2010 Most Frequently Challenged Books List

[Jenna]

Posted today as part of National Library Week, here is the list of last year's top challenged books:

1.And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
2.The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
3.Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
4.Crank, by Ellen Hopkins
5.The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
6.Lush, by Natasha Friend
7.What My Mother Doesn’t Know, by Sonya Sones
8.Nickel and Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich
9.Revolutionary Voices, edited by Amy Sonnie
10.Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer

What do yout think about these books being challenged? Which have you read?

I'm surprised at 'What My Mother Doesn't Know' I read that book over 5 years ago.. why is it being widely challenged now?

[Kimberly]

Huh, interesting list. I'm kinda surprised by Twilight. I'm so used to listening to people sing it's praises or say it's destroying literature, not trying to challenge it.

[Graham]

There's a certain irony to trying to censor Brave New World, no?

[Sarah]

I bought The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian the other day. This makes me want to read it even more. Also, Brave New World, it's been in my TBR pile for a while now.

[Jenna]

Kimberly- I'm pretty sure last year it was on the challenged list as well. Pretty much every time a book becomes super popular that has any sort of fantasy element, it gets challenged. Harry Potter was on here for many years. Also, this year Hunger Games made the list too..

Graham- Definitely. haha. Also, I always find it funny that "literary cannon" books continue to be challenged. There's a reason that so many teachers continue to teach them..

Sarah- You should read Absolutely True Diary.. right away. In my opinion, it is one of the best YA books out there. It's even better when you know that it's based off the authors own experiences!

[Tami]

Doesn't it seem like challenging or banning something is actually great advertising for it? It makes people want to read the book, listen to the song, watch the movie, etc. even more.

It would be more interesting to see how many people that put these books on the list have actually read them!

[Chris]

Twilight was pretty horrible, but banning it isnt going to keep all the teeny boppers from getting it and reading it like crazy so it just seems kinda pointless.

[Sonja]

So, Twilight is on the summer reading list for 7-8 graders in my county. I was at the library yesterday and was completely shocked to see it shelved alongside books like Little Women, Jane Eyre, and The Fellowship of the Ring.

[Chris]

I can understand not banning it, because it is free literature out there for anyone to read. It is their right as Americans to pollute their minds however they see fit. But, REQUIRED READING????!!!!! What are these people thinking??? Besides the complete lack of any talent by Stephenie Meyer, (I've personally read essays by 9th graders that show more writing skill.)the storyline is full of examples of harmful and idiotic actions within a relationship that magically work out in Twilightland but in the real world would lead to criminal charges, likely rape, and a very dysfunctional relationship even in the best case scenario.

[Sonja]

I completely agree with you, Chris. But to be fair, the summer reading list in my county doesn't require every book, they just say 'pick something off this list.' So it's not *as* bad but still pretty terrible...

[laut]

If it's not required reading, I don't entirely see the problem with it being on a summer reading list. No, it's not the greatest of literature, but then, neither is Harry Potter. The benefit of both is that they both stand a good chance of instilling the reading bug in young girls.

I'm intrigued to know what books they have that might play the same role for boys.

[Tami]

In defense of the Twilight mess (yes I see it as a mess) my sister that is 31 started reading because of these books. Her reading choices are not "great" literature by any means but she is actually reading all the time now, so now both her children see her reading. Their dad doesn't read at all.

Books are huge parts of their lives now, and I have to give Twilight the credit. The 6 year old that is in kindergarten is almost to 3rd grade level and the 3 year old gets mad because she has memorized the stories and you read a word wrong.

[Jenna]

Rhianne wrote: "If it's not required reading, I don't entirely see the problem with it being on a summer reading list. No, it's not the greatest of literature, but then, neither is Harry Potter. The benefit of bot..."

I'd say Harry Potter is equally as appealing to boys as it is to girls...

[laut]

Jenna wrote: "Rhianne wrote: "If it's not required reading, I don't entirely see the problem with it being on a summer reading list. No, it's not the greatest of literature, but then, neither is Harry Potter. Th..."

Well, yes, but Twilight not so much, and I was mostly wondering about which books they might have that would appeal solely to boys.

[Chris]

The James Bond books have some mature content but they're a short easy read and are really exciting. I wish boys would get into those.

[Sonja]

Chris, I agree about the 007 novels. If boys can watch the movies, which I'm sure they do, then they can definitely read the books.

I know that there are a bunch of YA books geared towards boys but I don't know any of the titles off the top of my head. Some books, not strictly YA, that I can think of are:

- Narnia series
- Terry Pratchett's Discworld books -> he also has a few that are strictly YA.
- Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (the whole series)
- Artemis Fowl
- Abhorsen trilogy
- Pendragon series

These are all books my brother enjoyed. Some are finished and others are on-going series.

[Chris]

I personally loved the whole Eragon series so far. (The last one comes out in Novemeber, YAY!!!!!!!) Those are pretty sci-fi fantasy-ish and on a middle school reading level. I recommend those a lot.