| The Obedience of a Christian Man (2000) by William Tyndale The Odyssey (800 BCE) by Homer (Plato suggested expurgating it for immature readers (387 B.C.E.) and Caligula tried to suppress it because it expressed Greek ideals of freedom. Plato suggested that state censors should expurgate the outlandish adventures of Odysseus, and all other poetry.) Oedipus Rex by Sophocles (429 BCE) Oedipus the King: The Oedipus Plays of Sophocles Of Mice and Men (1937) by John Steinbeck (Challenged as required reading at the high school in Grandville, Michigan in 2002 because the book is "full of racism, profanity, and foul language." Banned from the George County, Mississippi schools in 2002 because of profanity; racial slurs, profanity, violence, and does not represent traditional values; profane, violent, not traditional. Challenged in the Normal, Illinois Community High Schools in 2003 because the book contains "racial slurs, profanity, violence, and does not represent traditional values." An alternative book, John Steinbeck's The Pearl (1947) was offered but rejected by the family challenging the novel. Retained in the Greencastle-Antrim, Pennsylvania tenth-grade English classes [2006]. A complaint was filed because of "racial slurs" and profanity used throughout the novel. The book has been used in the high school for more than 30 years, and those who object to its content have the option of reading an alternative reading. Challenged at the Newton, Iowa High School [2007] because of concerns about profanity and the portrayal of Jesus Christ. Newton High School has required students to read the book since at least the early 1980s. In neighboring Des Moines, it is on the recommended reading list for ninth-grade English, and it is used for some special education students in the eleventh and twelfth grades. Retained in the Olathe, Kansas ninth-grade curriculum [2007] despite a parent calling the novel "a worthless, profanity-riddled book" which is "derogatory towards African Americans, women, and the developmentally disabled.")* The Old Man and the Sea (1952) by Ernest Hemingway Oliver Twist (1838) by Charles Dickens ("violates the rights of children"; "tends to engender hatred of the Jew as a person and as a race") Olive's Ocean (2003) by Kevin Henkes ("sexually explicit, offensive language")* On Baile's Strand (1904) by W.B. Yeats On Being A Christian (1974) by Hans Kung One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (1974) by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn ("political"; banned in the USSR for political reasons; author sent into exile) One Fat Summer (2007) by Robert Lipsyte (masturbation) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1960) by Ken Kesey ("vulgar language, sexual explicitness, or violent imagery gratuitously employed"; "glorifies criminal activity, has a tendency to corrupt juveniles, and contains descriptions of bestiality, bizarre violence, and torture, dismemberment, death, and human elimination") One Hot Second: Stories About Desire (2002) by Cathy Young Ed. The One Hundredth Thing About Caroline (1983) by Lois Lowry One Hundred Years of Solitude (1967) by Gabriel Garcia Marquez ("garbage being passed off as literature"; "profane language"; "sexual explicitness") One More River (1992) by Lynne Reid Banks ("contains derogatory descriptions of Arabs and depicts Israelis as hateful”) On My Honor (1986) by Marion Dane Bauer (Retained at the Orchard Hill Elementary school in Cedar Falls, Iowa in 1989 after being challenged because the 1987 Newbery honor book contained "two swear words and one vulgarity." Challenged at the Alamo Heights, Texas School District Elementary School in 1992 because the book uses the words "hell", "damn", and "frigging." Challenged in fourth to sixth grade reading classes in Grove City, Pennsylvania in 1995 because it was "depressing." The criteria used to select the book along with a list of other books that focus on divorce, death, suicide, and defeat was contested.) On the Banks of Plum Creek (1937) by Laura Ingalls Wilder* On the Bright Side, I'm Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God: Further Confessions of Georgia Nicolson (2001) by Louise Rennison ("a girl that reads this book might be stalked"; "use of the words 'sex god' in the book could influence girls to enter relationships with older men that might result in statutory rape")* (Book AND Author burned) On the Errors of the Trinity (1531) by Michael Servetus (see Christianity Restored) On the Infinite Universe and Worlds (1584) by Giordano Bruno (Bruno was considered a heresiarch by the church; burned at the stake for heretical and unsound opinions in 1600) On the Origin of the Species By Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle For Life (or Origin of Species) (1901) by Charles Darwin (John T. Scopes was convicted in 1925 for teaching the evolutionary theory of this book in his high school class. The Tennessee law prohibiting teaching evolutionary theory was finally repealed in 1967, but further laws intended to stifle the teaching of evolution in science classes have been proposed in the Tennessee legislature as recently as 1996. Teaches evolution; dethrones God; Scopes "monkey trial" in Dayton, Tennessee) On the Origins and Perpetual Use of the Legislative Powers of the Apostolic Kings of Hungary in Matters Ecclesiastical (1764) by Adam F. Kollar On the Road (1957) by Jack Kerouac (B) O Pais de Carnaval (1931) by Jorge Amado Open Minds to Equality: A Sourcebook of Learning Activities to Affirm Diversity and Promote Equity (2006) by Nancy Schniedewind (Challenged at the publicly funded Waterloo, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, Catholic School District [2007] because it presents homosexuality as "morally neutral." The book is used as an optional resource for teachers, and students never see the book. A citizens' organization in Kitchener, Defend Traditional Marriage and Family, objected because the book could lead people "to reject scriptural teaching on homosexual acts.") Ordinary People (1976) by Judith Guest* Oscar Wilde (Lives of Notable Gay Men and Lesbians) (2003) by Jeff Nunokawa ("gay and lesbian themes";*) (B) Other Christian Holy Writs (B) Other Jewish Holy Writs (B) Other Muslim Holy Writs The Other Woman (2003) by Eric Jerome Dickey ("profanity, sexuality"; "homosexual agenda") Our Bodies, Ourselves (1973) by Boston Women's Health Collective Our Family Tree: An Evolution Story (2003) by Lisa Westberg Peters (Retained in the Seaman, Kansas Unified School District 345 elementary school library [2006]. Objections were raised because the book is about the scientific theory of evolution.) Outlaw Representation: Censorship and Homosexuality in Twentieth-Century American Art (2002) by Richard Meyer (B) The Outline of History (1920) by H.G. Wells Outrageously Alice (1998) (adolescence) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor Outside Over There (children) (1981) by Maurice Sendak* The Outsiders (1967) by S.E. Hinton The Ox-Bow Incident (1940) by Walter Van Tilburg Clark* |
| The Naked and the Dead (1948) by Normal Mailer ("disgusting") The Naked Ape: A Zoologist's Study of the Human Animal (1967) by Desmond Morris Naked Lunch (1959) by William S. Burroughs ("trash; obscene, indecent, and impure, and taken as a whole, predominantly prurient, hardcore pornography and utterly without redeeming social importance"; "trash written by a mentally sick individual") The Name of the Rose (1980) by Umberto Eco Nani (1992) by Alexis DeVeaux Naomi in the Middle (1974) (children) by Norma Klein Nappy Hair (1999) (pre- to grade 3) by Carolivia Herron Native Son (1940) by Richard Wright ("sexually graphic and violent"; "unnecessarily violent and sexually explicit"; "graphic language and sexual content"; banned in Apling County, Georgia) The Natural (1952) by Bernard Malamud (B) Needful Things (1991) by Stephen King Never Cry Wolf: Amazing True Story About Life Among Arctic Wolves (2001) by Farley Mowat Never Love a Stranger (1948) by Harold Robbins New American Poetry 1945 -- 1960 (1960) by Donald Allen, Ed. The New Joy of Sex (1992) by Alex Comfort (Challenged at the Nampa, Idaho Public Library [2005] along with seven other books because "they are very pornographic in nature and they have very explicit and detailed illustrations and photographs which we feel don't belong in a library." The library board approved policy changes that restrict children's access to any holdings that may fall under the state's harmful to minors statute and barred the library from buying movies rated NC-17 or X. The book was relocated to the director's office [2008] to be accessed by patrons who specifically requested the book.) The New Teenage Body Book (1992) by Kathy McCoy and Charles Wibbelsman (Book AND Author burned) The New Testament (1562) by William Tyndale, translator ("pernicious merchandise"; untrue translations should be burned"; Tyndale was arrested, put on trial, formally condemned as a heretic, degraded from the priesthood, and subsequently strangled then burned at the stake with his books. His last words were "Lord, open the king of England's eyes.")* The New Women: A Motive Anthology of Women's Liberation (1970) by Joanne Cooke, Charlotte Bunch, and Robin Morgan Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America (2002) by Barbara Ehrenreich (Criticized as the book chosen for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina summer reading program in 2004 by Republican state lawmakers, citing a "pattern" of the university being anti-Christian. In 2002, three freshmen sued the university over its choice of Approaching the Qur'an: The Early Revelations (1999) by Michael A. Sells. The federal lawsuit was filed on the students' behalf by the Family Policy Network, a Christian group based in Virginia. Courts later rejected the argument that the reading requirement violated the US constitution.)