Celebrate Banned Books Week 2017
September 24-September 30, 2017
Read a Challenged Book
Here they are the Top Ten Challenged Books of 2016
- This One Summer written by Mariko Tamaki and illustrated by Jillian TamakiReasons: challenged because it includes LGBT characters, drug use and profanity, and it was considered sexually explicit with mature themes (Juv. T1533t)
- Drama written and illustrated by Raina TelgemeierReasons: challenged because it includes LGBT characters, was deemed sexually explicit, and was considered to have an offensive political viewpoint (Juv.T2714d)
- George written by Alex GinoReasons: challenged because it includes a transgender child, and the “sexuality was not appropriate at elementary levels” (Juv. G4932g)
- I Am Jazz written by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings, and illustrated by Shelagh McNicholasReasons: challenged because it portrays a transgender child and because of language, sex education, and offensive viewpoints (Juv. 306.76 .H574i)
- Two Boys Kissing written by David LevithanReasons: challenged because its cover has an image of two boys kissing, and it was considered to include sexually explicit LGBT content (Juv.L6662t)
Looking for Alaska written by John Green
Reasons: challenged for a sexually explicit scene that may lead a student to “sexual experimentation”
Big Hard Sex Criminals written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Chip Zdarsky
Reason: challenged because it was considered sexually explicit
Make Something Up: Stories You Can’t Unread written by Chuck Palahniuk
Reasons: challenged for profanity, sexual explicitness, and being “disgusting and all around offensive”
Little Bill (series) written by Bill Cosby and and illustrated by Varnette P. Honeywood
Reason: challenged because of criminal sexual allegations against the author
Eleanor & Park written by Rainbow Rowel
Reason: challenged for offensive language (Juv. R8817e)