A blog designed to be used in school library media classes at Georgia Southern University and Auburn University.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Banned Books-Middle/High School Level Titles
Use "comments" to post your summaries of books challenged/banned at the elementary level here. Be sure you include information about the issues that caused your book to be banned or challenged.
I chose to read the book Forever by Judy Blume. When I was in 5th grade I found this book hidden in my older sister's room. I was curious as to why she was hiding the book so I read the entire thing. It was quite a shock at the age of 10! I thought it would be interesting to read it again as an adult. The book is about Katherine, a high school senior that meets a boy named Michael at a party. They are instantly attracted to each other and they begin to date. Soon after, they try to "go all the way". They think that they are very much in love and are convinced that they will be together forever. After losing her virginity she goes to a clinic to get birth control pills. When summer comes, they are separated and she begins to think she may not want to be with Michael forever. This book is considered controversial because of the detailed descriptions of sexual encounters. It also contains scenes that include drug and alcohol use. It has made it to the the top ten list of most frequently challenged books.
I read the book A Wrinkle in Time by Madeliene L'ingle. Though this book was out when I was in middle school, I never read it until I was in college. I really like it. I was not aware that it was banned until this semester. I decided to read it again. The story is about a girl named Meg, her brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin. The three kids set off to rescue Meg and Charles Wallace's father with the help of three women. The three women are not really women, they are creatures from other planets disquised as women. Their names are Mrs. Which, Mrs. Whatsit, and Mrs. Who. They have to rescue their father and overpower the "dark thing". They succeed and get their father home safe. There are two other books that are companions/sequels to this book. This book has been banned mostly because of the magic and make-believe. There are also some spells and some people think it is evil. It has also been banned because it compares Jesus Christ to famous poets and artists which I guess some people think is sacreligous. I still think it is a very good book, and I would even read it with my students if we had a class set.
I chose to read the book Are You There God? It's Me Margaret. By Judy Blume I can't remember if I read this book as a little girl, but I enjoyed reading it recently. I found myself laughing out loud thinking back to my own experiences. The book is about a girl, Margaret, who moves from New York to New Jersey. She is very close to her paternal grandmother who lives in New York. Margaret is almost twelve when the story begins and it basically takes the reader through her adventures of making new new friends and also experiencing the female perspective of puberty. She and her friends frequently discuss issues such as body changes, and "menstrooooation" as the book calls it. Margaret has has thoughts about whether she is normal or not based on her "development" compared to her friends. She is also on a journey to discover what religion she is in the book. This book has been on the list of 100 most challenged books. The is controversial because of the details of a young girls body changes so openly discussed. The book is listed as a 3.6 reading level for accelerated reader.
I chose to read The Pigman by Paul Zindel. Basically the book is a coming of age story about two teenagers, John and Lorraine, who form an unlikely friendship with an elderly man. John and Lorraine are the type that most people would call social outcasts. Most of their friends are trouble makers, and they both have terrible relationships with their parents. One of their favorite pastimes is to play telephone pranks. During one of these crank call sessions, they come in contact with Mr. Pignati who they later nickname the Pigman. Events unfold that eventually cause Mr. Pignati’s death. Their guilt over his death leads John and Lorraine to mature and realize that they have to take responsibility for their own lives. The book has been banned because of profanity, most of which appears as symbols like &#%#!. There are also scenes in the book in which the teenagers are drinking and smoking.
I remember reading "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeliene L'ingle. I never read it when I was in school, but once I grew older, I picked it up and began to read it. I agree with what Carmen said in that is still a very good book even though it is banned. I would add that Meg is regarded as an underachiever. Her family knows that she has a lack of maturity, but realizes that she is capable of great things. As Carmen points out, she does succeed in rescuing her father with the help of her friends. I agree that it seems like a very good book. I do think that it is a stretch to say that it is sacreligious. In my opinion, you can compare Jesus Christ to something without being disrespectful. Carmen, you did a nice job of going into a lot of detail with this.
The book I read for this activity was The Bluest Eye which was written in 1970 by Toni Morrison. This book has been challenged and in some cases banned due to graphic sexual content, offensive language, and unsuited to age group for such topics as rape, incest, and pedophilia. The book tells the story of Pecola Breedlove, an African-American girl growing up in Ohio in 1941, primarily though one narrator, Claudia, a childhood friend and classmate of Pecola’s. In the book, they are all adults now and Claudia is looking back on one year of their childhood that changed Pecola’s life forever. During this year, Pecola was raped and became pregnant by her father. There are many flashbacks in the book which give much more insight into the characters’ lives such as Pecola’s mother, father, and Soaphead Church, a “Reader, Adviser, and Interpreter of Dreams” who lives in their town. The title refers to Pecola’s greatest desire – above everything else, she wants blue eyes. Pecola visits Soaphead to help her with her wish which he ultimately makes her believe comes true and which sends her into a state of insanity from which she never returns.
Bridge to Terabithia is about a boy, Jesse, who is about to start the 5th grade. He lives in a very rural setting and his family is quite poor. Jesse seems to live a pretty miserable existence at home, getting no favorable attention from either of his parents, and doing much more work than his siblings.
At Jesse’s school, the boys run races at recess, and Jesse wants to be the fastest boy in the 5th grade. He wakes up very early to practice, and when the first day of school arrives, he is feeling confident he’ll beat all the other boys at recess. However, a new girl who moved in down the way from him actually ends up being the fastest, and this frustrates Jesse. Despite his initial frustration with the girl, Leslie, they become best friends. Leslie is from the city, and her family has money to spare. Their home lives are vastly different. Her and Jesse make a hideout in the forest and pretend it is a kingdom named Terabithia that they rule. Leslie opens Jesse’s eyes up to so many things during their friendship, and he comes to rely on her very much. Leslie seems so brave to Jesse, who has many doubts and fears.
One day, Jesse gets a call from his favorite teacher, and she asks him to go to a museum with her. He is so excited that he forgets to include Leslie in on this very special trip. He enjoys his day immensely, but when he gets back learns the tragic news that Leslie died trying to swing on the rope they use to cross the creek to visit “Terabithia”. He feels guilty, angry, lonely, sad, detached, and doesn’t want to believe this is true. As he mourns, his parents do come through for him…his dad spends some time with him and offers comfort and support, and his mother makes him pancakes, and for once admonishes his siblings for teasing him. Jesse discovers courage inside him, to which he credits Leslie, and he decides not to abandon Terabithia, but instead to build a wooden bridge across the creek to replace the rope. He is making a plan to share the fantasy of Terabithia with his little sisters and to keep Leslie “alive” in that way.
This book has been challenged for the following reasons:
“Bridge to Terabithia" by Katherine Paterson, for offensive language and occult/satanism. ALA
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, for offensive language, sexual content, and references to the occult and Satanism; ALA
The Bridge to Terabithia by: Katherine Paterson Another Newbery Award winner, banned because of "anti-religion, language, and discussion of death." Dixie State college of Utah
I also read the book, "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison. This title has been banned, as well as repeatedly challenged because of "vulgar language, sexual explicitness, or violent imagery that is gratuitously employed." The tale of young Pecola Breedlove is revealed primarily through the thoughts of her friend Claudia; although Pecola's personal perspective - as well as that of her parents and others around her - are also included. As a poor, black girl labeled as "ugly" by most of her community, Pecola leads a harsh and lonely life; longing for that which she believes will gain her acceptance and even love: blue eyes. The book takes readers on a heartbreaking journey through the events which lead to Pecola's eventual mental demise.
Although the book sends a tragic message, I'm glad that I read it. Thinking back to my own days as a young girl and wishing that I could change certain things (my hair, my teeth, my height - I was too tall) I was able to relate to Pecola, Claudia and her sister. Although many of the circumstances that Pecola faced are not normal, I think that its good for educators to go back and try to place themselves into that state of mind where young people might experience poor body image, or just low acceptance of themselves in general.
I read the perks of being a wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. There had been issues with this book in a school system where I previously taught. I wanted to read the book for myself to determine whether I felt the material was indeed objectionable. The protagonist of the novel is a 15-year-old boy in western Pennsylvania named Charlie, who writes letters to an anonymous friend detailing the events of his freshman year of high school. These letters comprise the book. It is through Charlie’s coming of age letters that we experience all of the drama in his young life: his best friend’s suicide, his sister’s unintended pregnancy, his unrequited love, the secrecy that shrouds one of his close friend’s relationships. Charlie survives his freshman year through his newfound older friends, their regular participation in Rocky Horror Picture Show screenings, and the fun of adolescence. His closest friends, senior stepsiblings Samantha and Patrick, experience many firsts with Charlie; perhaps the most memorable are the first time he smokes marijuana and drops LSD. Charlie also falls hopelessly in love with Samantha. However, as all good things must come to an end, Charlie’s older friends graduate and move on, leaving him behind with an emotionally scarred sister and a brother who plays football at Penn State. With his support system gone, Charlie has a nervous breakdown during which he is forced to confront an astonishing truth about his Aunt Helen, who had lived with Charlie’s family for a time before dying in an accident.