* The Nigger of the Narcissus (1897) by Joseph Conrad Night Chills (1986) by Dean Koontz Nightjohn (1995) by Gary Paulsen Nightmares: Poems to Trouble Your Sleep (1976) by Jack Prelutsky (B) Night Shift (1978) by Stephen King Night Talk (1997) by Elizabeth Cox (Challenged at the South Gwinnett, Georgia High School library [2008] because the story, which portrays the friendship of a white girl and a black girl during the Civil Rights era, contains "graphic sex scenes that read like a how-to guide." A school committee, comprised of three teachers and four parents, denied the request to restrict the book's use or have it removed from the media center.) Nineteen Minutes (2007) by Jody Picoult (Restricted to high school students with parental permission at the Beardstown, Illinois High School Library [2008] because the novel "describes sex, uses foul language, and contains other R-rated content.") None of the Above (1974) by Rosemary Wells No Place To Run (1977) by Barbara Beasley Murphy (banned in Calhoun County, Alabama [1982]) The Notebook Girls: Four Friends, One Diary (2006) by Julie Baskin, Lindsey Newman, Sophie Pollitt-Cohen, and Courtney Toombs (Challenged but retained at the Cape May County, NJ Library [2006]. The book is comprised of entries four New York City high-school students made in a shared journal in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks.) Notre Ami Le Roi (1993) by Gilles Perrault (Banned in Morocco for political reasons) Notre Dame vs. the Klan: How the Fighting Irish Defected the Ku Klux Klan (2004) by Todd Tucker (Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) administrators found [2008] that a student-employee was guilty of racial harassment merely for reading in a public area an historical account of Notre Dame students' fight with members of the Ku Klux Klan. The student-employee contacted the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana and six months later received a letter stating that IUPUI "regrets this situation took place," is committed to upholding freedom of expression on its campus and no documents regarding this incident exist in the employee's file.) Novel Without a Name (1996) by Duong Thu Huong Number the Stars (young adult) (1996) by Lois Lowry* |
| Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740) by Samuel Richardson The Parable of the Wicked Mammon (1528) by William Tyndale Paradise Lost (1831) by John Milton* Paradise of the Blind (1993) by Duong Thu Huong Paula (1994) by Isabel Allende ("profane language and depictions of sexuality"; "librarians and other opponents of their efforts are promoting a 'homosexual agenda'"; "discussions of sex and teen pregnancy") The Peaceful Pill Handbook (2006) by Philip Nitschke and Fiona Stewart ("political; It was initially banned in New Zealand by Office of Film and Literature Classification since it was deemed to be objectionable. In May 2008, it was allowed for sale if sealed and an indication of the censorship classification was displayed) The Pearl (1947) by John Steinbeck* Pentagon Papers (1967) by Robert McNamara A People's History of the United States (1980) by Howard Zinn (Challenged in the North Stafford, Virginia High School advanced- placement history class [2008], even though it's not the primary textbook because the book is "un-American, leftist propaganda." Students in the advanced placement class also read an article titled, "Howard Zinn's Disappointing History of the United States.") Perez and Martina: A Puerto Rican Folktale (1932) by Pura Belpre (B) The Perks of Being a Wallflower (1999) by Stephen Chbosky (Removed as a reading assignment in an elective sociology course at the Massapequa, New York high school in 2003 because of its "offensive" content; homosexuality, sexually explicit, offensive language, and unsuited to age group; **; Retained in the Northwest Suburban High School District 214 reading list in Arlington Heights, Illinois [2006], along with eight other challenged titles. A board member, elected amid promises to bring her Christian beliefs into all board decision-making, raised the controversy based on excerpts from the books she'd found on the Internet. Chbosky's novel, which contains references to masturbation, homosexuality, and bestiality, got the bulk of the criticism. Removed from Portage, Indiana High School classrooms [2008] for topics such as homosexuality, drug use, and sexual behavior. The novel chronicles the freshman year of high school of a young man struggling with awkwardness and the changing world around him. Challenged on the Commack, New York High School summer reading list [2007] because the novel contains a two-page date rape scene. Educators in Commack revamped their reading list after finding students weren't interested in the choices and Chbosky's novel was added to attract "reluctant readers.") Peter (2001) by Kate Walker ("gay-positive themes"; **) (B) Pet Sematary (1985) by Stephen King Peyton Place (1958) by Grace Metalious ("obscene, indecent") The Pigman (1975) by Paul Zindel Pillars of the Earth (1989) by Ken Follett (Removed from a Cleburne, Texas summer reading list [2009] for a dual credit, high school English class because the novel contains a rape scene and passages of explicit sex.) Pinkerton, Behave! (1979) by Steven Kellogg ("violent")* (B) The Pious Dance (1925) by Klaus Mann Player Piano (1952) by Kurt Vonnegut (B) Popol Vuh, the Sacred Book of the Quiche Maya (1950) Popular History of Witchcraft (1937) by Montague Summers (Challenged by the “God Squad,” a group of three students and their parents, at the El Camino High School in Oceanside, California because the book “glorified the devil and the occult.”) Portnoy's Complaint (1969) by Philip Roth Portrait of a Lady (1883) by Henry James Postcards From No-Man's Land (1999) by Alan Chambers ("gay-related themes") The Power of One (1989) by Bryce Courtenay The Practice of Prelates (1530) by William Tyndale A Prayer for Owen Meany (1989) by John Irving Prep: A Novel (2005) by Curtis Sittenfeld (Pulled from the accelerated reading program in the Heritage Oak Private School in Yorba Linda, California [2008]. A parent complained that the book was "pornographic.") The Prince (Il Principe) (1515) by Niccolo Machiavelli The Prince and the Pauper (1881) by Mark Twain* Prince of Tides (1986) by Pat Conroy (Suspended from the Nitro High School in Kanawha County, West Virginia honors English and Advanced Placement literature classes [2007] after parents complained about the book's scenes of violence, sexual assault, child rape, suicide, and more. A Kanawha County Board of Education member suggested the institution of a book rating system. Eventually, the book was approved for return to the classroom, as long as students are offered alternative texts.) Private Parts (1993) by Howard Stern Prometheus Unbound (1820) by Percy Bysshe Shelley (B) The Prophet (1923) by Kahlil Gibran* (B) The Provincial Letters (1656) by Blaise Pascal (This book, which is a defense of the Jansenist Antoine Arnauld, was ordered shredded and burned by King Louis XIV of France in 1660; "subversive to the authority of the king.") The Prydain Chronicles (1964) by Lloyd Alexander (Challenged as required reading at the Northbridge, Massachusetts Middle School in 1993. The complainants said that the series of fantasy novels "contains religious themes that are pagan in nature and young minds would be drawn the to allure of witchcraft and black magic that runs through the books.") Ptolemy's Gate (2006) by Jonathan Stroud (Restored by Lackawanna, New York School Board [2008] along with several other books following accusations of censorship by some parents and teachers. The book was pulled from the middle school library recommended list because of concerns that the book deals with the occult.) Push (1996) by Sapphire |
