The Top 10 Most Frequently Challenged Books in America

50 Shades is hardly explicit.. it's just really boring. and one-note. and bad. and boring. did I already say that?

I can see that these books might be unsuitable for a 12 year old, but surely not for adults?

Lysergius wrote: "I can see that these books might be unsuitable for a 12 year old, but surely not for adults?"

Yes.. because 50 Shades is certainly nothing explicit compared to.. Lolita.

His Dark Materials! The Amber Spyglass. Part of it is censored in the US version.

50 Shades "unsuited to age group"? What age group? It's definitely written for adults and last I checked, adults could read whatever the hell they want.

Abby wrote: "50 Shades "unsuited to age group"? What age group? It's definitely written for adults and last I checked, adults could read whatever the hell they want."

Bingo. Struck me as very odd.

Is it for real? The Curious Incident of the Dog at Nighttime is CHALLENGED in America?
In Italy it was a major hit with educators, and nobody has ever found anything strange in reading it to children, moreover when one of the group has Asperger. Actually, the weakness of the book ist the fact that the main character is narrated by an adult non-Asperger, and this makes his psychology a bit fuzzy to the eyes of people who know real children with Asperger. Yet, the novel has the major merit of presenting a strong Asperger character as protagonist. I cannot really understand how America selects books as "suitable" for children. How are Mockingfeckingjay and Co. ok, if this book is "banned"? Banned by whom? From where? I am very curious.
Is there an official censorship board? And, quoting Charles and Abby, what is Fifty Shades of Snore doing here? Maybe the book is unsuitable for bored middle-aged housewives.

Charles wrote: "Lysergius wrote: "I can see that these books might be unsuitable for a 12 year old, but surely not for adults?"

Yes.. because 50 Shades is certainly nothing explicit compared to.. Lolita."

that's what I was thinking the entire time.. where's Lolita on that list?

Justreadin wrote: "Charles wrote: "Lysergius wrote: "I can see that these books might be unsuitable for a 12 year old, but surely not for adults?"

Yes.. because 50 Shades is certainly nothing explicit compared to.. ..."

That being said, Lolita is a damn good book...

Elanna wrote: "Is it for real? The Curious Incident of the Dog at Nighttime is CHALLENGED in America?
In Italy it was a major hit with educators, and nobody has ever found anything strange in reading it to childr..."

I totally agree! The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time was a 5 star read for me. I learned a lot about Aspergers. The narrator is a boy with Aspergers, so it was even more fascinating to read how his mind and brain processed information.

This was a rare reread for me, and a book I'll always remember as one of the best I've ever read.

To learn more, go to the blog post - in the image, at the far right, last line, it gives ALA's (American Library Assoc. I think) website. The original post gives other links re: Banned Books at the end.

My library's featured collection of banned or previously banned books included Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck.

As a fan of splatterpunk and horror, this list seems really tame. Are these just books banned by people who think The Simpsons is edgy?

Wow. These are the "banned books"!!
I can never understand why people would ever read these books.

These are books that have been challenged, not banned. That means someone somewhere or a committee (or likely one parent) has complained to a school official or librarian about their inclusion in the school library, the curriculum or on a required reading list.

And in my experience as an educator, the quickest way to get a child to read something is to tell them they cannot. I had a student whose parents 'didn't approve of' the book, 'A Wrinkle in Time.' They were unable to remove it from the seventh grade English curriculum, so they refused to allow their daughter to read it. (She was issued a different book.) A short time later the girl showed me, on the sly, the book she was reading. Yep, 'A Wrinkle in Time' which she got hold of from a friend.

I was her science teacher.

This list is not a 'top 10 of all time'.
The introduction states:
"The American Library Association released its annual list of the most frequently challenged books of 2015, based on reports of complaints in schools and libraries as well as media reports."

So, no Lolita, Canterbury Tales, The Jungle, Lady Chatterly's Lover or Animal Farm, even though those would help make a much more awesome list ;)

I'm all for reading banned books, but I'm not reading 50 Shades of Grey because it's just a crappy book.

I'm really bothered that in 2016 homosexuality stills being a valide reason for banning a book

Ban them all I say...then see what happens. Do this and gun control will look like a walk in the park. Why? Because the First Amendment is fundamental to everything we believe in this country. Although judging from the polls in this years Presidential Election, it seems a lot of us would rather be pack'n then read'n...just ask Sarah Palin and Donald Trump. Here is where we reach the great divide... and the beat goes on!

Are challenged books anything like being electronically challenged?

Here is the upshot...the challengers must be challenged.

Time to reread Slaughter House Five, "...and so it goes!"