The book is one of the most frequently banned in this young century. It has been banned for a variety of reasons, but most of them revolve around the following themes that can be found in the book: homosexuality, offensive language, and sexually explicit language. However, the most frequent problem seems to center on age appropriateness. perks is written at a 4th-grade reading level according to Accelerated Reader, yet its mature themes have been deemed inappropriate for the elementary setting. As an adult, I enjoyed reading the book. It didn’t seem to pander to what I imagined the typical teen-angst book to be. In fact, in one of the letters, Charlie describes a playlist for a mixtape he enjoys; I have some of these songs and they definitely seem to fit with the overall mood of the book. Perhaps we should not be surprised that the book has an emphasis on music—it was published by MTV. If you’d like to enjoy one of Charlie’s mixtapes, here are the selections: “Asleep”—The Smiths “Vapor Trail”—Ride “Scarborough Fair”—Simon and Garfunkel “A Whiter Shade of Pale”—Procol Harum “Time of No Reply”—Nick Drake “Dear Prudence”—The Beatles “Gypsy”—Suzanne Vega “Nights in White Satin”—The Moody Blues “Daydream”—Smashing Pumpkins “Dusk”—Genesis “MLK”—U2 “Blackbird”—The Beatles “Landslide”—Fleetwood Mac “Asleep”—The Smiths
The word utopia has a number of meanings. Lois Lowry covers each one of these meaning in her book The Giver. Her utopian society is created and destroyed just by the mere path of exploring the definitions; this thesis is very clear. Lowry creates Jonas, an eleven-year-old boy at the beginning of the novel; this is whose eyes we the readers see this secluded community through. This is a community that seems to be the perfect society at first glance and maybe even at a second look. The family structure is made up of a mother, a father, and two children each with one boy and one girl. Everyone in this society enjoys his or her life and understands the rules and assignments that must be followed. At this point the readers logic should start to wonder how the families could be made so uniformly. This is the type of tool that Lowry uses to hook the reader. The type of plots that are presented through out the novel goes against the reader common sense of life. Lowry’s use of words also contributes to the interest in the story line. Just as utopia has different meanings so do these words. As a reader you must read on in order to feed your curiosity. The events that take place with in the community allow more and more information to be given to the reader. The chronological order of events are important in that each age group of an child is given certain responsibilities to up hold. The readers are allowed to follow Jonas for the last year before he reaches adulthood and through the end of the story. The world that is created is a world free of sickness, poverty, crime, and unemployment. At the age of twelve they are assigned their roles in the community for the rest of their life. Each one accepts his or her assignment with pride and a sense of duty. Many of the twelve will become key components in helping to make this society work. However there is one duty that is not assigned it is one that is selected. The title of Receiver of Memory is bestowed on Jonas. The Receiver is given the memories of the past from an Elder called the Giver. The memories of the past were stored here for wisdom. It is at this point that Lowry begins to show the flaws of this utopian society. Jonas is shown that by his societies decision to hide fear and pain from the world they have also taken away some of its greatest aspects. This prefect world is with out love and color. The shear manner in the way that the memories are given through touch goes against the ideals of this world. Words are created and given meaning that hide memories. As a reader we are left confused on the context in which a word is used early on. This is a good concept for Lowry because it makes the reader think about the different meanings being conferred. Some of these words release and stirring hide pain and joy from the community. As Jonas receives more memories he becomes angry with the people around him for they do not possess the knowledge to see beyond. He wants them to know the truth of their society that has been built by years of hypocrisy. Lowry uses Jonas as a tool to set free her socially driven ideas of utopia. To have Jonas and Gabriel flee from this world in search for the not so perfect world allows Lowry to show the two sides of the coin. The further Jonas gets from the community in search of Elsewhere; the so-called myth community people go to when they are released, the more reality sets in. As the memories return to the community, he also is allowed to experience the feelings that he was protected from inside the community. Such as hunger and pain but these are his own feelings not someone else’s. One feeling he does show is the love for the Gabriel. His determination to protect and nurture Gabriel is his driving force for survival. The word usage in this section of the novel gives the reader a vivid picture of the colors and feelings as they flow into the scenes. The message that Lowry is trying to send could be that of freedom. Freedom to live and die at your choosing, not at the decision of a group of elders, is a right. There could not be a utopian society with out the loss of some freedoms. Yes, you can remove fear and pain but if the bad is removed so must be the good. What would be the purpose of living if the joy were gone? Many things look great on the surface but when actually employed do not function according to plan. Communism looks great on paper while in reality it does not work. Lowry is not for a utopian society, for even in the end she is trying to escape it. As a reader, you can see Lowry distancing herself from the community. There is no mention of what could be the situation back at the community when the memories have returned. At the end, Jonas has come to the point where he cannot continue. Lowry leaves it to the reader to decide the ending. The more the end is analyzed the deeper the thoughts turn toward death as the final conclusion. This being said, Lowry suggests a strong case of that death is a better alternative than a life that you’re not allowed to live. The Giver has been banned for being sexually explicit, violence, and occult themes.
I chose to read the book Deenie by Judy Blume. I never read this book while in school but found that there were 2 copies in our High School Media Center. Deenie was published in 1973 and is about a teenage girl named (you guessed it) Deenie. The book is told through her eyes and is very easy to relate to for teenagers. There are several coming-of-age moments in the book and many of the pressures - boys, friends, looks, etc. - that plague our teenagers today.
Deenie is a very beautiful child and her mother is convinced that, "with that face," she will be a model. She drags her to many interviews, which Deenie is less than thilled about. However, Deenie does not make the cut, primariy to what her mother calls her "slouching." At this time Deenie also trys out for cheerleader and does not make it. In the midst of all her teenage drama, her gym teacher is concerned enough about the "slouching" to refer her to her doctor. Deenie is then sent to a barrage of specialists, during which she finds out she has scoliosis. She is fitted for a brace, which she finds out she has to wear for 4 years. This totally changes life for Deenie. Normal tasks are now very challenging, plus Deenie has to deal with her mother blaming her for developing scoliosis (which is an inherited tendency). In the end, Deenie accepts having to wear the brace and mentally thanks her father for helping her deal with the responsibility of it.
Deenie is a challenged/banned book because of the sexuality issues discussed - the character Deenie does some self-discovering, ends up going to about second base at a couple of parties, and is very open in her line of questioning sexuality.
I read the book The Giver by Lois Lowry. I loved this book! It is about a boy (Jonas) who lives in a very controlled society which the rulers believe to be a utopia. There is no color, pain, or decisions. The elders decide who is married and each family is given two children. The elders assign children their grown-up jobs on their 12th birthday. They also may release people who are weak, old, or break the rules. Jonas is assigned the job of receiver of memories. With his job he is allowed to experience pain and joyous times like holidays. Jonas realizes that his life is not perfect and is frustrated that he cannot share this with his friends who carry on as usual. He also realizes that they are about to release (kill) a baby named Gabrielle. He takes Gabe and escapes to "elsewhere". No one knows if the ending is a joyous arrival at a house where a family is having a holiday celebration or if the children actually froze to death with the image of Jonas's favorite memory. This book ranked 14 on ALAs most frequently challenged book list (1990-2000). The book has been challenged with sexually explicit content, occult themes, violence, and supporting communism. This book is mostly challenged on the principles of infanticide and euthanasia. I think the reason that this book is often challenged is because the content of the book is to mature for the reading level. The themes of this book require a mature reader to really understand. I feel that the book does not try to influence you that this is a perfect society. In fact you realize the faults through Jonas. As he grows and learns the reader becomes aware of the great intellectual freedoms we are allowed since we do not live in such a controlled society.
I decided to read the book “Go Ask Alice”. It’s a diary of a girl from a middle class, conservative family who gets hooked on drugs at the age of fifteen. I selected this book because so many of my students deal with family, friends and people in their community who are abusing drugs. Many students have an “Alice” right in their home or neighborhood. Regardless of race or socioeconomic status, drug abuse rips so many families to pieces. It takes a lot of knowledge, prayers and support for families to overcome such a crisis. This book has been banned several times for its explicit references to runaways, drugs and sex. The author is anonymous and over 4 million copies have been sold. I believe if more students have an opportunity to read this book during their pre-teen years, fewer students will take a stronger stand against drugs.
The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Slinger is annually a top one hundred most “challenged” book mainly for the use of profanity....and there is a lot of it in this book. For many years it was on the top ten most challenged books list. It has also been challenged for sexual scenes and moral issues. The story covers a few days just before Christmas break in the life of a sixteen year old boy named Holden Caulfield. Holden is the narrator and the story begins with him being kicked out of a boarding school called Pencey Prep. Holden leaves campus in the middle of the night and travels by train to New York City where his family lives, but he does not want them to know he is there. He stays for two nights in a hotel. During this time he has an encounter with a prostitute, but nothing happens between them. He also has a date with a friend named Sally. Then he gets drunk and wanders around New York. It is clear that he is lonely and confused. Holden is more than a teen having typical teenage problems..... he is a very troubled teenager. He does not trust anyone except Allie, his deceased brother, and Phoebe, his younger sister. Other than these two people, just about everyone else (including his parents, friends, teachers and people that he comes in contact with) is phony. Holden eventually sneaks into his parent’s apartment and finds his younger sister Phoebe home alone. It is clear that he loves his sister and enjoys talking to her. By this time in the story, he is emotionally and physically drained and on the verge of a breakdown. He talks about his psychiatrist in the end of the story and that he is planning to go back to school in September.
