Topic: Banned Books Week — Youth

Many of Shakespeare's works have been banned in high schools for adult language, references to sex, violence."Associated Press reported in March 1996 that Merrimack, NH schools had pulled Shakespeare's Twelfth Night from the curriculum after the school board passed a "prohibition of alternative lifestyle instruction" act. (Twelfth Night includes a number of romantic entanglements including a young woman who disguises herself as a boy.) " Banned Books Online

Along with Twain's Tom Sawyer, one of the most commonly banned books. They were even banned during Twain's lifetime. "In Tempe, Arizona, a parent's lawsuit that attempted to get the local high school to remove the book from a required reading list went as far as a federal appeals court in 1998. (The court's decision in the case, which affirmed Tempe High's right to teach the book, has some interesting comments about education and racial tensions.) The Tempe suit, and other recent incidents, have often been concerned with the use of the word "nigger", a word that also got Uncle Tom's Cabin challenged in Waukegan, Illinois. " Banned Books Online

"Jack London's writing was censored in several European dictatorships in the 1920s and 1930s. In 1929, Italy banned all cheap editions of his Call of the Wild, and that same year Yugoslavia banned all his works as being "too radical". The Nazis also burned some of his socialist-friendly books like The Iron Heel along with the works of many other authors." Banned Books Online

No discussion on banned books would be complete without Judy Blume's books, as most continue to be challenged. Just some of the reason Blume's books have been challenged: amoral; teen sexuality, including masturbation and birth control; anti-Christian; profane; offensive language; depicts teasing; lack of social or literary value; "bad is never punished"; undermines parental values and authority; age appropriateness; promotes humanism; use of alcohol.

Another author that has many of his books banned and challenged. The Chocolate War has been on the list of Top 100 banned books for 1990-2000. Reasons: offensive language; degradation of schools and teachers; promotes humanism; anti-religious and amoral; teen sexuality including masturbation; age inappropriate; fosters disobedience; smoking. And that's only for the Chocolate War; Cormier has many other books banned and challenged for addressing issues teens face.

Most of Naylor's books in the Alice Series have been challenged for sexuality, age appropriateness, lacking family values, language.

Removed from Chicago public schools this year because of "graphic illustrations and language." After a media campaign by the students opposing the "banning a book that's all about freedom of speech," the order was rescinded.

Challenged at the Housel Middle School
in Prosser, Wash. (2013) because the
autobiography provides graphic depiction
of child abuse. Middle-school students
had to have parental permission to check out the book. This book chronicles the unforgettable account of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history.

Banned as required reading for Sumner
County, Tenn. schools (2012) because of
“inappropriate language.” The book won
the 2006 Printz award for excellence in young adult literature.