The American Library Association has released its annual report assessing the state of academic, public and school libraries. Included in the report is a list of the 10 most frequently banned or challenged books of 2014.
Last year, the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom received 311 reports of attempts to remove or restrict materials from school curricula and library bookshelves. These are the books that made the top 10:
1. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
The story of a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation who leaves his troubled school on the reservation to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.
Reasons listed for banning: anti-family, cultural insensitivity, drugs/alcohol/smoking, gambling, offensive language, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group, violence, depictions of bullying.
2. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
The graphic story of the authors childhood in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.
Reasons listed for banning: gambling, offensive language, political viewpoint, politically, racially and socially offensive; graphic depictions
3. And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
The story of two male penguins at a zoo that become a family.
Reasons for banning: anti-family, homosexuality, political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, unsuited for age group and it promotes the homosexual agenda
4. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
The story of a black girl with an inferiority complex because of her eye color.
Reasons for banning: sexually explicit, unsuited for age group, contains controversial issues
5. It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
A book about puberty, growing up, sex and sexual health.
Reasons for banning: nudity, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group and allegedly child pornography
6. Saga by Brian Vaughan and Fiona Staples
A sexy tale of a young family trying to find its place in the world.
Reasons for banning: anti-family, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group
7. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The story of a young boys life in Afghanistan.
Reasons for banning: offensive language, unsuited to age group, violence
- Â 8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons for banning: drugs/alcohol/smoking, homosexuality, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group, date rape and masturbation
9. A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard
A memoir of Jayycee Dugard’s kidnapping and life as a hostage and sexual assault victim.
Reasons for baning: drugs/alcohol/smoking, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group
10. Drama by Raina Telgemeir
The story of a middle school girl’s involvement in a school play and the ongoing drama within the cast and crew.
Reason for banning: sexually explicit