Re: Go Ask Alice There's an interesting article in Wikipedia about this topic-the article speculates about who the "real" author might be: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_Ask_Alice
This reminds me a little bit of the controversy surrounding The Education of Little Tree, also addressed in a wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Education_of_Little_Tree
The book I selected to read this semester is definitely in the teen angst category: Sandpiper by Ellen Wittlinger. I selected it b/c of post I read on As If (link to the blog on the link list). You can also read the newspaper story about the high school girl who was so shocked by the book: http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20070911/LATEST/70911048/1010/NEWS05
I also checked our reviews of the title and both SLJ and Booklist clearly addressed the main controversy (oral sex) in the first sentence of their reviews so any media specialist who used these reviews for selection purposes should not have been surprised about the content. One interesting thing is that the plot synopsis on the back of my paperback edition says nothing about sex.
This book is included on several recommended lists. After reading it I can tell you that there is no missing the sexual content of the book but the fundamental message is one appropriate for today's young people: oral sex IS sex; our actions DO have consequences; and, it IS possible to start over.
Bridge to Terabithia is a story about young boy name Jess Aarons who desires to be the fastest runner in his grade. He laters meets a girl name Leslie Burke, who acts like a tomboy, who moves into the farmhouse next door and turns out to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade.
Eventually Jess and Leslie become really good friends and create an “imaginative” secret kingdom called Terabithia. Terabithia becomes a place where Jess and Leslie find peace and a chance escape the problems of the real world like schoolmates teasing them.
Bridge to Terabithia was placed on the banned book list because it is claimed to contained bad language, lack of respect for adults and a fantasy world that leads to confusion.
I decided to read The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman. I have not seen it on the banned book list but it is definitely headed there. I have never read this book before this class. My wife is an media specialist and was interested in learning about the book before the movie came out. This assignment gave us a great reason to read it. The book is about a young girl that knows very little about her family. She has been raised at a local college in time period that seems to be in the past and future at the same time. Pullman does a great job of pulling this off. The concerns for the book come from the fundamental premise of the plot. This young lady is portrayed as a martyr that must save her time from established government. Unfortunately that happens to be the church. I must confess that I was little concerned about some of the things that I read, they seem to point out problems with having faith in something. I think that people have attached Pullman's personal beliefs as an atheist to the book far too strongly. It does require a person to think on his own about the ideals being discussed. In an interview I saw somewhere discussing the movie I remember him saying that, that was the point of the stories. This book will be the new Harry Potter of the book challenge circuit.
I read "the perks of being a wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky.
This book is about Charlie who is a "wallflower" no one really pays any attention to him except for a friend in middle school who kills himself. Charlie enters high school and meets two new friends. Charlie new friends expose him to a lot of different things such as homosexuality, molestation, drug use, and drinking. The story is written from Charlie’s point of view in letter format. It was a quick read and you are always wondering about what Charlie’s issue. In his letter he goes into detail about his friends issues but it is not until the end when you find out what is wrong with Charlie
I read The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier. Before he wrote this book, he had written for adults. He was a newspaper reporter/writer as well. This book was challenged because it addressed "uncompromising realism" in the world of teenagers.
The issue is bullying by teenagers in a "secret gang" in a parochial school and by one of the adult male teachers at the school.
The main character, Jerry Renault, shocked by the death of his mother and somewhat distant from his father, refuses to participate in the school's annual fundraiser, a chocolate sale. He is admired at first, but then he becomes the victim.
Cormier was criticized because there was no redeeming resolution at the end of the book. He refused to do so at the urging of publishers/editors. He believes that the real world teenagers deal with everyday should be presented as is, which means sometimes things don't end pretty.
While there is some strong language and reference to "boy things..i.e. descriptions of girls they look at and other things ... "(you can read it in the book), these are not the reasons for the challenges to the book. Although they could be, probably, by some people.
Jerry and many others chosen for "assignments" by the Vigils are mistreated badly. Jerry is humiliated and in the end, terribly beaten in a staged fighting event by the Vigils. The book makes you think that his physical condition is life -threatening. The adults are not available for support and often even overlook events.
The issue is about relentless bullying. The end is very disturbing to me. I did not enjoy the book really but I am glad I read it. It introduced me to the author's works and the issues that are, unfortunately, part of the world of some adolescents. D.Griffin
I chose to read the book "Ordinary People" by Judith Guest. I remember reading part of this book when I was in high school. In the book Conrad Jarrett, a 17 year old boy, has just returned home after an eight month stay in a mental hospital. He tried to commit suicide because he was having a difficulit time dealing with life after the death of his brother. His father becomes very protective of Conrad. His mother is very distant when Con returns home. This book is about anything but "ordinary people."
This book has a lot of profanity in it, which tells me why I may not have read the entire book in high school. It also deals with the issue of suicide. The book does have some sexual references in it. It also deals with the topic of grief and how different people deal with it. I believe the book shows what can happen if you do not deal with your grief. I am not saying that it will always lead to suicide. The mother and father in the book deal with it differently and it eventually tears them apart.
Ordinary People is definitely for young adult and adult readers. It was a good book. I liked the way each chapter was written from a different character's point of view.
I chose to read The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman because of the controversy that has surrounded this book. It begins with a young orphan girl, Lyra. She lives at Jordan College. Pullman took a different approach to a person’s soul. A person’s soul takes the form of a demon that can morphs into different creatures. The land is controlled by the Magisterium, a dictating group that restricts freedoms in order to impose its own systems on the whole population. Lyra saves her Uncle Lord Asriel from being assassination by this group. Her Uncle was resenting evidence to the college which indicates the existence of particles called "Dust", which opposed Magisterium doctrine. The college fund Lord Asriel trip to the North to find the “Dust”, which he believes created in a parallel universe to his own, entering the body via a person's demon. Of course the Magisterium disapproved of this idea because it contradicted Magisterium’s doctrine. The Magisterium begins conducting experiments on child because of their fear of dust.
Lyra goes to assist Marisa Coulter, which Lyra later figures out that she is the head of General Oblation Board. General Oblation Board is known as the “Gobblers’ because the kidnap children. Lyra runs away from Ms. Coulter’s house. She is caught by the Gobblers, but then she is rescued by the Gyptians. Lyra uses the alethiometer to Magisterium research station. She overheard Ms. Coulter and scientist about the experiments they do on the children, discovering that they attempt to prevent Dust from entering a child by severing the bond to his or her demon. Ms. Coulter explained that the Dust causes bad thoughts as children near maturity.
Magisterium is viewed as the Catholic Church gone astray, which leads to controversy. It could be viewed as promoting atheistism, since the author is an atheist. The Dust is refers to children going through puberty. Many parents would rather discuss this topic with their own children. I think this book is appropriate at the middle school/high school. On the other hand, in the third book in The Amber Spyglass, the children killed God I believe that this is where the situation gets sticky. Under intellectual freedom, the media specialist should not prevent children from being able to read this book. From a Christian and/or parent’s point of view, I would have a time allowing a child to read this that kills God, but that just my opinion.
You will have to read it for yourselves and devise your own opinion!
I chose to read Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. This is the story of a boy named Jess Aarons. His family is very poor and he feels like he does not get any attention from his father and is slighted by his mother. He meets his new neighbor Leslie Burke and they form an unlikely friendship. Together they build an imaginary place which they call Terabithia. They spend many hours in this place and Jess learns many things from Leslie. She makes his life better. Jess leaves one day on a trip with a favorite teacher and when he returns he finds out that Leslie has died on her way to Terabithia. Jess struggles with her death but he decides to build a bridge over the creek bank and continue to visit the imaginary land with the new queen, his sister May Belle. This book has been challenged because of offensive language, sexual content, occult, and satanism.
Froggy Welsh the 4th is a pretty good kisser - maybe it's all those trombone lessons - and that's about it. He and Virginia, both 15, are not boyfriend-girlfriend, not even really friends, but once a week they meet in her apartment to kiss, and grope. In school they never acknowledge each other, because Virginia lives by the "Fat Girl Rule of Conduct" that she had devised. The first article is that "Any sexual activity is secret. No public display of affection..." The book, The Earth My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler was the most frequently challenged book in 2007 according to ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom. It's hardly surprising that it was challenged, but what a shame. Because the book would be of greatest value to the very students from whom overprotective people are trying to keep it, young people between 13 and 17, especially those with low self-esteem. The sexual content never goes beyond Virginia's contemplating what might come next. The real issues are sexual responsibility - the brother she idealizes date rapes a girl - and the pernicious effects of trying to attain an ideal body - the most popular girl in school suffers from a serious eating disorder. It is sad when people are unable to look at the central themes of a book and get stuck on realistic content that they deem age-inappropriate, while ignoring the emotional needs of young adults. JL
The book I chose was Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. The entire HP serious has been challenged because of its reference to Wizards and Witches, school where people learn spells, etc. JK Rowling has also added fuel the fire by coming out with comments such as her latest one about the character Dumbledore being gay. I have never really been an avid reader and I had trouble getting into the 1st book since JK had to set the plot and the characters background, but after watching the 1st movie and reading the 2nd book, I finally went back and read book one and got into the books. I really like to reread the books just before the move or after it and see where the director took “artistic liberties” with the movie. As always the books are better. One producer was stated that if they took the books as is the movies would be 3 or more hours long. I have always said that if people will sit through a 3 ½ movie about aps (Out of Africa), then they will sit through a 3+ hour HP movie.
