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Books you'd never let your kids read....

Motokid said:
k.k.

What's your mom got against Stephen King? I don't remember any content in Kings books that could be considered that damaging.

Maybe I'm missing something?
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She doesn't have anything against Stephen King. It's just she won't let me read the books now. I saw "red rose" (?) in movie form and was up for days! I was like 8 but I get nightmares pretty easy.

And PLEASE call me Jeremy
 
namedujour said:
I did a paper for a course I took not long ago, and selected censorship as my topic. I looked over the list of censored children's books, and discovered I had read virtually every one of them before the age of 20 - some of them were required reading in school. These included some of the most brilliant books I've ever read. I don't feel damaged by them. In fact, most of them were incredibly uplifting.
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Interesting. What country were these books banned in? Could you list them for us or provide a link? I'd like to see which ones have been included. :)
 
Banned Books

In the US, books can be banned at a very local level, in school districts and libraries, or at the state level. I think instances of nationwide banning are very rare, probably none recently. The website below lists loads and load of banned books and who banned them and why.

It's interesting that sometimes books are banned for one or two words, sometimes they are banned because people object to the world they portray, no matter how true it is to real life.


I think in the UK (maybe other European countries too) banning is a national phenomenon, like the recent banning of the latest Kitty Kelley book, the one about the Bush Dynasty.

In the UK it seems more serious, in that it is an overall gov't policy that makes the book illegal throughout the nation, whereas in the US, it's just a formal censorship against having it in the school curriculum. No books are banned from being sold in stores or being sold. In the case of the Bush/Kelley book, the excuse was that the libel laws in the UK are so stringent that the book would certainly come under attack and lose. Funny, Kelley writes these books all the time (incediary unauthorized biographies) and has never lost a libel case--apparently she's very good at sourcing her material. So, what's that about?

That said, there's an embargo being disputed right now on books authored by Iranian nationals. Not sure of the details offhand, but it is a political embargo meant to restrict trade, though it seems to only restrict information exchange and hurt US publishers.








http://www.banned-books.com/bblist.html
 
Thanks for the link, novella.

I must admit that I never thought about the local/nationwide banning question. I think that whilst books could certainly be banned here through a government decision, I would suspect that the situation is very similar to the USA, and schools themselves would ban certain books. They probably wouldn't draw attention to it by using the word "ban", but would just choose not to have them on the syllabus.

The following caught my attention:

As I Lay Dying (1932)
by William Faulkner
In 1986, Graves County, Kentucky, the school board banned this book about a poor white family in the midst of crisis, from its high school English reading list because of 7 passages which made reference to God or abortion and used curse words such as "bastard," "goddam," and "son of a bitch." None of the board members had actually read the book.

I have not read this book, so I don't know anything about it except what is said here, but I would have thought that high school students could cope with the references and words quoted here. What I find deeply disturbing is the final sentence. I don't believe anyone can make an informed decision until they have actually read the book. They are just relying on rumour otherwise. It made me quite angry to read this.
 
Halo said:
" None of the board members had actually read the book."

What I find deeply disturbing is the final sentence. I don't believe anyone can make an informed decision until they have actually read the book. They are just relying on rumour otherwise. It made me quite angry to read this.
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Truly infuriating.

It reminds of a scene in Donny Darko where a mother/teacher criticizes another teacher (played by Drew Barrymore) about the use of a Graham Greene story in her English class. The Drew Barrymore character asks, "Do you even know who Graham Greene is?" To which the other teacher replies something like, "Well, of course. I think everyone is aware of him in Bonanza." Ain't ignorance bliss?
 
At the school where my sister teaches, a parent of a student had a problem with the school library having Captain Underpants books on the shelves, because it has the word "poo" in it. This same parent also curses like a sailor and smokes pot (and heaven knows what else) in front of her kids.
:confused:
 
:rolleyes: Truly amazing. I've lost count of the number of times I've heard a parent scream at their child, "Stop f***ing swearing!"
 
The quality of the books for my children is a big priority for me. I don't necessarily "ban" books. I can't bring myself to tell one of my kids that it's not O.K. to read this or that. I just try to make sure what they are reading is going to be useful to them in some way. I have two kids and work from home and it seems most of the moms I work with try to encourage cultural understanding in their children's books since the world is becoming a smaller place. :)
 
I was looking at the link Novella provided above and one of the first books on the banned list was a dictionary because it contained objectionable words. I found that a bit ridiculous, kids are going to use these words anyways and I would far rather my son know what the words mean and use them correctly than just go blurting them willy nilly, lol.

I don't think I would ever ban a book from my son, he's 7 so it hasn't came up yet. I do think it is wise to know what your kids are reading, read books before or with kids and be very open with discussion, especially on the difficult topics. I want my son to know how I feel about such issues and I want to know how he feels about them.