Ok, I'm sorry, but this is the stupidest thing ever. I think it's hilarious that our country prides itself on "equal rights" and "freedom" and other stuff like that, yet it completely goes against it's own laws and outright bans books. I mean, honestly, we live in a more liberal state than we've ever been in, considering the gay marriage law etc. (not trying to take a specific side here or anything. Just saying), and yet they ban books that talk about it. Isn't that basically going against the gay marriage law in addition to the first amendment? Yes, I realize that this list may have been compiled prior to the passing of the law, but still. This is totally contradictory. You cannot do this and expect almost 319 million people to not notice. Really? I thought you guys were smarter than that. Maybe this just proves that you guys need to stop banning books and start reading them...

And another thing that I think is kind of ironic is that a some of these books are poplar. Looking for Alaska is popular (mainly because of John Green), and yet it still got on this list. If it's that popular, then why is it so controversial? This reminded me of a book I just finished, called Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon. It was a very good book and is actually a nomination for 2016 book of the year. It includes sexual content, and not just like "I may have a slight indication that this happened." No. It's more like, "I know for a fact that this happened because the author includes details in which you cannot deny that this happened." And yet it's not on this list. As I said, it's on the list for 2016 book of the year. And really, you could take almost any book and find something wrong with it, no matter what genre, from what time period. I mean, Romeo and Juliet would probably make it on here because of violence, for goodness sake. To Kill a Mockingbird was on a list for racism. To Kill a Mockingbird is an all time classic, and you're going to "ban" it, even thought it's been completely ok for how many years? My apologies for this rant, but seriously people. Stop internally killing me, and stop killing some of my favorite characters. It's basically "passive murder" (which yes, I just made up.)

Laura wrote: "And another thing that I think is kind of ironic is that a some of these books are poplar. Looking for Alaska is popular (mainly because of John Green), and yet it still got on this list. If it's t..."

Actually, Looking for Alaska has had problems with being banned FOR YEARS. Since it was published in 2005. For smoking, drinking, a non-explicit blowjob scene, mentions of porn, etc. I'm not surprised it's here. They changed the cover once just because the smoke on the cover would "encourage smoking." (???) Obviously, they changed it back lol

Unless Everything, Everything was reported by a parent, it's not on the list. And then there's the fact that so many YA books have sex in them these days, so you'd think it wasn't a big deal, but you never know...

Dasha wrote: "Really? We did a literature circle on the Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-Time at my school. It wasn't even treated as controversial material at all."
In fact, it's our Year 10 English text. When I did Banned Books Week with my lunchtime school book club members a few years ago, they were startled - and shocked - to hear it was challenged/banned in the U.S.

Go on over to the ALA site. There's a huge choice of books to do a virtual readout from. And it's fun! I've done Fahrenheit 451, To Kill. A Mockingbird, His Dark Materials(which, alas, got very few views, not sure why) on YouTube. You'll certainly find one of your favourite books on the list and then you can stick it to the challengers.

I like that "poorly written" is a reason to ban a book.

Some of these books look to be targeted at 5 year olds. I have a daughter that age, and I am not sure she is ready for all of the topics. I would have to read first. Oh, wait, that is the job of a parent, not a library, to decide, right? Books should be made available, and responsible adults should be able to determine what is appropriate to read per individual. Freedom of speech!

Getting tons of complains from schools, libraries, and media reports doesn't turn a bad book into some treasure waiting to be rediscovered. Much of the time it just proves what it intends to say, a poor-written book. Or, the divergent taste of contemporary readers.

Curiously this list reminds me of the saying of "So many books, so little time". Should people pick up books just because they are most criticized?

Can we get something other than mostly homosexual\transvestite books? Everyone is turning this into a diverseathon when it is really meant to be about reading books that challenge our minds.
This is about banned books not promoting gay people.

Qing wrote: "Getting tons of complains from schools, libraries, and media reports doesn't turn a bad book into some treasure waiting to be rediscovered. Much of the time it just proves what it intends to say, a..."

Exactly! This top ten list is very lame

Mariana wrote: "Some of these books look to be targeted at 5 year olds. I have a daughter that age, and I am not sure she is ready for all of the topics. I would have to read first. Oh, wait, that is the job of a ..."

Yes. Our society would have us open every sexual door to a child. Every deep overly complex issue at 5 years old. They need a time to be young and carefree before dealing with the weightier concerns of life that have adults confused and frustrated. Some things should just be kept in the closet.

Qing wrote: "Getting tons of complains from schools, libraries, and media reports doesn't turn a bad book into some treasure waiting to be rediscovered. Much of the time it just proves what it intends to say, a..."
No, but that isn't why books are usually challenged/banned. Not liking a book because you think it's garbage doesn't mean you're going to tell others they aren't allowed to read it. That's the difference. I personally thought Twilight was boring, never read past the first in the series, but I bought two sets for my school library because kids were sharing the books, sitting curled up with them out in the yard, getting excited about a book, not a TV series or a video game.