What is interesting to me about these books being banned is that when I have talked to people who were against this book, I asked them their thoughts on Lord of the Rings. Some reply they don’t think to highly of it either, but others see not problem with it. They call it “Mysticism” because it is set in a medieval or fairytale time not modern day like HP. I then like to ask them, “If JK set HP in a medieval or fairytale time would they accept it?” The answer is still no, but no explanation of why is given.
I also like to ask people who are against HP if they liked The Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe. Most everyone says yes because the LWW was written by C.S Lewis who is a Christian Author and the book is filled with biblical happenings. I then like to bring up the fact that there are all those half creator and half human beings in LWW and they are in the HP. I also add that like the battle between the lion and the witch is taken as the battle between God and the Devil, then the battle between Harry and Lord Valdemort could also be considered a battle between God and the Devil. Needless to say, these people are very closed minded and see no comparison. But it makes for a great debate with a lot of people who want to “burn” Harry Porter and “up-hold” books like Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia.
I chose to read Are you there God, it's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume. I remember as a child, I had hear about the book, but I thought there was something bad about it. I was too embarrassed to ask for it when I was younger! So, I was interested to read it as an adult to see what the fuss was all about.
It is about a 6th grade girl and her questions about many issues that many pre-teen girls think about: menstruation, bras, boys, and even religion. Margaret is a 12 year old girl who moves to a suburb of New York. The story is about her experiences at her new school and with her new friends. Many of the things Margaret experiences and wonders about are the same things that other young girls her age (and probably some younger) think about.
I thought the book was really good! I think I would have loved it if I read it when I was younger. I really don't understand why is is a commonly banned book. Apparently, it is because of Judy Blume's frank incorporation of religion and puberty. However, I really don't think there is anything inappropriate about the story. I would let my 12 year old read it (if I had a 12 year old daughter).
I have chosen the entire Harry Potter collection by J.K.K.Rowling. I am a reluctant reader however, I have read every Harry Potter book from cover to cover and could not put them down. I don't understand the negative hype about why the books should be challenged. If most of the people that have challenged these books admitted it they would admit that they grew up with "Bewitched", "I Dream of Jeanie", "The Wizard of Oz", and a host of other TV shows that depict the fantasy world of witchcraft or magic. Unfortunately I feel that most people are trying to shelter people from real life. All of the Harry Potter books are depicted as fantasy but they do show a world of good and bad. Hmmm... that sounds like the real world to me but also takes us away to a fantasy world where we can think and live.
I chose to read “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding. This book is about a group of kids who are stranded on a deserted island as the result of a plane crash. There are no adults, so they are forced to survive the dangers of the jungle on their own. The main character of the book is a boy named Ralph who is chosen by the group as the leader. Ralph starts out as a childish boy who has to learn to take responsibility and to guide the group. The theme of the book is the conflict between the human impulse towards savagery and the rules of civilization. According to many reviews, this is a very disturbing book. This book was put on the banned/challenged list because it portrays violence and horrific scenes carried out by young boys.
Forever by Judy Blume is a emotional story that depicts the sexual relationships of teenagers. The main character Katherine has began her senior year a virgin. Soon, she meets a young man named Michael. Michael has had sexual encounter before and he soon want to have that sort of intimacy with Katherine.
As the story progress, the characters of the book go through many life changing events such as: first sexual experiences, rejection, attempted suicide, etc.. The main thing that draws a lot of emotion from Katherine is the fact that she thinks her relationship with Michael will last forever. In her mine, the person that she gave herself to for the first time is the “one”. Many things happen in the book that leads to the realization that the two of them will not be together forever. The story ends with Katherine’s “forever” being only temporary.
Forever by Judy Blume is a emotional story that depicts the sexual relationships of teenagers. The main character Katherine has began her senior year a virgin. Soon, she meets a young man named Michael. Michael has had sexual encounter before and he soon want to have that sort of intimacy with Katherine.
As the story progress, the characters of the book go through many life changing events such as: first sexual experiences, rejection, attempted suicide, etc.. The main thing that draws a lot of emotion from Katherine is the fact that she thinks her relationship with Michael will last forever. In her mine, the person that she gave herself to for the first time is the “one”. Many things happen in the book that leads to the realization that the two of them will not be together forever. The story ends with Katherine’s “forever” being only temporary.
Has anyone here read "Persepolis" or "Persepolis 2" by Marjane Satrapi? This book won the 2004 Alex award. I would understand if this book was challenged,especially when compared to other works. I could find no evidence that is has been challenged. Any comments?
Re Challenges to Persepolis: The movie version has been banned in Lebanon:http://www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=mideast&item=080326132144.mqpzgr1c.php
There was a really interesting article about graphic novels in the classroom in the San Diego newspaper: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20080323-9999-lz1mc23comics.html
anybody find any challenges to the book? I did a google news search and nothing showed up.
I have not found any censorship attempts of the book either . I thought it was both incredible and very upsetting because of the violence. I also would want to have other resources about Iran, as this alone, would certainly be a one-sided account. It is one of my favorite books over the last few years, but, despite its tone, it's for middle school and up in my opinion, not only because of the violence, but also because of the history students need to be able to understand.
I chose to summarize Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (actually the entire Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling). For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past decade, the series is about a Harry Potter, a young orphan living in Britain who finds out he is a wizard. He soon discovers he is the only wizard or muggle (non-wizarding people) to survive an attack by the evil Dark Lord, Lord Voldemort. He enrolls in the wizarding school Hogwarts, where he befriends two outcasts, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and finds a mentor in Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Together the three of them learn the skills and knowledge necessary to battle the return of Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters. Each of his seven years at Hogwarts is filled with a new dilemma involving Voldemort, until finally Harry must face him one-on-one in a battle to the finish. For those of you who have not read the series or have not completed it, I will not spoil the ending.
The subject of witchcraft and wizardry has cause the series to be challenged, with many Christian groups claiming that the series promotes witchcraft and may motivate readers to turn to witchcraft, the occult, and the Wicca faith. My take on the "controversial" subject is this: the books contains so many other fantastical elements (dragons, giants, trolls, candies that make you grow boils on your face, chessboards with moving pieces, etc.) that I find it difficult to believe a child would read the books and be unable to distinguish that it was fiction. I have not heard of any people trying to buy pet dragons because of the books or being injured trying to play quidditch, so why necessarily would the witchcraft element be any different? Also, if we ban the Harry Potter series because of these magical elements, we would also have to ban any and all books with any magic or supernatural elements. That would eliminate almost every fairy tale, and almost every Disney movie would have to be banned from schools as well.
I have not heard of this happening yet, but I'm sure it will, if it has not already, is the challenging of the series because of Rowling's recent revelation that Dumbledore is gay. I can see the religious zealots simply marking this as another reason this book should be banned. Luckily it has not yet been banned, even thought it has been a staple on the top ten list of most frequently challenged books since its earliest publication.
I chose to read Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. I was a media paraprofessional for 6 years as I earned my teaching degree and throughout that time I never got a chance to read this book. Most of the boys at school that read it said it was really good. I thought the book was very thought provoking. It is the story of Richie Perry and his travels to Vietnam to fight in the Army. He is sure his medical profile will keep him from being involved in any actual fighting. But he is proven wrong very shortly after his arrival. Richie has this romanticized picture of what war really is and is quite shaken up as he finds himself in a whole different world. In one of the first missions, his friend is killed by a mine and leaves Richie shaken and afraid to tell his family about the horror in which he finds himself. The destruction and brutality Richie witnesses makes him question the morality and meaning of the war he finds himself involved in. He also questions his own motives for joining the war and his feelings of wanting to leave. After he is wounded,he seriously thinks about deserting but returns to his unit. During the time Richie is enlisted, he has to face many battles on and off the field, racism being among them. Finally he is wounded and his medical profile if processed so he sent home. This book is quite interesting and has an anti-war air that leaves the reader feeling a sense of awe for those actually fighting in these situations. It puts things in perspective if you really think about it. The book is banned primarily for the offensive language, brutality and violence. In an interview, Mr. Myers said "the obscene language is actually used by the army as one of the ways to change the attitude of young people from the innocent high schooler to the young man or woman that can kill strangers."
I chose to read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This story is told from the point of view of Scout Finch and takes place during the Great Depression in a small Alabama town. Scout, her brother Jem, and Dill,their friend who comes during summer, are fascinated with a neighbor named Boo Radley. He is reclusive and few in the community have seen him.
Their father Atticus Finch is an attorney and defends a black man, Tom Robinson, who is accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. Most of the town disapproves of Atticus defending him and Scout fights for her father's honor even after he tells her not to. In the end racism wins out even after Atticus proves that Mayella and her father were lying.
