forces Court Case
Sometimes popularity leads to notoriety. In 2003, the Cedarville, Arkansas school board determined that books in the Harry Potter series promoted disobedience and exposed children to the occult. They decided that children would need signed permission slips before borrowing any of the series’ books from any of the libraries within the school district.
While acknowledging that school boards are charged with protecting children and can make decisions regarding school operations, the court determined that they must still respect students’ First Amendment right to read and receive information, regardless of whether or not the school board agreed with the message. The Cedarville school board was not the only group to object to the witchcraft in Harry Potter. In fact, Harry Potter, was one of the most frequently challenged books across the United States from 2001 - 2003.
Controversial Caldecott Winner
Even winning an award does not make a book immune from challenges. Maurice Sendak’s In the Night Kitchen is one of the most frequently challenged picture books of all time because of its illustrations, despite winning a Caldecott medal for said illustrations. Challengers often object to the drawings of a naked child.
Give Children the Right to Read
Challenges are usually put forth by well-meaning and concerned parents. According to the ALA, the top three reasons books are challenged are that they contain sexually explicit material, they contain offensive language, or that they are unsuited to the (or any) age group. Violence and homosexuality round out the top five reasons books are banned or challenged.
The good news is that challenges to books peeked in the mid-nineties and have been declining since. The National Coalition Against Censorship provides resources for community members who wish to protect children’s access to a variety of books.
Nicole Fravel - Ms. Fravel is an educator, curriculum developer, and parent with over 15 years of experience in elementary and early childhood ...
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