| Waco: The Davidian Massacre (1995) by Carol Moore (privately published) Walter the Farting Dog (2004) by William Kotzwinkle and Glenn Murray (Challenged, but retained on the library shelves of the West Salem, Wisconsin Elementary School in 2004 despite the books use of the word fart and farting 24 times.)* The Wars (1977) by Timothy Findley Watchmen (1986--1987) by Alan Moore The Water is Wide (1990) by Pat Conroy Watership Down (1972) by Richard Adams The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963 (1995) by Christopher Paul Curtis (Challenged in the Stafford County, Virginia middle schools in 2002 because a parent was offended by some language. The book is a 1996 Newbery Honor winner and the same year was named a Coretta Scott King Honor Book.) We (1921) by Yevgeny Zamyatin ("political reasons") We All Fall Down (1991) by Robert Cormier (Pulled from a Baldwin, Kansas ninth grade class in 2003 by the school district superintendent because "it was clear to the superintendent that it wasn't fit for his own daughter or granddaughter." The original complaint objected to 50 passages that contained profanity and sexual content.) Wealth of Nations (1776) by Adam Smith ("capitalist concepts") Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary (1983) ("objectionable language"; "obscene words") Weetzie Bat (1989) by Francesca Lia Block Welcome To the Monkey House (1968) by Kurt Vonnegut ("promoted the killing off of elderly people and free sex") Well of Loneliness (1981) by Radclyffe Hall ("lesbian theme"; banned in the UK in 1928, republished there in 1949) Whale Talk (2001) by Chris Crutcher ("profanity"; Challenged at the Missouri Valley, Iowa High School [2007] because the book uses racial slurs and profanity. Challenged as an optional reading in a bullying unit at the Lake Oswego, Oregon Junior High School [2007] because the novel is "peppered with profanities, ranging from derogatory slang terms to sexual encounters and violence." Students are given a list of book summaries and a letter to take to their parents. Four of the eight optional books offered are labeled as having "mature content/language.") Whatever Happened to Janie? (1994) by Caroline B. Cooney What I Know Now (1997) by Rodger Larson ("gay-positive themes"; **) What Janie Found (2000)_ by Caroline B. Cooney What My Mother Doesn't Know (2001) by Sonya Sones (Removed from library shelves of the Rosedale Union School District in Bakersfield, California in 2002 because of discomfort with Sones' poem, 'Ice Capades' -- a teenage girl's description of how her breasts react to cold; foul language. Available only to seventh- and eighth-graders at the Spring Hill, Wisconsin School library [2007] after a parent wanted the book, which deals with masturbation, groping, and sexual fantasy, among other themes, to be removed from the library and the accelerated reading program.) What's Eating Gilbert Grape? (1991) by Peter Hedges (Banned by the superintendent of the Carroll, Iowa High School [2006] because of parental concerns about an oral sex scene. In response, students started an Internet protest on the social network Facebook. Hundreds joined the group -- "Un-ban Gilbert Grape! Censorship is Wrong" -- and organizers say they plan to collect signatures calling for a formal review. "Parents were already notified of its content, and had to sign a permission slip for their child to read it." Later, the Carroll school board voted to overturn Superintendent Rob Cordes' decision to ban the book from the high school's literature-to-film class. The author said, "the district shouldn't let those larger themes be obscured by the relatively few pages with sexual content that he intended to drive plot.") What's Happening To My Body? Book for Girls: A Growing Up Guide For Parents and Daughters (2007) by Lynda Madaras What You Never Knew About Tubs, Toilets, and Showers (2001) by Patricia Lauber When I Was a Loser: True Stories of (Barely) Surviving High School by Today's Top Writers (2007) by John McNally, editor (Challenged as a Cumberland, Rhode Island high school reading assignment [2007] because the entire compilation is filled with essays that are "lewd, contain profanity, and references to bestiality.") When I Was Puerto Rican (1993) by Esmeralda Santiago (**) When Jeff Comes Home (1999) by Catherine Atkins When Someone You Know is Gay (1989) by Daniel Cohen ("pervasive vulgarity and obsessive obscenities") Where Did I Come From? (1974) by Peter Mayle Where Do Babies Come From? (1973) by Margaret Sheffield and Shelia Bewley Where's Waldo? (1987) by Martin Handford ("there is a tiny drawing of a woman lying on the beach wearing a bikini bottom but no top.")* Where the Heart Is (1995) by Billie Letts (Retained in the Natrona County, Wyoming school district in 2002 after being challenged for graphic violence, obscene language, and drug use; not appropriate for younger schoolmates.)* Where the Kissing Never Stops (1986) by Ron Koertge Where the Sidewalk Ends (1974) by Shel Silverstein ("suggests drug use, the occult, suicide, death, violence, disrespect for truth, disrespect for legitimate authority, rebellion against parents"; "a poem titled 'Dreadful' talks about how 'someone ate the baby'"; "promotes cannibalism"; "silly poems will incite children to mutiny"; see A Light In the Attic (1981))* Where Willy Went (2004) by Nicholas Allan (Challenged at the Chandler, Arizona Public Library [2007] along with complaints about the Phoenix New Times, comedian George Carlin's audio book, When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops? (2004), and a fairy tale DVD narrated by Robin Williams. A parent requested that Allan's children's picture book be removed from the children's area to a restricted parenting collection because Willy is a sperm and the book is about sex.) Whispers From the Dead (1991) by Joan Lowery Nixon (Restored by the Lackawanna, New York School Board [2008] along with several other books following accusations of censorship by some parents and teachers. The books were pulled from the middle school library recommended list because of concerns that the books deal with the occult.) Whistle Me Home (1997) by Barbara Wersba Who Built America? by Apple Computer ("offensive") Who Has Seen the Wind? (1976) by W.O. Mitchell Who Is Frances Rain? (1987) by Margaret Buffie The Whole Lesbian Sex Book (1994) by Felice Newman (The father of two teenage boys asked city officials to fine the Bentonville, Arkansas Public Library [2007] for keeping the book on open shelves. He wanted the city to pay him $10,000 per child, the maximum allowed under Arkansas obscenity law. After receiving the original complaint, the library advisory committee board voted to remove the book from circulation and look for a similar, less graphic resource for the open shelves. The library director said she disagreed with the complainant's conclusion that having Newman's book in the library follows an "immoral social agenda.") Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (1995) by Gregory Maguire (Retained in the 10th-grade honors program of the Canadaigua Academy in Ontario County, New York [2008] despite concerns about the sexual content on a few pages of the book. The district will offer alternative reading for anyone who objects to the book.)* Wide Sargasso Sea (1966) by Jean Rhys If I Forget Thee, Jerusalem (The Wild Palms) (1939) by William Faulkner Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China (1991) by Jung Chang ("political reasons) Willa Cather (1995) by Sharon O'Brien (**) Winds of Change (2002) by Reza Pahlavi ("political reasons") Winnie the Pooh (1926) by A.A. Milne* Winning (1977) by Robin F. Brancato Winterset (1950) by Maxwell Anderson Witch Baby (1991) by Francesca Lia Block (**; On March 10, 2003, the school board determined the book is suitable for elementary and middle school collections and placed a young adult sticker on its spine; "profanity, drug use, sex, torture") The Witches (1983) by Roald Dahl ("conflicts with religious and moral beliefs"; "the children misbehave and take retribution on the adults and there's never, ever a consequence for their actions;" "too sophisticated and did not teach moral values;" satanic; could desensitize children to crimes related to witchcraft; depicts witches as ordinary-looking women; could entice impressionable children into becoming involved in the occult; use of the word 'slut'; "the boy is turned into a mouse by the witches and will have to stay a mouse for the rest of his life.")* The Witches of Worm (1973) by Zilpha Keatley Snyder ("could lead young readers to embrace satanism"; "objections to its references to the occult") Witches, Pumpkins, and Grinning Ghosts: The Story of the Halloween Symbols (2000) by Edna Barth The Witch of Blackbird Pond (1986) by Elizabeth George Speare (Challenged in the middle school curriculum in Cromwell, Connecticut in 2002 based on concern that it promotes witchcraft and violence. The book is the recipient of the 1959 Newbery Medal for children's literature.) Witch Poems (1984) by Daisy Wallace The Witch's Sister (1975) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor Wizard of Oz (1900) by Frank Baum* Wizardology: The Book of the Secrets of Merlin (2005) by Dugald Steer (Challenged at the West Haven, Connecticut's Molloy Elementary School Library [2007] because the book exposes children to the occult.) Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts (1975) by Maxine Kingston Women and Sex (1972) by Nawal El Saadawi Women in Love (1920) by D. H. Lawrence Women On Top (1991) by Nancy Friday* Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do (1974) by Studs Terkel (B) The Works of Aristotle (384 -- 322 BC) (B) The Works of Jose Arevalo Bermejo (1904 -- 1990) (B) The Works of Bertolt Brecht (1898 -- 1956) (B) The Works of Dante Alighieri (1265 -- 1321) (B) The Works of Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821 -- 1881) (B) The Works of Erich Maria Remarque (1898 -- 1970) (B) The Works of Sigmund Freud (1856 -- 1939) (B) The Works of Plato (428/427 -- 348/347 BC) (B) The Works of Socrates (469 -- 399 BC) (B) The Works of Pramoedya Ananta Toer (1925 -- 2006) The World According to Garp (1978) by John Irving A World I Never Made (1936) by James Farrell (B) The World's Illusion (1927) by Jakob Wassermann Worlds in Collision (1950) by Immanuel Velikovsky ("controversial version of the origins of our solar system") The World's Most Famous Ghosts (1979) by Daniel Cohen (Proposed for removal, along with more than 50 other books, from the high school library in Russell Springs, Kentucky in 2002 by a teacher's prayer group; anti-praying book) A Wrinkle in Time (1962) by Madeleine L'Engle (Challenged, but retained on the media center shelves of the Polk City, Florida Elementary school in 1985. A parent filed the complaint, contending the story promoted witchcraft, crystal balls, and demons. Challenged in the Anniston, Alabama schools in 1990 because the book sends a mixed signal to children about good and evil. The complainant also objected to listing the name of Jesus Christ together with the names of great artists, philosophers, scientists and religious leaders when referring to defenders of Earth against evil. Challenged, but retained by the Catawba County School Board in Newton, North Carolina in 1996. A parent requested the book be pulled from the school libraries because it allegedly undermines religious beliefs)* Wuthering Heights (1847) by Emily Bronte* |
