Posted by The American Library Association released its report on the “State of America’s Libraries” last week.
The report includes a list of “Top Ten Most Challenged Books in 2014.” The ALA bases the list on complaints filed with libraries and schools.
The top 10 list is as follows, with the reasons given by those who would like to see the books removed from shelves:
1. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
Reasons given: Anti-family, cultural insensitivity, drugs/alcohol/smoking, gambling, offensive language, sexually explicit, violence.
2. Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi
Reasons given: Gambling, offensive language, political viewpoint.
3. And Tango Makes Three, Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Reasons given: Anti-family, homosexuality, political viewpoint, religious viewpoint.
4. The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison
Reasons given: Sexually explicit, unsuited for age group.
5. It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris
Reasons given: Nudity, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group.
6. Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
Reasons given: Anti-Family, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit.
7. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
Reasons given: Offensive language, violence.
8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons given: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, homosexuality, offensive language, sexually explicit.
9. A Stolen Life: A Memoir, Jaycee Dugard
Reasons given: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, offensive language, sexually explicit.
10. Drama, by Raina Telgemeier
Reason given: Sexually explicit.
Data from the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom shows that attempts to remove books by authors of color are disproportionately challenged.
Dara Rochlin Book Doctor 