This book is considered controversial due to the amount of racial hate that is portrayed.
38 comments:
I chose to read the book Forever by Judy Blume. When I was in 5th grade I found this book hidden in my older sister's room. I was curious as to why she was hiding the book so I read the entire thing. It was quite a shock at the age of 10! I thought it would be interesting to read it again as an adult.
The book is about Katherine, a high school senior that meets a boy named Michael at a party. They are instantly attracted to each other and they begin to date. Soon after, they try to "go all the way". They think that they are very much in love and are convinced that they will be together forever. After losing her virginity she goes to a clinic to get birth control pills. When summer comes, they are separated and she begins to think she may not want to be with Michael forever.
This book is considered controversial because of the detailed descriptions of sexual encounters. It also contains scenes that include drug and alcohol use. It has made it to the the top ten list of most frequently challenged books.
I read the book A Wrinkle in Time by Madeliene L'ingle. Though this book was out when I was in middle school, I never read it until I was in college. I really like it. I was not aware that it was banned until this semester. I decided to read it again.
The story is about a girl named Meg, her brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin. The three kids set off to rescue Meg and Charles Wallace's father with the help of three women. The three women are not really women, they are creatures from other planets disquised as women. Their names are Mrs. Which, Mrs. Whatsit, and Mrs. Who. They have to rescue their father and overpower the "dark thing". They succeed and get their father home safe. There are two other books that are companions/sequels to this book.
This book has been banned mostly because of the magic and make-believe. There are also some spells and some people think it is evil. It has also been banned because it compares Jesus Christ to famous poets and artists which I guess some people think is sacreligous.
I still think it is a very good book, and I would even read it with my students if we had a class set.
I chose to read the book Are You There God? It's Me Margaret. By Judy Blume I can't remember if I read this book as a little girl, but I enjoyed reading it recently. I found myself laughing out loud thinking back to my own experiences. The book is about a girl, Margaret, who moves from New York to New Jersey. She is very close to her paternal grandmother who lives in New York. Margaret is almost twelve when the story begins and it basically takes the reader through her adventures of making new new friends and also experiencing the female perspective of puberty. She and her friends frequently discuss issues such as body changes, and "menstrooooation" as the book calls it. Margaret has has thoughts about whether she is normal or not based on her "development" compared to her friends. She is also on a journey to discover what religion she is in the book. This book has been on the list of 100 most challenged books. The is controversial because of the details of a young girls body changes so openly discussed. The book is listed as a 3.6 reading level for accelerated reader.
I chose to read The Pigman by Paul Zindel. Basically the book is a coming of age story about two teenagers, John and Lorraine, who form an unlikely friendship with an elderly man. John and Lorraine are the type that most people would call social outcasts. Most of their friends are trouble makers, and they both have terrible relationships with their parents. One of their favorite pastimes is to play telephone pranks. During one of these crank call sessions, they come in contact with Mr. Pignati who they later nickname the Pigman. Events unfold that eventually cause Mr. Pignati’s death. Their guilt over his death leads John and Lorraine to mature and realize that they have to take responsibility for their own lives. The book has been banned because of profanity, most of which appears as symbols like &#%#!. There are also scenes in the book in which the teenagers are drinking and smoking.
I remember reading "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeliene L'ingle. I never read it when I was in school, but once I grew older, I picked it up and began to read it. I agree with what Carmen said in that is still a very good book even though it is banned. I would add that Meg is regarded as an underachiever. Her family knows that she has a lack of maturity, but realizes that she is capable of great things. As Carmen points out, she does succeed in rescuing her father with the help of her friends. I agree that it seems like a very good book.
I do think that it is a stretch to say that it is sacreligious. In my opinion, you can compare Jesus Christ to something without being disrespectful. Carmen, you did a nice job of going into a lot of detail with this.
The book I read for this activity was The Bluest Eye which was written in 1970 by Toni Morrison. This book has been challenged and in some cases banned due to graphic sexual content, offensive language, and unsuited to age group for such topics as rape, incest, and pedophilia. The book tells the story of Pecola Breedlove, an African-American girl growing up in Ohio in 1941, primarily though one narrator, Claudia, a childhood friend and classmate of Pecola’s. In the book, they are all adults now and Claudia is looking back on one year of their childhood that changed Pecola’s life forever. During this year, Pecola was raped and became pregnant by her father. There are many flashbacks in the book which give much more insight into the characters’ lives such as Pecola’s mother, father, and Soaphead Church, a “Reader, Adviser, and Interpreter of Dreams” who lives in their town. The title refers to Pecola’s greatest desire – above everything else, she wants blue eyes. Pecola visits Soaphead to help her with her wish which he ultimately makes her believe comes true and which sends her into a state of insanity from which she never returns.
Bridge to Terabithia is about a boy, Jesse, who is about to start the 5th grade. He lives in a very rural setting and his family is quite poor. Jesse seems to live a pretty miserable existence at home, getting no favorable attention from either of his parents, and doing much more work than his siblings.
At Jesse’s school, the boys run races at recess, and Jesse wants to be the fastest boy in the 5th grade. He wakes up very early to practice, and when the first day of school arrives, he is feeling confident he’ll beat all the other boys at recess. However, a new girl who moved in down the way from him actually ends up being the fastest, and this frustrates Jesse. Despite his initial frustration with the girl, Leslie, they become best friends. Leslie is from the city, and her family has money to spare. Their home lives are vastly different. Her and Jesse make a hideout in the forest and pretend it is a kingdom named Terabithia that they rule. Leslie opens Jesse’s eyes up to so many things during their friendship, and he comes to rely on her very much. Leslie seems so brave to Jesse, who has many doubts and fears.
One day, Jesse gets a call from his favorite teacher, and she asks him to go to a museum with her. He is so excited that he forgets to include Leslie in on this very special trip. He enjoys his day immensely, but when he gets back learns the tragic news that Leslie died trying to swing on the rope they use to cross the creek to visit “Terabithia”. He feels guilty, angry, lonely, sad, detached, and doesn’t want to believe this is true. As he mourns, his parents do come through for him…his dad spends some time with him and offers comfort and support, and his mother makes him pancakes, and for once admonishes his siblings for teasing him. Jesse discovers courage inside him, to which he credits Leslie, and he decides not to abandon Terabithia, but instead to build a wooden bridge across the creek to replace the rope. He is making a plan to share the fantasy of Terabithia with his little sisters and to keep Leslie “alive” in that way.
This book has been challenged for the following reasons:
“Bridge to Terabithia" by Katherine Paterson, for offensive language and occult/satanism. ALA
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, for offensive language, sexual content, and references to the occult and Satanism; ALA
The Bridge to Terabithia
by: Katherine Paterson
Another Newbery Award winner, banned because of "anti-religion, language, and discussion of death." Dixie State college of Utah
I also read the book, "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison. This title has been banned, as well as repeatedly challenged because of "vulgar language, sexual explicitness, or violent imagery that is gratuitously employed." The tale of young Pecola Breedlove is revealed primarily through the thoughts of her friend Claudia; although Pecola's personal perspective - as well as that of her parents and others around her - are also included. As a poor, black girl labeled as "ugly" by most of her community, Pecola leads a harsh and lonely life; longing for that which she believes will gain her acceptance and even love: blue eyes. The book takes readers on a heartbreaking journey through the events which lead to Pecola's eventual mental demise.
Although the book sends a tragic message, I'm glad that I read it. Thinking back to my own days as a young girl and wishing that I could change certain things (my hair, my teeth, my height - I was too tall) I was able to relate to Pecola, Claudia and her sister. Although many of the circumstances that Pecola faced are not normal, I think that its good for educators to go back and try to place themselves into that state of mind where young people might experience poor body image, or just low acceptance of themselves in general.
I read the perks of being a wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. There had been issues with this book in a school system where I previously taught. I wanted to read the book for myself to determine whether I felt the material was indeed objectionable. The protagonist of the novel is a 15-year-old boy in western Pennsylvania named Charlie, who writes letters to an anonymous friend detailing the events of his freshman year of high school. These letters comprise the book. It is through Charlie’s coming of age letters that we experience all of the drama in his young life: his best friend’s suicide, his sister’s unintended pregnancy, his unrequited love, the secrecy that shrouds one of his close friend’s relationships. Charlie survives his freshman year through his newfound older friends, their regular participation in Rocky Horror Picture Show screenings, and the fun of adolescence. His closest friends, senior stepsiblings Samantha and Patrick, experience many firsts with Charlie; perhaps the most memorable are the first time he smokes marijuana and drops LSD. Charlie also falls hopelessly in love with Samantha. However, as all good things must come to an end, Charlie’s older friends graduate and move on, leaving him behind with an emotionally scarred sister and a brother who plays football at Penn State. With his support system gone, Charlie has a nervous breakdown during which he is forced to confront an astonishing truth about his Aunt Helen, who had lived with Charlie’s family for a time before dying in an accident.
