Top 10 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2008

There were 513 challenges reported to the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom in 2008. Listed below are the books with the most challenges and why:

• And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell. Reasons: anti-ethnic, anti-family, homosexuality, religious viewpoint, and unsuited to age group


• Dark Materials Trilogy, by Philip Pullman. Reasons: political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, and violence


• TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series), by Lauren Myracle. Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group


• Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz. Reasons: occult/satanism, religious viewpoint, and violence


• Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya. Reasons: occult/satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, and violence


• The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky. Reasons: drugs, homosexuality, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, suicide, and unsuited to age group


• Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily von Ziegesar. Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group


• Uncle Bobby's Wedding, by Sarah S. Brannen. Reasons: homosexuality and unsuited to age group


• The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group


• Flashcards of My Life, by Charise Mericle Harper. Reasons: sexually explicit and unsuited to age group

Banned Books Week, September 27-October 3

What is a banned book? Do people really still try to stop information these days? You'd be surprised.

Librarians continue to have groups and individuals attempt to prevent access to certain books. Over the years, books in the library have been both banned and challenged. What's the difference?

A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict material, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others. Due to the commitment of librarians, teachers, parents, students and other concerned citizens, most challenges are unsuccessful and most materials are retained in the school curriculum or library collection. American Library Association

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