Why do communities ban or challenge certain books in school libraries?
Throughout the decades, the American Library Association has assembled a vast list of books - ranging from classics to the most popular contemporary children's and young adult fiction - that have been challenged or banned by stakeholders in different communities. The ALA encourages schools to use the challenged or banned books to start a discussion on the power of the written word as well as on freedom of expression in art.
Here are some books from the frequently banned books lists that we have in the library:
Here are some books from the frequently banned books lists that we have in the library:
Animal Farm, by George Orwell
- A class novel in Grade 9 at IEST
Animal Farm, by George Orwell
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Does it make sense to ban or challenge the classic Animal Farm for the reasons cited above? What about George Orwell's other books? Would they fall victim to the same arguments? Where would it stop?
Looking for Alaska, by John Green
According to the ALA, John Green's popular novel Looking for Alaska was the most challenged book in 2015. The reasons listed are:
- offensive language
- sexually explicit
- unsuited for age group
The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime, a Grade 8 class novel at IEST, is number five on the same list, for the same reasons. How can one deal with content in books that one doesn't agree with? Is censorship the answer?
And what about The Perks of Being a Wallflower, from the 2014 ALA list?
And what about The Perks of Being a Wallflower, from the 2014 ALA list?
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