| Sanctuary (1931) by William Faulkner ("erotic passages, rape, voyeurism, prostitution") The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea (1965) by Yukio Mishima (B) Salem's Lot (1975) by Stephen King Salome (1891) by Oscar Wilde Sandpiper (2005) by Ellen Wittlinger (Challenged at the Brookwood, Alabama High School Library [2007] due to a complaint that the book has sexual content and language. The grandmother stated that the school should "teach abstinence and no sex before marriage." Wittlinger, the book's author, said in a letter to the school system that she was very surprised to learn that her book was being called "offensive" and "sick" because she said the purpose of the book is not meant to be a how-to guide for oral sex. Instead, it is a cautionary tale to teach kids that oral sex is "real" sex and not just the "cool thing to do." The board decided eventually to retain the book "on the advice of legal counsel.") Sappho (circa 639 BCE) by Jane McIntosh Snyder (**; The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Southern California filed suit in Doe vs Anaheim Union High School District alleging that the removal is "a pretext for viewpoint-based censorship." The ACLU claims no other books have been removed from the library for similar reasons, even though several, such as works by Shakespeare and Dickens, are more difficult reading. The ACLU contends that the school officials engaged in unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination by removing the book because it contains gay and lesbian material. In March 2001, the school board approved a settlement that restored the book to the high school shelves and amended the district's policy to prohibit the removal of books for subject matter involving sexual orientation, but the book will not be returned to the middle school.) Sari Says: The Real Dirt on Everything From Sex To School (2001) by Sari Locker (Removed from the shelves at the James Kennedy public library in 2002 because it deals with sexual issues.) (B) The Satanic Verses (1988) by Salman Rushdie (criticism of Islam; banned in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Somalis, Sudan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Qatar, Indonesia, South Africa, and India; burned in West Yorkshire, England; in Pakistan, five people died in riots against the book; Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, or religious edict, stating, "I inform the proud Muslim people of the world that the author of the Satanic Verses, which is against Islam, the prophet and the Koran and all those involved in its publication who were aware of its content, have been sentenced to death;" blasphemous to the prophet Mohammed; in Venezuela, owning or reading it was declared a crime under penalty of 15 month imprisonment; Hitoshi Igarashi, the Japanese translator, was stabbed to death; Ettore Capriolo, the Italian translator, was seriously wounded; William Nygaard, its Norwegian publisher, was shot and seriously injured) The Scarlet Letter (1850) by Nathaniel Hawthorne ("too frank and revealing")* Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz ("occult/Satanism, unsuited to age group, violence, and insensitivity")* Scary Stories to Tell In the Dark (elementary/middle school) (1983) by Alvin Schwartz ("scary"; "This book goes far beyond other scary books"; "violence and cannibalism"; "unacceptably violent"; "shows the dark side of religion through the occult, the devil, and Satanism")* Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones (elementary/middle school) (1991) by Alvin Schwartz ("scary"; "violence and subject matter"; "unacceptably violent for children")* Schindler's List (1982) by Thomas Keneally School Girls: Young Women, Self Esteem, and the Confidence Gap (1994) by Peggy Orenstein The Screwtape Letters (1942) by C.S. Lewis* Search For Truth in History (1993) by David Irving Second Heaven (1982) by Judith Guest The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, aged 13 3/4 (young adult) (1982) by Sue Townsend The Seduction of Peter S. (1983) by Lawrence Sanders Send No Blessings (1992) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor A Separate Peace (1959) by John Knowles ("filthy, trashy sex novel"; "offensive language"; "graphic language")* A Series of Unfortunate Events (the series) (elementary/ middle school) by Lemony Snicket (Banned in Decatur, Georgia because of objections to the suggested incest in The Bad Beginning (1999) and the use of the word "damn" in The Reptile Room (1999). Other books in the series are: Wide Window (2000), Miserable Mill (2000), Austere Academy (2000), Ersatz Elevator (2001), Vile Village (2001), Carnivorous Carnival (2002), Slippery Slope (2003), Grim Grotto (2004), Penultimate Peril (2005), and The End (2006). Sex (1992) by Madonna (Banned in Japan a week after it was released) Sex Education (young adult) (1995) by Jenny Davis Sex for Busy People: The Art of the Quickie for Lovers on the Go (2006) by Emily Dubberley (Restricted minors' access in the Topeka and Shawnee County, Kansas Public Library [2009] because a group contended that the material is "harmful to minors under state law.") Sex Kittens and Horn Dawgs Fall in Love (2006) by Maryrose Wood (Removed along with 9 other titles from a library order at the Hernando County, Florida [2006] schools. Among the other books culled from Nature Coast Technical High School's order were Barbara Kingsolver's fist novel, The Bean Trees (1988); The Clan of the Cave Bear (1980) by Jean Auel; Boy's Life (1991) by Robert McCammon; and the abridged young-adult version of The Power of One (1989) by Bruce Courtenay. A board member led the charge against those books, reading profanity-laced passages and castigating the school officials who placed the order. Other books the school system wants to have reviewed are: Are You In the House Alone? (1977), Rainbow Boys (2001), Rats Saw God (1996), and The King Must Die (1958.) Sex, Puberty, and All That Stuff: A Guide to Growing Up (2004) by Jacqui Bailey and Jan McCafferty (Retained in the Windsor, Connecticut Library [2008] after being challenged as inappropriate for its descriptions of sexual development. The book is designed for students from grades five through ten.) Sex Toys 101: A Playfully Uninhibited Guide (2003) by Rachel Venning and Claire Cavanah (Challenged, but retained in the Marple public library in Broomall, Pennsylvania in 2004 along with several sexual instruction manuals including: The Joy of Gay Sex (2003) by Charles Silverstein and Edmund White; Great Sex Tips (2001) by Anne Hooper; Ultimate Guide to Fellatio (2002) by Violet Blue; and The Illustrated Guide to Extended Massive Orgasm (2002) (by Steve Bodansky because the books are "seriously objectionable in text and pictures due to the sexually explicit material.") Sexy (2005) by Joyce Carol Oates (Retained at Jefferson High School in Boulder, Montana [2007] despite objections to "inappropriate" language and sexually explicit passages in the novel.) Shade's Children (young adult) (1997) by Garth Nix (vulgar, obscene, educationally unsuitable) Shane (1949) by Jack Schaefer (B) Shanghai Baby (1999) by Wei Hui (40,000 copies of Shanghai Baby were burned by the Chinese government. Rights were subsequently sold in 19 countries. 200,000 copies are in print in Japan alone) Shattering Glass (2002) by Gail Giles (Challenged as an optional reading in a bullying unit at the Lake Oswego, Oregon Junior High School [2007] because the novel is "peppered with profanities, ranging from derogatory slang terms to sexual encounters and violence." Students are given a list of book summaries and a letter to take to their parents. Four of the eight optional books offered are labeled as having mature content/language.") The Shell Lady's Daughter (1983) by C. S. Adler (Challenged but retained at the Campbell County junior high school libraries in Gillette, Wyoming [2007] despite "objectionable subjects: sexual relations between teenagers, sexual thoughts, promiscuity, masturbation, deceiving parents, suicide overdose on sleeping pills, suicide by drowning oneself and self-inflicted pain." The book won the 1983 Best Books for Young Adults Award from the American Library Association.) (B) The Shining (1977) by Stephen King Shogun (1975) by James Clavell (**) Show Me! A Picture Book Of Sex For Children and Parents (1975) by Will McBride ("inappropriate for a library collection") Sign of the Beaver (1983) by Elizabeth Speare Silas Marner (1861) by George Eliot (In 1978, the Anaheim, California Union High School banned this book; "scandalous") (B) Silent Song of a Mute (The Mute's Soliloquy: A Memoir) (1999) by Pramoedya Ananta Toer Silver Pigs (1989) by Lindsey Davis (**) (B) Sir Gawain & The Green Knight (1925) by J.R.R. Tolkien Si, Somos Lesbianas by Maria Fuentes-Perez (banned in Cuba for homosexual content) The Sissy Duckling (2002) by Harvey Fierstein ("gay-positive themes"; **)* The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2001) by Ann Brashares* (B) Skeleton Crew (1985) by Stephen King The Skull of Truth: A