And plenty of books that *have* been considered treasures for a long time are challenged because of some individual bit that people disagree with, even if they haven't read them. Huckleberry Finn. To Kill A Mockingbird. Fahrenheit 451. The Diary Of Anne Frank.

Sue wrote: "Qing wrote: "Getting tons of complains from schools, libraries, and media reports doesn't turn a bad book into some treasure waiting to be rediscovered. Much of the time it just proves what it inte..."

This list doesn't reflect that tho. We need a better list to explore options that might appeal to us. I think the list should include books that have been banned in other countries at various time periods.
I personally read a book I really enjoyed that wasn't on the list. I counted it because I grew up in a home where my father constantly ripped books out of my hand and skimmed it for anything he didn't approve of --and thess were spontaneous raids into my bedroom. I hid books. So I read what I tjought migjt have been banned when I was growing up. No sex waa in it. I waa just raised in a vsry repressive atmosphere.

Abby wrote: "50 Shades "unsuited to age group"? What age group? It's definitely written for adults and last I checked, adults could read whatever the hell they want."

Abby wrote: "50 Shades "unsuited to age group"? What age group? It's definitely written for adults and last I checked, adults could read whatever the hell they want."
In schools silly.

Holli wrote: "Sue wrote: "Qing wrote: "Getting tons of complains from schools, libraries, and media reports doesn't turn a bad book into some treasure waiting to be rediscovered. Much of the time it just proves ..."
Sorry to hear that, Holli. Which book was that? If you have a look at the ALA web site, I bet you'll find that book you mention somewhere on the list of well over 100. Why not do a virtual readout this week?

Born Wicked. What is a virtual readout?

It's something you do on YouTube during Banned Books Week. You choose a favourite passage from a book on the most challenged/banned list which you'll find on the ALA web site and read about two minutes of it on YouTube. Google Banned Books Week - the instructions will be there. It's fun! Or check the virtual readouts other people have done. I've done about three, and one year I got my students to record their favourite banned book extracts. I couldn't put them on line for legal reasons(they could do their own, of course) but I made some DVDs for them and the school library.

Ok. Thanks!

I have read the Bible. Nothing provocative there. Unless you want to live a life with no rules.

Charles wrote: "Lysergius wrote: "I can see that these books might be unsuitable for a 12 year old, but surely not for adults?"

Yes.. because 50 Shades is certainly nothing explicit compared to.. Lolita."

Who wrote Lolita?? I want to look into reading it.

Dani wrote: "Charles wrote: "Lysergius wrote: "I can see that these books might be unsuitable for a 12 year old, but surely not for adults?"

Yes.. because 50 Shades is certainly nothing explicit compared to.. ..."

Nabokov.

DavidSG wrote: "I have read the Bible. Nothing provocative there. Unless you want to live a life with no rules." Oh, I don't know. All that sex and violence. Of course, that's why I love the Bible. ;-)

Sue wrote: "Dani wrote: "Charles wrote: "Lysergius wrote: "I can see that these books might be unsuitable for a 12 year old, but surely not for adults?"

Yes.. because 50 Shades is certainly nothing explicit c..."

Thanks

Dani wrote: "Sue wrote: "Dani wrote: "Charles wrote: "Lysergius wrote: "I can see that these books might be unsuitable for a 12 year old, but surely not for adults?"

Yes.. because 50 Shades is certainly nothin..."

Charles wrote: "Lysergius wrote: "I can see that these books might be unsuitable for a 12 year old, but surely not for adults?"

Yes.. because 50 Shades is certainly nothing explicit compared to.. Lolita."

I agree, the books should not be read by a 12 year old, but how is 50 Shades on the banned list? Lolita should be on the list although it was a great read. Not sure who is making this list

The fact that books are banned in the first place makes me sad. What happened to freedom of speech?
Not to seem pretentious or anything.

I've only read three of them! :o

Ashley wrote: "I like that "poorly written" is a reason to ban a book."

I agree with you!

Banning books is stupid in a country that has freedom of speech. That's all. For a parent to "ban" a book from a child, that's understandable and responsible parenting. But banning from adults issues like sexuality, explicit language, religious viewpoints, and violence?? Please.

Amorphous wrote: "His Dark Materials! The Amber Spyglass. Part of it is censored in the US version."

What, really? Which part? (Is it the thing about wanting to attack God?)

It is so hilarious that many of the comments above are about "50 shades of Grey" . Guys in my opinion that book is trash but from this list I recommend reading the Bible , if you want to save your soul and know your Creator read it but with a sincere heart.