Thursday, October 05, 2006

The Banned Book List

Oh yay, a blog entry idea stolen from Trina which she shamelessly stole from dreadmouse here. Somehow we all missed out on Banned Books Week. Here is a list of the top 100 books which had stupid people up in arms. These are only the most challenged books from 1990-2000. I have highlighted the ones I've read..

Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
Forever by Judy Blume
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Giver by Lois Lowry
It's Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Sex by Madonna
Earth's Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
The Witches by Roald Dahl
The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
The Goats by Brock Cole
Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
Blubber by Judy Blume
Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
Final Exit by Derek Humphry
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
What's Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The Pigman by Paul Zindel (I think I read this way back in 1978, but I'm not sure as it was so bloody long ago.)
Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
Deenie by Judy Blume
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
Cujo by Stephen King
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
Ordinary People by Judith Guest
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
What's Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
Fade by Robert Cormier
Guess What? by Mem Fox
The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (I was supposed to read this sophomore year of high school but some parents objected, so it got removed from our reading list.)
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Native Son by Richard Wright
Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women's Fantasies by Nancy Friday
Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
Jack by A.M. Homes
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
Carrie by Stephen King
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
Family Secrets by Norma Klein
Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
The Dead Zone by Stephen King
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
Private Parts by Howard Stern
Where's Waldo? by Martin Hanford
Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (I own this book, but haven't read it yet. Now that I know it upsets some people I might have to get it off the shelf.)
Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
Sex Education by Jenny Davis
The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

I am embarrassed by my poor showing with this list. Especially since I know there are a number of these books sitting on my book shelf. So so sad. I'm amazed that Fahrenheit 411 isn't on this list since it’s essentially about the ridiculousness of book banning. Guess it was too subtle.

8 Comments:

At Thursday, 05 October, 2006, Blogger Nob Hill Omnivore said...

Hey you, I only read 28 of the top 100 banned books (posted them last week). I think the banned book people need to be a little louder and not so bookish next time.

 
At Thursday, 05 October, 2006, Blogger fakies said...

I'm a little disappointed that some of my favorite books didn't make the list. Maybe I should e-mail the book banners and prepare them for next year?

 
At Thursday, 05 October, 2006, Blogger Kathleen said...

Sal - Only 28? That's more than me! And yeah, I need the Book Banners to be more vocal, so I know what I should be reading!

Trina - Maybe we should all send them recommendations.

 
At Friday, 06 October, 2006, Blogger Jason said...

You haven't read "Catcher in the Rye"? That's a bit surprising. I thought that it was required reading either scholastically or for pleasure for alienated goth/punks.

 
At Friday, 06 October, 2006, Blogger Kathleen said...

Jason - I typed up Brian's paper on it, does that count?

 
At Friday, 06 October, 2006, Blogger Heather said...

I only read the Harry Potter books, the Stephen King and the Shel Silverstein. I've got some serious catching up to do!

 
At Sunday, 08 October, 2006, Blogger Glenn said...

Makes me want to buy a copy of each book just to piss them off.

 
At Wednesday, 11 October, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello!

Just catching up. I can't beleive some of those banned books - I mean - James and the Giant Peach?!! Harry Potter?!! Hucleberry Finn?!!!!! Why?!! *Baffled*

Am I lost because I'm English, or because this is nuts?!

 

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