Magic Shop Book (ages 9 -- 12) (1997) by Bruce Coville ("depiction of a gay character") (B) Slaughterhouse Five, or, The Children's Crusade, a Duty Dance With Death (1969) by Kurt Vonnegut ("too violent"; "rife with profanity and explicit sex"; "vulgar language, violent imagery and sexual content"; "contains and makes reference to religious matters"; "foul language, a reference to'Magic Fingers' attached to the protagonist's bed to help him sleep, and the sentence: 'The gun made a ripping sound like the opening of the fly of God Almighty'"; "bathroom language"; "ungodliness"; "immoral subject matter"; "cruelty"; "language that is too modern"; "an unpatriotic portrayal of war"; "Anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-Semitic, and just plain filthy"; Retained in the Northwest Suburban High School District 214 reading list in Arlington Heights, Illinois [2006], along with eight other challenged titles. A board member, elected amid promises to bring her Christian beliefs into all board decision-making, raised the controversy based on excerpts from the books she'd found on the Internet. Challenged in the Howell, Michigan High School [2007] because of the book's strong sexual content. In response to a request from the president of the Livingston Organization for Values in Education, or LOVE, the county's top law enforcement official reviewed the books to see whether laws against distribution of sexually explicit materials to minors had been broken. "After reading the books in question, it is clear that the explicit passages illustrated a larger literary, artistic, or political message and were not included solely to appeal to the prurient interest of minors," the county prosecutor wrote. "Whether these materials are appropriate for minors is a decision to be made by the school board, but I find that they are not in violation of the criminal laws.") The Slave Dancer (middle -- high school) (1981) by Paula Fox ("too graphic depiction of slave trade") Slave Day (ages 12 and up) (1997) by Rob Thomas Sleeping Beauty Trilogy: The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty; Beauty's Punishment; Beauty's Release (1984) by Anne Rice (*penname A.N. Roquelaure) ("pornographic") Slocum Series (1985 and onward) by Jake Logan ("pornographic western novel") Slugs (1983) by David Greenberg Smack (1996) by Melvin Burgess Snow Bound (elementary/middle school) (1986) by Harry Mazer Snow Falling on Cedars (1994) by David Guterson (Challenged, but retained in the advanced English classes in Modesto, California in 2003. The seven-member Modesto City School Board said administrators should instead give parents more information about the books their children read, including annotations on each text. Parents can opt their children out of any assignments they find objectionable; "obscene and vulgar"; "offensive"; "contains racial epithets"; "sexually graphic passages; highly offensive"; "depictions of mutilation"; Challenged in the Coeur d'Alene, Idaho School District [2007]. Some parents say the book, along with five others, should require parental permission for students to read them.)* (B) Socialism in Theory and Practice (1908) by Morris Hillquit So Far From the Bamboo Grove (1986) by Yoko Kawashima Watkins (Removed from the sixth-grade English curriculum at Dover Sherborn, Massachusetts Middle School [2006] due to scenes hinting at rape, violence against women by Korean men, and a distorted presentation of history. It is part of the state's recommended reading list for the grade level. The book is based on the real-life experiences of Watkins, whose father was a Japanese government official. In a reversal of its decision made, the Dover-Sherborn Regional School committee voted unanimously to keep the book as part of a sixth-grade language arts unit on survival. The school is exploring other texts to bring balance to the unit in response to the criticism leveled against the book by some parents and community members.) Soft Target: How Indian Intelligence Service Penetrated Canada (1989) by Zuhair Kashmeri and Brian McAndrew (banned in India) Song of Solomon (1977) by Toni Morrison ("contains language degrading to blacks, and is sexually explicit") Sons and Lovers (1913) by D. H. Lawrence Sophie's Choice (1979) by William Styron (Returned to LA Mirada, California High School library in 2002 after a complaint about its sexual content prompted the school to pull the award-winning novel about a tormented Holocaust survivor; "profanity")* Sophie's World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy (1991) by Jostein Gaarder The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774) by Johann Goethe (Young men and women in France and Germany took their own lives with copies of Goethe's novel in their pockets; "has a corrupting influence and encourages a morbid sensibility") Soul Catcher (1972) by Frank Herbert ("very much anti-God") Soul on Ice (1968) by Eldridge Cleaver The Sound and the Fury (1929) by William Faulkner Sounder (1969) by William Howard Armstrong (Challenged, but retained in the Rockingham County, North Carolina schools in 1996. A parent had problems with the use of the word "nigger" on page 21 and a reference to the main character, a black sharecropper, as "boy") The Sound of Waves (1954) by Yukio Mishima ("crude, vulgar, degrading to women, seductive, enticing, suggestive") Soup (ages 9 -- 12) (1974) by Robert Newton Peck The Source (1965) by James Michener Speak (high school/ middle school) (1999) by Laurie Halse Anderson The Spoken Word Revolution: Slam, Hip Hop and the Poetry of a New Generation (2003) by Mark Eleveld (Challenged but retained in the Sequim, Washington School District [2006] despite complaints that the book contains "profanity and references to sex, drugs, and mistreatment of women that are inappropriate for young teens.") Spycatcher: The Candid Autobiography of a Senior Intelligence Officer (1987) by Peter Wright (Banned in UK 1985--1988 for revealing secrets. Wright was a former MI5 intelligence officer and his book was banned before it was even published in 1987) (B) The Stand (1978) by Stephen King ("sexual language, casual sex, and violence") The Starplace (1999) by Vicki Grove (Challenged at the Turner Elementary School in New Tampa, Florida [2008] because the novel contains a racial epithet. The book about an interracial middle-school friendship in 1960s Oklahoma was highly recommended by Children's Literature Review.) Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself (grades 5 -- 7) (1977) by Judy Blume Starting From San Francisco (1961) by Lawrence Ferlinghetti The State and Revolution (1917) by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin (In 1954, the Providence, Rhode Island post office attempted to block delivery of this book to Brown University, citing it as 'subversive.') Steal This Book (1976) by Abbie Hoffman (Banned in the US until the late `980s. This book was highly controversial because of its anti-government views) The Stepford Wives (1972) by Ira Levin and Peter Straub Sticks and Stones (high school) (1972) by Lynn Hall The Stone Angel (1964) by Margaret Lawrence A Stone in My Hand (2002) by Cathryn Clinton (Challenged, but retained in the Marion County public library system in Ocala, Florida in 2003 despite a complaint that the subject matter was too mature and the book "was written one-sidedly, specifically showing one party to be fully wrong." Reviewers noted that the book is told from a Muslim perspective and can be taken to be anti-Israel. An Ocala resident noted that "this book will help further hatred of Jews, anti-Semitism, and hatred of Israel, on the part of children, that target audience.") Stones From the River (1994) by Ursula Hegi* Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution (2004) by David Carter ("deals with gay and lesbian issues") The Story of Dr. Dolittle (1920) by Hugh Lofting (The 1960 version was silently "cleaned up" from the 1920 original, in which Polynesia the parrot occasionally used some impolite terms. In 1988, after the book had fallen from favor enough to have dropped out of print, the publishers issued a new edition that removed nearly all references to race from the book and cut out a plotline involving Prince Bumpo's desire to become white.) Story of Little Black Sambo (1899) by Helen Bannerman (Banned from Toronto Schools in 1956. Most of the fuss was over the illustrations rather than the text.)