The book is one of the most frequently banned in this young century. It has been banned for a variety of reasons, but most of them revolve around the following themes that can be found in the book: homosexuality, offensive language, and sexually explicit language. However, the most frequent problem seems to center on age appropriateness. perks is written at a 4th-grade reading level according to Accelerated Reader, yet its mature themes have been deemed inappropriate for the elementary setting. As an adult, I enjoyed reading the book. It didn’t seem to pander to what I imagined the typical teen-angst book to be. In fact, in one of the letters, Charlie describes a playlist for a mixtape he enjoys; I have some of these songs and they definitely seem to fit with the overall mood of the book. Perhaps we should not be surprised that the book has an emphasis on music—it was published by MTV. If you’d like to enjoy one of Charlie’s mixtapes, here are the selections:
“Asleep”—The Smiths
“Vapor Trail”—Ride
“Scarborough Fair”—Simon and Garfunkel
“A Whiter Shade of Pale”—Procol Harum
“Time of No Reply”—Nick Drake
“Dear Prudence”—The Beatles
“Gypsy”—Suzanne Vega
“Nights in White Satin”—The Moody Blues
“Daydream”—Smashing Pumpkins
“Dusk”—Genesis
“MLK”—U2
“Blackbird”—The Beatles
“Landslide”—Fleetwood Mac
“Asleep”—The Smiths
The word utopia has a number of meanings. Lois Lowry covers each one of these meaning in her book The Giver. Her utopian society is created and destroyed just by the mere path of exploring the definitions; this thesis is very clear.
Lowry creates Jonas, an eleven-year-old boy at the beginning of the novel; this is whose eyes we the readers see this secluded community through. This is a community that seems to be the perfect society at first glance and maybe even at a second look. The family structure is made up of a mother, a father, and two children each with one boy and one girl. Everyone in this society enjoys his or her life and understands the rules and assignments that must be followed. At this point the readers logic should start to wonder how the families could be made so uniformly. This is the type of tool that Lowry uses to hook the reader. The type of plots that are presented through out the novel goes against the reader common sense of life. Lowry’s use of words also contributes to the interest in the story line. Just as utopia has different meanings so do these words. As a reader you must read on in order to feed your curiosity.
The events that take place with in the community allow more and more information to be given to the reader. The chronological order of events are important in that each age group of an child is given certain responsibilities to up hold. The readers are allowed to follow Jonas for the last year before he reaches adulthood and through the end of the story. The world that is created is a world free of sickness, poverty, crime, and unemployment. At the age of twelve they are assigned their roles in the community for the rest of their life. Each one accepts his or her assignment with pride and a sense of duty. Many of the twelve will become key components in helping to make this society work. However there is one duty that is not assigned it is one that is selected. The title of Receiver of Memory is bestowed on Jonas. The Receiver is given the memories of the past from an Elder called the Giver. The memories of the past were stored here for wisdom. It is at this point that Lowry begins to show the flaws of this utopian society.
Jonas is shown that by his societies decision to hide fear and pain from the world they have also taken away some of its greatest aspects. This prefect world is with out love and color. The shear manner in the way that the memories are given through touch goes against the ideals of this world. Words are created and given meaning that hide memories. As a reader we are left confused on the context in which a word is used early on. This is a good concept for Lowry because it makes the reader think about the different meanings being conferred. Some of these words release and stirring hide pain and joy from the community. As Jonas receives more memories he becomes angry with the people around him for they do not possess the knowledge to see beyond. He wants them to know the truth of their society that has been built by years of hypocrisy.
Lowry uses Jonas as a tool to set free her socially driven ideas of utopia. To have Jonas and Gabriel flee from this world in search for the not so perfect world allows Lowry to show the two sides of the coin. The further Jonas gets from the community in search of Elsewhere; the so-called myth community people go to when they are released, the more reality sets in. As the memories return to the community, he also is allowed to experience the feelings that he was protected from inside the community. Such as hunger and pain but these are his own feelings not someone else’s. One feeling he does show is the love for the Gabriel. His determination to protect and nurture Gabriel is his driving force for survival. The word usage in this section of the novel gives the reader a vivid picture of the colors and feelings as they flow into the scenes.
The message that Lowry is trying to send could be that of freedom. Freedom to live and die at your choosing, not at the decision of a group of elders, is a right. There could not be a utopian society with out the loss of some freedoms. Yes, you can remove fear and pain but if the bad is removed so must be the good. What would be the purpose of living if the joy were gone? Many things look great on the surface but when actually employed do not function according to plan. Communism looks great on paper while in reality it does not work.
Lowry is not for a utopian society, for even in the end she is trying to escape it. As a reader, you can see Lowry distancing herself from the community. There is no mention of what could be the situation back at the community when the memories have returned. At the end, Jonas has come to the point where he cannot continue. Lowry leaves it to the reader to decide the ending. The more the end is analyzed the deeper the thoughts turn toward death as the final conclusion. This being said, Lowry suggests a strong case of that death is a better alternative than a life that you’re not allowed to live.
The Giver has been banned for being sexually explicit, violence, and occult themes.
I chose to read the book Deenie by Judy Blume. I never read this book while in school but found that there were 2 copies in our High School Media Center. Deenie was published in 1973 and is about a teenage girl named (you guessed it) Deenie. The book is told through her eyes and is very easy to relate to for teenagers. There are several coming-of-age moments in the book and many of the pressures - boys, friends, looks, etc. - that plague our teenagers today.
Deenie is a very beautiful child and her mother is convinced that, "with that face," she will be a model. She drags her to many interviews, which Deenie is less than thilled about. However, Deenie does not make the cut, primariy to what her mother calls her "slouching." At this time Deenie also trys out for cheerleader and does not make it. In the midst of all her teenage drama, her gym teacher is concerned enough about the "slouching" to refer her to her doctor. Deenie is then sent to a barrage of specialists, during which she finds out she has scoliosis. She is fitted for a brace, which she finds out she has to wear for 4 years. This totally changes life for Deenie. Normal tasks are now very challenging, plus Deenie has to deal with her mother blaming her for developing scoliosis (which is an inherited tendency). In the end, Deenie accepts having to wear the brace and mentally thanks her father for helping her deal with the responsibility of it.
Deenie is a challenged/banned book because of the sexuality issues discussed - the character Deenie does some self-discovering, ends up going to about second base at a couple of parties, and is very open in her line of questioning sexuality.
I read the book The Giver by Lois Lowry. I loved this book! It is about a boy (Jonas) who lives in a very controlled society which the rulers believe to be a utopia. There is no color, pain, or decisions. The elders decide who is married and each family is given two children. The elders assign children their grown-up jobs on their 12th birthday. They also may release people who are weak, old, or break the rules. Jonas is assigned the job of receiver of memories. With his job he is allowed to experience pain and joyous times like holidays. Jonas realizes that his life is not perfect and is frustrated that he cannot share this with his friends who carry on as usual. He also realizes that they are about to release (kill) a baby named Gabrielle. He takes Gabe and escapes to "elsewhere". No one knows if the ending is a joyous arrival at a house where a family is having a holiday celebration or if the children actually froze to death with the image of Jonas's favorite memory. This book ranked 14 on ALAs most frequently challenged book list (1990-2000). The book has been challenged with sexually explicit content, occult themes, violence, and supporting communism. This book is mostly challenged on the principles of infanticide and euthanasia. I think the reason that this book is often challenged is because the content of the book is to mature for the reading level. The themes of this book require a mature reader to really understand. I feel that the book does not try to influence you that this is a perfect society. In fact you realize the faults through Jonas. As he grows and learns the reader becomes aware of the great intellectual freedoms we are allowed since we do not live in such a controlled society.
I decided to read the book “Go Ask Alice”. It’s a diary of a girl from a middle class, conservative family who gets hooked on drugs at the age of fifteen. I selected this book because so many of my students deal with family, friends and people in their community who are abusing drugs. Many students have an “Alice” right in their home or neighborhood. Regardless of race or socioeconomic status, drug abuse rips so many families to pieces. It takes a lot of knowledge, prayers and support for families to overcome such a crisis. This book has been banned several times for its explicit references to runaways, drugs and sex. The author is anonymous and over 4 million copies have been sold. I believe if more students have an opportunity to read this book during their pre-teen years, fewer students will take a stronger stand against drugs.
The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Slinger is annually a top one hundred most “challenged” book mainly for the use of profanity....and there is a lot of it in this book. For many years it was on the top ten most challenged books list. It has also been challenged for sexual scenes and moral issues. The story covers a few days just before Christmas break in the life of a sixteen year old boy named Holden Caulfield. Holden is the narrator and the story begins with him being kicked out of a boarding school called Pencey Prep. Holden leaves campus in the middle of the night and travels by train to New York City where his family lives, but he does not want them to know he is there. He stays for two nights in a hotel. During this time he has an encounter with a prostitute, but nothing happens between them. He also has a date with a friend named Sally. Then he gets drunk and wanders around New York. It is clear that he is lonely and confused. Holden is more than a teen having typical teenage problems..... he is a very troubled teenager. He does not trust anyone except Allie, his deceased brother, and Phoebe, his younger sister. Other than these two people, just about everyone else (including his parents, friends, teachers and people that he comes in contact with) is phony. Holden eventually sneaks into his parent’s apartment and finds his younger sister Phoebe home alone. It is clear that he loves his sister and enjoys talking to her. By this time in the story, he is emotionally and physically drained and on the verge of a breakdown. He talks about his psychiatrist in the end of the story and that he is planning to go back to school in September.
