Celebrate your freedom to read at the Oviatt Library this Friday, September 30 at noon, in the Ferman Presentation Room. Free pizza for everyone who joins us!
2015 Book Challenges
Of 275 challenges recorded by the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, the “2015 Top Ten Most Challenged Books are”
Looking for Alaska by John Green: sexually explicit, offensive language, drugs/alcohol/smoking
Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James: sexually explicit
I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel & Jazz Jennings: religious viewpoint, unsuited for age group
Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin: religious viewpoint, sex education, homosexuality, offensive, anti-family
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon: offensive language, unsuited for age group, atheism
Holy Bible: religious viewpoint, violence, “illegal”
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel: homosexuality, graphic images, nudity
Habibi by Craig Thompson: sexually explicit, nudity
Nasreen’s Secret School by Jeanette Winter: religious viewpoint, violence, references to Islam
Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan: homosexuality, condones public displays of affection
Nine of the top ten challenged books include diverse content.
Who challenges books? 40% parent, 27% patron, 10% board/administration, 6% pressure group, 6% librarian/teacher, 4% government, 7% other
Where are books challenged? 45% public library, 28% school curriculum, 19% school library, 8% other
Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association