* Stotan! (grade 9 and up) (1986) by Chris Crutcher ("vulgar language"; "sexual explicitness, violent imagery gratuitously employed") Stranger in a Strange Land (1962) by Robert Heinlein (Challenged, but retained in the South Texas Independent School District in Mercedes, Texas in 2003. Parents objected to the adult themes -- sexuality, drugs, and suicide -- found in the 1962 Hugo Award-winning novel. Heinlein's book was part of the summer Science Academy curriculum. The board voted to give parents more parents more control over their children's choices by requiring principals to automatically offer an alternative to a challenged book.) Street Kids (1970) by Herbert Danska (B) Strong Wind (1969) by Miguel Angel Asturias Stuck in Neutral (2000) by Terry Trueman (Challenged, but retained on the reading list for eighth-graders at the Evansville, Wisconsin High School in 2003 despite concerns about profanity, sexual imagery, and violence) Stuck Rubber Baby (1995) by Howard Cruse ("homosexual agenda") The Stupids Die (1981) (preschool -- elementary) by Harry Allard and James Marshall ("children shouldn't refer to anyone as 'stupid'"; "undermines the authority of parents")* The Stupids Have a Ball (preschool -- elementary) (1978) by Harry Allard and James Marshall ("reinforces negative behavior and low self-esteem")* The Stupids Step Out (preschool -- elementary) (1977) by Harry Allard and James Marshall ("describes families in a derogatory manner and might encourage children to disobey their parents"; "includes disrespectful language"; "makes parents look like boobs and undermines authority")* The Stupids Take Off (1978) by Harry Allard and James Marshall Suicide Mode D'Emploi (1982) by Claude Guillon (This book, reviewing all the accessible recipes for committing suicide, was cause of a great scandal in France in the 1970s and the subject of a law edicted in the French parliament which forbids not only this book to be sold in France but any medium giving tips or recipes on the way to kill yourself.) The Summer of My German Soldier (ages 9 -- 12) (1973) by Bette Greene The Sun Also Rises (1926) by Ernest Hemingway* Superfudge (1980) by Judy Blume* The Supernaturalist (2004) by Eoin Colfer (Restored by the Lackawanna, New York School Board [2008] along with several other books following accusations of censorship by some parents and teachers. The books were pulled from the middle school library recommended list because of concerns that the books deal with the occult.) The Sweet Hereafter (1991) by Russell Banks ("profanity, drug use") Sylvester and the Magic Pebble (1969) by William Steig ("characters are animals and police are pigs")* |
| The Tailypo (1977) by Joanna Galdone (B) The Talisman (1984) by Stephen King and Peter Straub (B) The Talmud ("religious grounds"; "godless writing") Tar Beach (1991) by Faith Ringgold (Challenged in the Spokane, Washington Elementary school libraries in 1994 because it stereotypes African Americans as eating fried chicken and watermelon and drinking beer at family picnics. The book is based on memories of its author's family rooftop picnics in 1930s Harlem. The book won the 1992 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award for its portrayal of minorities.) (B) The Tarnished Lady (1999) by Sandra Hill Tartuffe (1669) by Moliere Tarzan of the Apes (1914) by Edgar Rice Burroughs The Teenage Guy's Survival Guide (1999) by Jeremy Daldry T.E. Lawrence (1994) by Daniel Wolfe (**; The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Southern California filed suit in Doe vs Anaheim Union High School District alleging that the removal is "a pretext for viewpoint-based censorship." The ACLU claims no other books have been removed from the library for similar reasons, even though several, such as works by Shakespeare and Dickens, are more difficult reading. The ACLU contends that the school officials engaged in unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination by removing the book because it contains gay and lesbian material. In March 2001, the school board approved a settlement that restored the book to the high school shelves and amended the district's policy to prohibit the removal of books for subject matter involving sexual orientation, but the book will not be returned to the middle school.) Tell Me How Long The Train's Been Gone (1968) by James Baldwin (B) Ten Days That Shook the World (1919) by John Reed Tenderness (1997) by Robert Cormier (**) The Tenth Circle (2006) by Jodi Picoult (Removed from the Westhampton Beach, New York High School ninth-grade reading list [2007] because of "inappropriate sexual content." The reading list contains more than 300 books from which ninth-graders must choose to read for course credit.) (B) Terrorism and Communism (1919) by Karl Kautsky The Terrorist (1997) by Caroline Cooney (B) Thalia (~323 CE) by Arius (Banned in the Roman Empire in the 330s for contradicting Trinitarianism. All of Arius writings were ordered burned and Arius exiled, and presumably assassinated for his writings. Banned by the Catholic church for the next 1000 plus years) That Was Then, This is Now (young adult) (1971) by S.E. Hinton Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937) by Zora Neale Hurston Then Again Maybe I Won't (grades 6 -- 10) (1971) by Judy Blume There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom (1987) by Louis Sachar Things Fall Apart (1958) by Chinua Achebe The Things They Carried ( 1990) by Tim O'Brien (Banned from the George County, Mississippi schools in 2002 because of profanity. Retained in the Northwest Suburban High School District 214 reading list in Arlington Heights, Illinois [2006], along with eight other challenged titles. A board member, elected amid promises to bring her Christian beliefs into all board decision-making, raised the controversy based on excerpts from the books she'd found on the Internet.) Things Your Father Never Taught You (1995) by Robert Masullo ("occultist") (B) Thinner (1984) by Stephen King This Boy's Life (1989) by Tobias Wolff ("vulgar language, sexual explicitness, violent imagery gratuitously employed") (B) This Earth of Mankind (1980) by Pramoedya Ananta Toer A Thousand Acres (1991) by Jane Smiley ("no literary value") A Thousand Pieces of Gold (1999) by Ruthanne Lum McCunn (**) Three Billy Goats Gruff (1957; author lived 1812 -- 1885) by Peter C. Asbjornsen* Three Comedies of American Life: The Anta Series of Distinguished Plays (1961) by Joseph Mersand Through the Looking Glass (1871) by Lewis Carroll* Tiger Eyes (1981) by Judy Blume Time For Dancing (1995) by Davida Hurwin (**) A Time to Kill (1989) by John Grisham* To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) by Harper Lee (Challenged in the Normal, Illinois Community High School's sophomore literature class in 2003 as being degrading to African Americans. Challenged at the Stanford Middle School in Durham, North Carolina in 2004 because the 1961 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel uses the word 'nigger.'" racial slurs; degrading to African Americans; represents institutionalized racism under the guise of 'good literature'; conflicted with the values of the community. Retained in the English curriculum by the Cherry Hill, New Jersey Board of Education [2007]. A resident had objected to the novel's depiction of how blacks are treated by members of a racist white community in an Alabama town during the Depression. The resident feared the book would upset black children reading it.)* Tom Jones (1861) by Henry Fielding (B) Tommyknockers (1987) by Stephen King Totally Joe (2005) by James Howe (Removed from the Jefferson Elementary School in Bedford County, Virginia [2007] because of "inappropriate content." Administrators pulled the book from the shelf after a parental complaint. While the school system's general policy on content challenges calls for formal committee's review of the book, that policy was not followed. Rather, officials decided the book was not appropriate for elementary-school children, but did not decide whether to allow the book in middle or high schools.) To the Lighthouse (1927) by Virginia Woolf Trailsman series (~1987 -- 1989) by Jon Sharpe ("western pornographic novel") Tripping Over the Lunch Lady and Other Short Stories (2004) by Avi, Angela Johnson, David Lubar, James Proimos, David Rice, Susan Shreve, Terry Trueman, Rachel Vail, Lee Wardlow, Sarah Weeks; ed. Nancy E. Mercado (After a challenge and three appeals, the York County School Board chose to keep the collection of short stories in the Magruder Elementary School library in Williamsburg, Virginia [2007] despite claims that it is offensive to children with loved ones serving in the military and inappropriate for elementary school students. A parent wanted the book removed because one of the short stories contained references to war, bombs, and soldier casualties.) Tropic of Cancer (1934) by Henry Miller ("long passages that are filthy and revolting and that tend to excite lustful thoughts and desires . . . [the obscene portions] are directly, completely and wholly filthy and obscene and have no reasonable relation to any literary concept inherent in the book's theme."; banned in the US in the 1930s until the early 1960s, seized by US customs for sexually explicit content and vulgarity. The rest of Miller's works were also banned in the US. Also banned in South Africa until the late 1980s) Tropic of Capricorn (1938) by Henry Miller (argued along with Tropic of Cancer; see Tropic of Cancer for reasons of banning) The Trouble With Babies (ages 4 -- 9) (2002) by Martha Freeman ("brief mention of an adopted child's two gay fathers"; "homosexual agenda"; author has been asked to reissue the novel without the mention of gay men) True to the Game: A Teri Woods Fable (1999) by Teri Woods ttfn (2006) by Lauren Myracle (Removed from the Marietta, Oklahoma Middle School library [2008] due to descriptions of sex and drug use. The book, which is recommended for older students, depicts online conversations between three eleventh-grade girls.) ttyl (2004) by Lauren Myracle ("sexually explicit"; "offensive language"; "unsuited to age group"; Challenged in the Round Rock, Texas Independent School District's middle school library [2008] due to the book's descriptions of sex, porn, alcohol, and inappropriate student-teacher relationships. The school offers parents the ability to tell the school if they do not want their children to check out particular books at the library.) TTYL: Camp Confidential (2006) by Melissa J. Morgan (Challenged at the William Floyd Middle School library in Mastic, NY [2007] because the book contains "curse words, crude references to the male and female anatomy, sex acts and adult situations like drinking alcohol and flirtation with a teacher that almost goes too far." A spokesman for the William Floyd School District said the book will remain in the library and that the book is very popular with students across the country. The spokesperson also said unlike many books that young people read, the book deals with controversial subjects without glorifying the negative behaviors.) The Turner Diaries (1978) by William Luther Pierce ("racist"; "inspired hate crimes"; Book stores and libraries refused to distribute it because of its racist theme. Banned in Germany for its Nazi ideology theme and Pierce leadership in the American Nazi party. Blamed for a number of crimes allegedly inspired by the novel.) (B) Twelfth Night (~1601) by William Shakespeare (In 1996, in Merrimack, New Hampshire, schools pulled this play from the curriculum after the school board passed a "prohibition of alternate lifestyle instruction" act. Has the effect of encouraging or supporting homosexuality as a positive lifestyle alternative.)