Re: Go Ask Alice
There's an interesting article in Wikipedia about this topic-the article speculates about who the "real" author might be:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_Ask_Alice
This reminds me a little bit of the controversy surrounding The Education of Little Tree, also addressed in a wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Education_of_Little_Tree
The book I selected to read this semester is definitely in the teen angst category: Sandpiper by Ellen Wittlinger. I selected it b/c of post I read on As If (link to the blog on the link list). You can also read the newspaper story about the high school girl who was so shocked by the book:
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20070911/LATEST/70911048/1010/NEWS05
I also checked our reviews of the title and both SLJ and Booklist clearly addressed the main controversy (oral sex) in the first sentence of their reviews so any media specialist who used these reviews for selection purposes should not have been surprised about the content. One interesting thing is that the plot synopsis on the back of my paperback edition says nothing about sex.
This book is included on several recommended lists. After reading it I can tell you that there is no missing the sexual content of the book but the fundamental message is one appropriate for today's young people: oral sex IS sex; our actions DO have consequences; and, it IS possible to start over.
Bridge to Terabithia is a story about young boy name Jess Aarons who desires to be the fastest runner in his grade. He laters meets a girl name Leslie Burke, who acts like a tomboy, who moves into the farmhouse next door and turns out to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade.
Eventually Jess and Leslie become really good friends and create an “imaginative” secret kingdom called Terabithia. Terabithia becomes a place where Jess and Leslie find peace and a chance escape the problems of the real world like schoolmates teasing them.
Bridge to Terabithia was placed on the banned book list because it is claimed to contained bad language, lack of respect for adults and a fantasy world that leads to confusion.
I decided to read The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman. I have not seen it on the banned book list but it is definitely headed there.
I have never read this book before this class. My wife is an media specialist and was interested in learning about the book before the movie came out. This assignment gave us a great reason to read it.
The book is about a young girl that knows very little about her family. She has been raised at a local college in time period that seems to be in the past and future at the same time. Pullman does a great job of pulling this off.
The concerns for the book come from the fundamental premise of the plot. This young lady is portrayed as a martyr that must save her time from established government. Unfortunately that happens to be the church. I must confess that I was little concerned about some of the things that I read, they seem to point out problems with having faith in something. I think that people have attached Pullman's personal beliefs as an atheist to the book far too strongly. It does require a person to think on his own about the ideals being discussed. In an interview I saw somewhere discussing the movie I remember him saying that, that was the point of the stories.
This book will be the new Harry Potter of the book challenge circuit.
I read "the perks of being a wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky.
This book is about Charlie who is a "wallflower" no one really pays any attention to him except for a friend in middle school who kills himself. Charlie enters high school and meets two new friends. Charlie new friends expose him to a lot of different things such as homosexuality, molestation, drug use, and drinking. The story is written from Charlie’s point of view in letter format. It was a quick read and you are always wondering about what Charlie’s issue. In his letter he goes into detail about his friends issues but it is not until the end when you find out what is wrong with Charlie
I read The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier. Before he wrote this book, he had written for adults. He was a newspaper reporter/writer as well. This book was challenged because it addressed "uncompromising realism" in the world of teenagers.
The issue is bullying by teenagers in a "secret gang" in a parochial school and by one of the adult male teachers at the school.
The main character, Jerry Renault, shocked by the death of his mother and somewhat distant from his father, refuses to participate in the school's annual fundraiser, a chocolate sale. He is admired at first, but then he becomes the victim.
Cormier was criticized because there was no redeeming resolution at the end of the book. He refused to do so at the urging of publishers/editors. He believes that the real world teenagers deal with everyday should be presented as is, which means sometimes things don't end pretty.
While there is some strong language and reference to "boy things..i.e. descriptions of girls they look at and other things ... "(you can read it in the book), these are not the reasons for the challenges to the book. Although they could be, probably, by some people.
Jerry and many others chosen for "assignments" by the Vigils are mistreated badly. Jerry is humiliated and in the end, terribly beaten in a staged fighting event by the Vigils. The book makes you think that his physical condition is life -threatening. The adults are not available for support and often even overlook events.
The issue is about relentless bullying. The end is very disturbing to me. I did not enjoy the book really but I am glad I read it. It introduced me to the author's works and the issues that are, unfortunately, part of the world of some adolescents. D.Griffin
I chose to read the book "Ordinary People" by Judith Guest. I remember reading part of this book when I was in high school. In the book Conrad Jarrett, a 17 year old boy, has just returned home after an eight month stay in a mental hospital. He tried to commit suicide because he was having a difficulit time dealing with life after the death of his brother. His father becomes very protective of Conrad. His mother is very distant when Con returns home. This book is about anything but "ordinary people."
This book has a lot of profanity in it, which tells me why I may not have read the entire book in high school. It also deals with the issue of suicide. The book does have some sexual references in it. It also deals with the topic of grief and how different people deal with it. I believe the book shows what can happen if you do not deal with your grief. I am not saying that it will always lead to suicide. The mother and father in the book deal with it differently and it eventually tears them apart.
Ordinary People is definitely for young adult and adult readers. It was a good book. I liked the way each chapter was written from a different character's point of view.
I chose to read The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman because of the controversy that has surrounded this book. It begins with a young orphan girl, Lyra. She lives at Jordan College. Pullman took a different approach to a person’s soul. A person’s soul takes the form of a demon that can morphs into different creatures. The land is controlled by the Magisterium, a dictating group that restricts freedoms in order to impose its own systems on the whole population. Lyra saves her Uncle Lord Asriel from being assassination by this group. Her Uncle was resenting evidence to the college which indicates the existence of particles called "Dust", which opposed Magisterium doctrine. The college fund Lord Asriel trip to the North to find the “Dust”, which he believes created in a parallel universe to his own, entering the body via a person's demon. Of course the Magisterium disapproved of this idea because it contradicted Magisterium’s doctrine. The Magisterium begins conducting experiments on child because of their fear of dust.
Lyra goes to assist Marisa Coulter, which Lyra later figures out that she is the head of General Oblation Board. General Oblation Board is known as the “Gobblers’ because the kidnap children. Lyra runs away from Ms. Coulter’s house. She is caught by the Gobblers, but then she is rescued by the Gyptians. Lyra uses the alethiometer to Magisterium research station. She overheard Ms. Coulter and scientist about the experiments they do on the children, discovering that they attempt to prevent Dust from entering a child by severing the bond to his or her demon. Ms. Coulter explained that the Dust causes bad thoughts as children near maturity.
Magisterium is viewed as the Catholic Church gone astray, which leads to controversy. It could be viewed as promoting atheistism, since the author is an atheist. The Dust is refers to children going through puberty. Many parents would rather discuss this topic with their own children. I think this book is appropriate at the middle school/high school. On the other hand, in the third book in The Amber Spyglass, the children killed God I believe that this is where the situation gets sticky. Under intellectual freedom, the media specialist should not prevent children from being able to read this book. From a Christian and/or parent’s point of view, I would have a time allowing a child to read this that kills God, but that just my opinion.
You will have to read it for yourselves and devise your own opinion!
I chose to read Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. This is the story of a boy named Jess Aarons. His family is very poor and he feels like he does not get any attention from his father and is slighted by his mother. He meets his new neighbor Leslie Burke and they form an unlikely friendship. Together they build an imaginary place which they call Terabithia. They spend many hours in this place and Jess learns many things from Leslie. She makes his life better. Jess leaves one day on a trip with a favorite teacher and when he returns he finds out that Leslie has died on her way to Terabithia. Jess struggles with her death but he decides to build a bridge over the creek bank and continue to visit the imaginary land with the new queen, his sister May Belle. This book has been challenged because of offensive language, sexual content, occult, and satanism.
Froggy Welsh the 4th is a pretty good kisser - maybe it's all those trombone lessons - and that's about it. He and Virginia, both 15, are not boyfriend-girlfriend, not even really friends, but once a week they meet in her apartment to kiss, and grope. In school they never acknowledge each other, because Virginia lives by the "Fat Girl Rule of Conduct" that she had devised. The first article is that "Any sexual activity is secret. No public display of affection..."
The book, The Earth My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler was the most frequently challenged book in 2007 according to ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom. It's hardly surprising that it was challenged, but what a shame. Because the book would be of greatest value to the very students from whom overprotective people are trying to keep it, young people between 13 and 17, especially those with low self-esteem. The sexual content never goes beyond Virginia's contemplating what might come next. The real issues are sexual responsibility - the brother she idealizes date rapes a girl - and the pernicious effects of trying to attain an ideal body - the most popular girl in school suffers from a serious eating disorder. It is sad when people are unable to look at the central themes of a book and get stuck on realistic content that they deem age-inappropriate, while ignoring the emotional needs of young adults. JL
The book I chose was Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. The entire HP serious has been challenged because of its reference to Wizards and Witches, school where people learn spells, etc. JK Rowling has also added fuel the fire by coming out with comments such as her latest one about the character Dumbledore being gay. I have never really been an avid reader and I had trouble getting into the 1st book since JK had to set the plot and the characters background, but after watching the 1st movie and reading the 2nd book, I finally went back and read book one and got into the books. I really like to reread the books just before the move or after it and see where the director took “artistic liberties” with the movie. As always the books are better. One producer was stated that if they took the books as is the movies would be 3 or more hours long. I have always said that if people will sit through a 3 ½ movie about aps (Out of Africa), then they will sit through a 3+ hour HP movie.
