September 28, 2005
Homosexuality, Chocolate, and Underpants Hot-Button Issues in ’04
It’s Banned Books Week, and the American Library Association released the annual most challenged books list for last year. A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict library materials on the basis of the objections of a person or group. The most challenged books of 2004 were:
- “The Chocolate War” by Robert Cormier for sexual content, offensive language, religious viewpoint, being unsuited to age group and violence
- “Fallen Angels” by Walter Dean Myers, for racism, offensive language and violence
- “Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture” by Michael A. Bellesiles, for inaccuracy and political viewpoint
- Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey, for offensive language and modeling bad behavior
- “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky, for homosexuality, sexual content and offensive language
- “What My Mother Doesn’t Know” by Sonya Sones, for sexual content and offensive language
- “In the Night Kitchen” by Maurice Sendak, for nudity and offensive language
- “King & King” by Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland, for homosexuality
- “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou, for racism, homosexuality, sexual content, offensive language and unsuited to age group
- “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck, for racism, offensive language and violence