* The Twelve Wild Swans: A Journey To the Realm of Magic, Healing, and Action: Rituals, Exercises, and Magical Training in the Reclaiming Tradition (2000) by Starhawk and Hilary Valentine (Challenged, but retained at the Springdale, Arkansas public library in 2001 despite a complaint that the book is a "witchcraft manual" which "turns people away from God and Bible scriptures.") Twilight (series) by Stephenie H. Meyer (Removed from and later reinstated in the middle school libraries of the Capistrano, California Unified School District [2008]. The books were initially ordered removed by the district's instructional materials specialist, who ordered that the books be moved from the middle school to high school collections. That order was rescinded and the books remain in the middle school libraries. Challenged at the Brockbank Junior High School in Magna, Utah [2009] by a parent over sexual content in the Mormon author's fourth novel, Breaking Dawn.Titles in series are: Twilight (2005), New Moon (2006), Eclipse (2007), and Breaking Dawn (2008))* Two Teenagers in Twenty: Writings by Gay and Lesbian Youth (1994) by Ann Heron (editor) (pervasive vulgarity and obsessive obscenities) (B) The Two Towers: Being the Second Part of The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J.R.R. Tolkien |
| Banned Books, part 2 Books banned, challenged, or otherwise despised. Reasons, if any were provided, are in parentheses following the author. Books that are listed after a capital B (B) have also been burned in protest. This list should not be considered comprehensive. Books are listed alphabetically by title. |
| *Wording: "School officials said the book is too difficult for middle school students and that it could cause harassment against students seen with it." The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) alleged that this removal is "a pretext for viewpoint-based censorship," claiming that no other books considered more difficult (works by Shakespeare and Dickens) were removed for this reason. The ACLU contends that the school officials engaged in unconstitutional viewpoints removed the book because it contains gay and lesbian material. **Parents Against Bad Books in Schools always uses the same wording when asking that a book be removed from the school system or library: "The book contains profanity and descriptions of drug abuse, sexually explicit conduct, and torture." |
| Rabbit Run (1960) by John Updike ("obscene, indecent, explicit sex acts, promiscuity") The Radsters by anonymous (banned in Australia; deemed excessively "turgid") (B) Rage (1977; pseudonym Richard Bachman) by Stephen King Ragtime (1975) by E.L. Doctorow Rainbow Boys (2001) by Alex Sanchez ("pervasively vulgar"; gay content decried; Removed from the Webster, New York Central School District summer reading list for high-school students [2006] after receiving complaints from parents about explicit sexual content. The book won the International Reading Association's 2003 Young Adults' Choice Award, and the American Library Association selected it as a Best Book for Young Adults. A year later, the book returned to the list after district officials reviewed the process used to select books on the list.) Rainbow High (2003) by Alex Sanchez ("profane language, sexuality, homosexual agenda") The Rainbow Kite (grades 6 -- 8) (2002) by Marlene Fanta Shyer A Raisin in the Sun (1958) by Lorraine Hansberry (in response to criticism from an anti-pornography organization; "degrading to African Americans") Rangila Rasul (1924) by Pt. Chamupati (currently banned in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh) Rape Fantasies From the Norton Anthology (1977) by Margaret Atwood Rats Saw God (1996) by Rob Thomas Real Girl/Real World: Tools for Finding Your True Self (1998) by Samantha Phillips and Heather M. Gray (Challenged, but retained at the Cape May County, NJ Library [2006]. The book explores issues such as body image, emerging sexuality, and feminism.) The Red and the Black (1830) by Stendhal The Red Badge of Courage (1895) by Stephen Crane* The Red Pony (1933) by John Steinbeck ("filthy trashy sex novel") Red Sky at Morning (1968) by Richard Bradford (Challenged, but retained on the reading list for freshman English classes in Billings, Montana [2007] despite concerns that the book contains excessive profanity and includes sexually suggestive passages that the complainant thought were not appropriate for fourteen-year-olds. The book has been used in the district for more than 20 years.) (B) The Regulators (1996; pseudonym Richard Bachman) by Stephen King The Reincarnation of Peter Proud (1975) by Max Ehrlich The Relatives Came (1993) by Cynthia Rylant (grandfather has a tattoo")* Religion Within the Limits of Reason Alone (1793) by Immanuel Kant (Kant was told by King Frederick William II to no longer write any religious works, "otherwise you can unfailingly expect, on continued recalcitrance, unpleasant consequences.") Reluctantly Alice (1991) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (Challenged in the Wake County, North Carolina schools [2006]. Parents are getting help from Called2Action, a Christian group that says its mission is to "promote and defend our shared family and social values.") (B) The Return of the King: being the third part of The Lord of the Rings (1955) by J.R.R. Tolkien (B) The Revolt of Modern Youth (1925) by Benjamin Barr Lindsey Revolting Rhymes (1982) by Roald Dahl* (B) Richard III (~1591) by William Shakespeare* Richie (1989) by Thomas Thompson Ricochet River (young adult) (1992) by Robin Cody ("sexual content and use of profanity") (B) The Rights of Man (1791) by Thomas Paine (Thomas Paine was indicted for treason in England in 1792 for this book, defending the French Revolution. "Book exhibits a dangerous tendency; could cause a bloody revolution." Banned in Tsarist Russia after the Decembrist revolt) River God: A Novel of Ancient Egypt (1993) by Wilbur Smith The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth (1978) by M. Scott Peck (Removed from the college bookstore at Louisiana College, Pineville, Louisiana in 2003 by the college president because "profane language clashed with the school's Christian values.") (B) The Road to October (~1924) by Josef Stalin (B) Roadwork (1981; pseudonym Richard Bachman) by Stephen King The Rolling Stone History of Rock and Roll (1980) by Jim Miller, Ed. ("will cause our children to become immoral and indecent") Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry (1976) by Mildred D. Taylor (Removed from the ninth grade reading list at Arcadia, Louisiana High School in 1993. The 1976 Newbery Award wining book was charged with racial bias; depiction of Southern racism; inappropriate. Challenged, but retained as a part of the Seminole County, Florida school curriculum in 2004 despite the concerns of an African American couple who found the book inappropriate for their 13-year-old son. The award-winning book depicts the life of an African American family in rural Mississippi in the 1930s and uses the word 'nigger.') (B) Romeo and Juliet (~1597) by William Shakespeare* Romiette and Julio (1999) by Sharon M. Draper and Adam Lowenbein (Challenged in the Albemarle County Virgina schools [2006], spurring a debate over the age-appropriateness of material with sexual innuendo and fictional online chat room chatters. The school board determined to move the book from the supplemented summer reading list after fifth grade to the sixth-grade second semester curriculum.) A Room With a View (1908) by E.M. Forster The Rose and the Beast: Fairy Tales Retold (2002) by Francesca Lea Block and Suza Scalora (**) (B) Rose Madder (1995) by Stephen King Rosemary's Baby (1967) by Ira Levin Roxanna (1724) by Daniel Defoe Rumble Fish (young adult) (1975) by S.E. Hinton Rumpelstiltskin first published by the Brothers Grimm (1812)* Running Loose (1983) by Chris Crutcher (B) The Running Man (1992; pseudonym Robert Bachman) by Stephen King Running with Scissors (2002) by Augusten Burroughs (Challenged in the Howell, Michigan High School [2007] because of the book's strong sexual content. In response to a request from the president of the Livingston Organization for Values in Education, or LOVE, the county's top law enforcement official reviewed the books to see whether laws against distribution of sexually explicit materials to minors had been broken. "After reading the books in question, it is clear that the explicit passages illustrated a larger literary, artistic, or political message and were not included solely to appeal to the prurient interest of minors," the county prosecutor wrote. "Whether these materials are appropriate for minors is a decision to be made by the school board, but I find that they are not in violation of the criminal laws.")* Run Softly, Go Fast (1970) by Barbara Wersba Run, Shelley, Run (2000) by Gertrude Samuels Ryan White: My Own Story (1992) by Ryan White and Ann Marie Cunningham |