What is interesting to me about these books being banned is that when I have talked to people who were against this book, I asked them their thoughts on Lord of the Rings. Some reply they don’t think to highly of it either, but others see not problem with it. They call it “Mysticism” because it is set in a medieval or fairytale time not modern day like HP. I then like to ask them, “If JK set HP in a medieval or fairytale time would they accept it?” The answer is still no, but no explanation of why is given.
I also like to ask people who are against HP if they liked The Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe. Most everyone says yes because the LWW was written by C.S Lewis who is a Christian Author and the book is filled with biblical happenings. I then like to bring up the fact that there are all those half creator and half human beings in LWW and they are in the HP. I also add that like the battle between the lion and the witch is taken as the battle between God and the Devil, then the battle between Harry and Lord Valdemort could also be considered a battle between God and the Devil. Needless to say, these people are very closed minded and see no comparison. But it makes for a great debate with a lot of people who want to “burn” Harry Porter and “up-hold” books like Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia.
I chose to read Are you there God, it's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume. I remember as a child, I had hear about the book, but I thought there was something bad about it. I was too embarrassed to ask for it when I was younger! So, I was interested to read it as an adult to see what the fuss was all about.
It is about a 6th grade girl and her questions about many issues that many pre-teen girls think about: menstruation, bras, boys, and even religion. Margaret is a 12 year old girl who moves to a suburb of New York. The story is about her experiences at her new school and with her new friends. Many of the things Margaret experiences and wonders about are the same things that other young girls her age (and probably some younger) think about.
I thought the book was really good! I think I would have loved it if I read it when I was younger. I really don't understand why is is a commonly banned book. Apparently, it is because of Judy Blume's frank incorporation of religion and puberty. However, I really don't think there is anything inappropriate about the story. I would let my 12 year old read it (if I had a 12 year old daughter).
I have chosen the entire Harry Potter collection by J.K.K.Rowling. I am a reluctant reader however, I have read every Harry Potter book from cover to cover and could not put them down. I don't understand the negative hype about why the books should be challenged. If most of the people that have challenged these books admitted it they would admit that they grew up with "Bewitched", "I Dream of Jeanie", "The Wizard of Oz", and a host of other TV shows that depict the fantasy world of witchcraft or magic. Unfortunately I feel that most people are trying to shelter people from real life. All of the Harry Potter books are depicted as fantasy but they do show a world of good and bad. Hmmm... that sounds like the real world to me but also takes us away to a fantasy world where we can think and live.
I chose to read “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding. This book is about a group of kids who are stranded on a deserted island as the result of a plane crash. There are no adults, so they are forced to survive the dangers of the jungle on their own. The main character of the book is a boy named Ralph who is chosen by the group as the leader. Ralph starts out as a childish boy who has to learn to take responsibility and to guide the group. The theme of the book is the conflict between the human impulse towards savagery and the rules of civilization. According to many reviews, this is a very disturbing book. This book was put on the banned/challenged list because it portrays violence and horrific scenes carried out by young boys.
Forever by Judy Blume is a emotional story that depicts the sexual relationships of teenagers. The main character Katherine has began her senior year a virgin. Soon, she meets a young man named Michael. Michael has had sexual encounter before and he soon want to have that sort of intimacy with Katherine.
As the story progress, the characters of the book go through many life changing events such as: first sexual experiences, rejection, attempted suicide, etc.. The main thing that draws a lot of emotion from Katherine is the fact that she thinks her relationship with Michael will last forever. In her mine, the person that she gave herself to for the first time is the “one”. Many things happen in the book that leads to the realization that the two of them will not be together forever. The story ends with Katherine’s “forever” being only temporary.
Forever by Judy Blume is a emotional story that depicts the sexual relationships of teenagers. The main character Katherine has began her senior year a virgin. Soon, she meets a young man named Michael. Michael has had sexual encounter before and he soon want to have that sort of intimacy with Katherine.
As the story progress, the characters of the book go through many life changing events such as: first sexual experiences, rejection, attempted suicide, etc.. The main thing that draws a lot of emotion from Katherine is the fact that she thinks her relationship with Michael will last forever. In her mine, the person that she gave herself to for the first time is the “one”. Many things happen in the book that leads to the realization that the two of them will not be together forever. The story ends with Katherine’s “forever” being only temporary.
Has anyone here read "Persepolis" or "Persepolis 2" by Marjane Satrapi? This book won the 2004 Alex award. I would understand if this book was challenged,especially when compared to other works. I could find no evidence that is has been challenged. Any comments?
Re Challenges to Persepolis:
The movie version has been banned in Lebanon:http://www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=mideast&item=080326132144.mqpzgr1c.php
There was a really interesting article about graphic novels in the classroom in the San Diego newspaper:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20080323-9999-lz1mc23comics.html
anybody find any challenges to the book? I did a google news search and nothing showed up.
I have not found any censorship attempts of the book either . I thought it was both incredible and very upsetting because of the violence. I also would want to have other resources about Iran, as this alone, would certainly be a one-sided account. It is one of my favorite books over the last few years, but, despite its tone, it's for middle school and up in my opinion, not only because of the violence, but also because of the history students need to be able to understand.
I chose to summarize Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (actually the entire Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling). For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past decade, the series is about a Harry Potter, a young orphan living in Britain who finds out he is a wizard. He soon discovers he is the only wizard or muggle (non-wizarding people) to survive an attack by the evil Dark Lord, Lord Voldemort. He enrolls in the wizarding school Hogwarts, where he befriends two outcasts, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and finds a mentor in Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Together the three of them learn the skills and knowledge necessary to battle the return of Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters. Each of his seven years at Hogwarts is filled with a new dilemma involving Voldemort, until finally Harry must face him one-on-one in a battle to the finish. For those of you who have not read the series or have not completed it, I will not spoil the ending.
The subject of witchcraft and wizardry has cause the series to be challenged, with many Christian groups claiming that the series promotes witchcraft and may motivate readers to turn to witchcraft, the occult, and the Wicca faith. My take on the "controversial" subject is this: the books contains so many other fantastical elements (dragons, giants, trolls, candies that make you grow boils on your face, chessboards with moving pieces, etc.) that I find it difficult to believe a child would read the books and be unable to distinguish that it was fiction. I have not heard of any people trying to buy pet dragons because of the books or being injured trying to play quidditch, so why necessarily would the witchcraft element be any different? Also, if we ban the Harry Potter series because of these magical elements, we would also have to ban any and all books with any magic or supernatural elements. That would eliminate almost every fairy tale, and almost every Disney movie would have to be banned from schools as well.
I have not heard of this happening yet, but I'm sure it will, if it has not already, is the challenging of the series because of Rowling's recent revelation that Dumbledore is gay. I can see the religious zealots simply marking this as another reason this book should be banned. Luckily it has not yet been banned, even thought it has been a staple on the top ten list of most frequently challenged books since its earliest publication.
I chose to read Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. I was a media paraprofessional for 6 years as I earned my teaching degree and throughout that time I never got a chance to read this book. Most of the boys at school that read it said it was really good. I thought the book was very thought provoking. It is the story of Richie Perry and his travels to Vietnam to fight in the Army. He is sure his medical profile will keep him from being involved in any actual fighting. But he is proven wrong very shortly after his arrival. Richie has this romanticized picture of what war really is and is quite shaken up as he finds himself in a whole different world. In one of the first missions, his friend is killed by a mine and leaves Richie shaken and afraid to tell his family about the horror in which he finds himself. The destruction and brutality Richie witnesses makes him question the morality and meaning of the war he finds himself involved in. He also questions his own motives for joining the war and his feelings of wanting to leave. After he is wounded,he seriously thinks about deserting but returns to his unit. During the time Richie is enlisted, he has to face many battles on and off the field, racism being among them. Finally he is wounded and his medical profile if processed so he sent home.
This book is quite interesting and has an anti-war air that leaves the reader feeling a sense of awe for those actually fighting in these situations. It puts things in perspective if you really think about it.
The book is banned primarily for the offensive language, brutality and violence. In an interview, Mr. Myers said "the obscene language is actually used by the army as one of the ways to change the attitude of young people from the innocent high schooler to the young man or woman that can kill strangers."
I chose to read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This story is told from the point of view of Scout Finch and takes place during the Great Depression in a small Alabama town. Scout, her brother Jem, and Dill,their friend who comes during summer, are fascinated with a neighbor named Boo Radley. He is reclusive and few in the community have seen him.
Their father Atticus Finch is an attorney and defends a black man, Tom Robinson, who is accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. Most of the town disapproves of Atticus defending him and Scout fights for her father's honor even after he tells her not to. In the end racism wins out even after Atticus proves that Mayella and her father were lying.
This book is considered controversial due to the amount of racial hate that is portrayed.
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