The American Library Association released its annual list of the “Top Ten Most Challenged Books in 2014” on Monday, based on 311 “challenges” recorded by its Office for Intellectual Freedom. A “challenge” is defined as “a formal, written complaint filed with a library or school requesting that a book or other material be restricted or removed because of its content or appropriateness.”
Here is the full list:
1. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
Reasons: Anti-family, cultural insensitivity, drugs/alcohol/smoking, gambling, offensive language, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group, violence. Additional reasons: “depictions of bullying.”2. Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi
Reasons: Gambling, offensive language, political viewpoint. Additional reasons: “politically, racially, and socially offensive,” “graphic depictions.”3. And Tango Makes Three, Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Reasons: Anti-family, homosexuality, political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: “promotes the homosexual agenda.”4. The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison
Reasons: Sexually explicit, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: “contains controversial issues.”5. It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris
Reasons: Nudity, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group. Additional reasons: “alleges it [to be] child pornography.”6. Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
Reasons: Anti-Family, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age group.7. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
Reasons: Offensive language, unsuited to age group, violence.8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, homosexuality, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: “date rape and masturbation.”9. A Stolen Life: A Memoir, Jaycee Dugard
Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age group.10. Drama, by Raina Telgemeier
Reasons: Sexually explicit.
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