| Question Quest (1991) by Piers Anthony Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse Tung (1964 or 1966 or 1967) by Mao Tse Tung (Banned in South Vietnam and anti-Communist nations in Asia) (B) The Qur'an (compiled 633; distributed 653) (banned on religious grounds; "doesn't appear to be Christian")* |
| The Ugly American (1958) by William J. Lederer and Eugene Burdick ("portrays Americans overseas as boobs or worse while Russian diplomats are portrayed as talented, dedicated servants of communism"; "filthy language and reference to sex"; "profane and vile language.") Ultimate Guide to Fellatio (2002) by Violet Blue (Challenged, but retained in the Marple public library in Broomall, Pennsylvania in 2004 along with several sexual instruction manuals including: The Joy of Gay Sex (1977) by Charles Silverstein and Edmund White; Great Sex Tips (2002) by Anne Hooper; Sex Toys 101: A Playfully Uninhibited Guide (2003) by Rachel Venning; and The Illustrated Guide to Extended Massive Orgasm (2002) by Steve Bodansky because the books are "seriously objectionable in text and pictures due to the sexually explicit material.") (B) Ulysses (1922) by James Joyce (Barred from the U.S. as obscene for 15 years and was seized by the US Postal Authorities in 1918 and 1930. The lifting of the ban in 1933 came only after advocates fought for the right to publish the book. Challenged and temporarily banned in the US for its sexual content. Ban overturned in US v One Book Called Ulysses) Uncle Bobby's Wedding (2008) by Sarah Brannen (Challenged at the Douglas County Libraries in Castle Rock, Colorado [2008] because "some material may be inappropriate for young children." The children's book features two gay guinea pigs. A resident requested that the book be removed from the library and placed in a special area or labeled "some material may be inappropriate for young children.") Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) by Harriet Beecher Stowe (Challenged in Waukegan, Illinois because it contains the word "nigger"; banned in the southern states and Tzarist Russia. Challenged by the NAACP for allegedly racist portrayal of African Americans)* Uncle Vampire (1993) by Cynthia D. Grant Underground to Canada (1977) by Barbara Smucker and Lawrence Hill Understanding Islam Through Hadis (1982) by Ram Swarup United States -- Vietnam Relations, 1945 -- 1967 ("The Pentagon Papers") (1967) U.S. Department of Defense (President Nixon tried to suspend publication of classified information.) Until They Bring the Streetcars Back (1997) by Stanley Gordon West (Challenged in the Fargo, North Dakota School District classrooms [2007] because the book includes passages on such topics as sexual bondage, incest, murder, and infanticide. According to district policy, the complainant does not have standing to request either formal or informal reviews because she doesn't have a child in classes using the book. The complainant also contacted the Montana Department of Public Education and special state legislators.) (B) The Uprising of the Fishermen of Santa Barbara (1929) by Anna Seghers (pen name; Netty Radvanyi, nee Reiling) The Upstairs Room (1990) by Johanna Reiss (Removed from the required reading list for fourth graders at Liberty, Indiana Elementary school in 1993. The Newbery Honor book about a girl in Holland hiding from the Nazis during World War II was investigated because of profanity. Challenged as assigned reading for sixth grade students in Sanford, Maine [1996] because of profanity.) Utal Hawa (Wild Wind) (2002) by Taslima Nasrin |
| The Valachi Papers (1968) by Peter Maas ("would hamper law enforcement") The Valley of the Horses (1982) by Jean Auel (B) Valley of the Squinting Windows (1919) by Brinsley MacNamara Vamos a Cuba (A Visit to Cuba) (2000) by Alta Schreier (Removed from all Miami-Dade County school libraries [2006] because a parent's complaint that the book does not depict an accurate life in Cuba. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida filed a lawsuit challenging the decision to remove this book and the 23 other titles in the same series from the district school libraries. In granting a preliminary injunction in July 2006 against the removal, Judge Alan S. Gold of US District Court in Miami characterized the matter as a "First Amendment issue" and ruled in favor of the ACLU of Florida, which argued that the books were generally factual and that the board should add to its collection, rather than removing books it disagreed with. When the district court entered a preliminary injunction ordering the school district to immediately replace the entire series on library shelves, the Miami-Dade School Board appealed the decision to the Eleventh Circuit Court in Atlanta. In a February 5, 2009 two to one decision, the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit said the board did not breach the First Amendment, and ordered a Miami federal judge to lift a preliminary injunction that had allowed Vamos a Cuba to be checked out from school libraries. But the three judge panel's opinion -- not unlike the School Board's initial vote -- was so fraught with political rhetoric such as "book banning" that further appeals seemed inevitable.) Vasalissa the Beautiful: Russian Fairy Tales ("violence, voodoo, and cannibalism")* Vegan Virgin Valentine (2004) by Carolyn Mackler (challenged in the Mandarin High School library in Jacksonville, Florida [2007] because of inappropriate language) The Veil and the Male Elite (Le Harem Politique) (1987) by Fatima Mernissi (book was ordered to be shredded; the book's translator, publisher, and the person who authorized it were arrested and convicted by the Criminal Court of Tehran of "insulting and undermining the holy tenets of Islam, sullying the person of the Prophet Muhammad, and distorting Islamic history by publishing false, slanderous, and fabricated texts.") The Veldt (1941) by Ray Bradbury (Retained on the Beaverton, Oregon School District's reading list [2006']. The short story was challenged by a middle school parent who thought that its language and plot were inappropriate for students. Her biggest concern is that the story offers no consequences for the children's actions. The short story is part of Ray Bradbury's "The Illustrated Man" (1951) anthology. It is 20 pages long and was published in 1941 as the first in the collection of 18 science fiction stories.) View From the Cherry Tree (ages 9 -- 12) (1975) by Willo Davis Roberts Violet and Claire (ages 12 and over) (1999) by Francesca Lia Block The Voice on the Radio (ages 12 and up) (1996) by Caroline B. Cooney Voyage of the Basset (1996) by James C. Christiansen, Alan Dean Foster, and Renwick St. James (Retained in the Davis County, Utah Library [2006]. The complainant objected to the book after her five-year-old son borrowed it from the children's section and showed her illustrations it contains of topless mermaids and other partially clothed mythical creatures. The author is a retired Brigham Young University art professor and co-chair of the Mormon Arts Foundation.) |
| The Yage Letters (1963) by William Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg You Hear Me? Poems and Writings By Teenage Boys (2000) by Betsy Franco, Ed (Challenged in the Houston County, Georgia public schools in 2002 by a parent concerned about the book's language and topics.) A Young Girl's Diary (1919) by anonymous Young Lonigan (1932) by James Farrell The Young Manhood of Studs Lonigan (1934) by James Farrell Zack's Story (1996) by Keith Elliot Greenberg Zen Buddhism: Selected Writings of D.T. Suzuki (1956) ("This book details the teachings of the religion of Buddhism in such a way that the reader could very likely embrace its teachings and choose this as his religion.") Zero to Sixty: The Motorcycle Journey of a Lifetime (1997) by Gary Paulsen (Removed from the West Brazoria, Texas Junior High School Library [2006] because of depictions of sex acts and profanity. Books on "sensitive topics, such as death, suicide, physical or sexual abuse, and teenage dating relationships" were moved to a restricted "young adult" section from which students can borrow only with written parental permission.) Zhuan Falun: The Complete Teachings of Falun Gong (1992) by Li Hongzhi (Chinese government declared that Fulan Gong is an evil cult that advocated superstition and jeopardized social stability; banned as part of the persecution of Fulan Gong, which began in 1999) Zweites Buch (published 1961, after being kept secret in an air raid shelter from 1935 to 1945, when it was discovered by an American officer; but still remained unpublished until 1961) by Adolph Hitler ("Nazi"; possession and sale is illegal in Germany and Austria because of Nazi content) |
| "We cannot remove something from this world because of fear and ignorance." |
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| !!!! The reasons for challenging the books are NOT MY WORDS!! You should not assume my agreement (nor disagreement for that matter)!! Some reasons for banning have been taken from the American Library Association's banned book lists. Go to that site. |