Also having worked at the school this year I am always shocked at what these kids know, say and do, it seems so different from when I was in grade school. They often cuss, talk about sex, drugs and violence in away that I would never of guessed such young kids could. All in all they are good kids and it's a good school but they know things at younger ages and the media does nothing but encourage it. Which makes it important to not put off talking about these things until later, when their friends have already told them.

So banning a book or even postponing for a later year is just irresponsible in the sense that if your child knows of it they will probably read it anyway or have heard the juiciest bits from their buddy already and you have just missed an opportunity to leave your imprint on the issue.
 
"So banning a book or even postponing for a later year is just irresponsible in the sense that if your child knows of it they will probably read it anyway or have heard the juiciest bits from their buddy already and you have just missed an opportunity to leave your imprint on the issue."

So if your 7 year old comes home with something of extreme sexual nature, like a Penthouse Forum magazine that explicitly details various sexual acts, including bisexual and multipartner situations, you would have no problem letting your child read that if the explanation is that all the other kids have read it?????

Are you going to allow your kid to smoke pot at home just because if you don't allow it you know he/she can just smoke it behind your back somewhere else?

I have no problem "postponing" things for later years, whether it be reading material, music, or even clothing that my kids want to wear. If they sneak it fine, but I won't condone something I feel is wrong just because they might do something behind my back. If I catch them doing something wrong they will pay the price too. Some things are not meant for kids, and should not be accessable for any reason.
 
My point is if my son brought home a penthouse magazine, he's already seen what I didn't want him to see and if I just snatch it away and say you're to young, what has it taught him? He is probably now confused and not sure what he thinks of what he just saw and I would rather discuss it with him and have him feel comfortable talking about it than make his own ideas up and even worse have other kids make it up for him. I'm not going to buy my son a copy of the Happy Hooker or anything, I just think by the time a kid brings it home it's to late to say you're to young save it for later. By the time they have brought it home it's your problem to deal with NOW and putting it off will make it all the harder later.

As far as smoking pot goes, this thread was about books and whether or not they should be banned. I run a very tight house and have some very strict rules and no I don't condone drinking & drugs for minors. But would I let my son read about it, hell yes and I would be right there to talk with him and hear what he had to say, share my intake on it and let him know what I think & feel, you bet.

Banning behavior and banning information and ideas are two very different things and I think banning info is very dangerous. If anything give them more info, if they are reading about sex & drugs they are obviously curious so get them info that supports your views, talk about it, share your mature views and let them know you are always open to questions and conversation.

Do you want them forming their views based on their friends input, kids that may come from bad homes, have a bad moral base from the get go and are just as confused and messed up as they come or do you want your kids to get a grown, responsible, informed and caring perspective?
 
There are many books that are not age appropriate for children no matter what kids talk about on the playground, whether it’s sex, drugs, and/or violence. Just because some kids might have access to it does not make it right.

There’s a big difference between allowing a child to have access to factual information, and allowing a child to have access to material that glorifies and/or condones activities that are in no way healthy or educational.

Banning a dictionary because it has the word shit in it is rediculous. Telling a child that some x-rated work of fiction is something that should wait until they are older is, in my opinion, good parenting. There are plenty of other good things to read.
 
To each their own, I prefer to deal with issues right when they come up and not put them off to later a date, where they may have grown on their own as these things do. I have always had an open concept of information and communication, I have always encouraged my son to come to me no matter what the topic. I don't think that makes me a bad parent, just a realistic one. I also think we are getting repetitive on this and will have to agree to disagree.
 
You obviously don't know me very well, as I'm not one to want to give up on an idea so quickly.

I think you can make analogies into other areas of media too, regardless of this being a book forum. I have read two of Howard Sterns books and found them extremely funny, and easy reads. I would never let my child read one of those books before the age of..oh, I don't know...maybe 16? Certainly not a 10 year old. Howard Stern is on the radio in the morning, tv at night, and in the news papers and gets quite a bit of media attention. But I find nothing appropriate about letting a child read either of the books that I read.

I would never let my kids listen to him on the radio, or watch his tv show even though I find him funnier than hell.

It's just not healthy or justifiable for children in my opinion.

And there's plenty of cases where you will have to tell a child they have to wait until they are old enough. Like driving a car, smoking, or drinking alcohol.

Telling a child to wait for certain things is not irresponcible. Permitting a child to lose their innocense is...in my opinion....
 
Yes, I see your point but while I would not want my kids to read, hear or see certain things and I would definitely not provide these things, if they have brought it home then the damage is done. Their innocence is already in trouble if they are aware of the item in question. So your solution on that is to say, nope sorry you're to young and you think that they don't read it, listen to it or watch it else where? Your children are god's own angels then. I really would love to protect my son that way but I just don't see it happening, kids spread this info on schoolyards everyday and for you to ignore it because you feel your child is to young just seems irresponsible.
 
Kids need well defined guidlines, rules and bounderies. By having the groundwork laid for what's acceptable and whats not you can prevent your child from many things just by remaining stead fast and involved in their lives.

My problem with what you said:

"I don't think I would ever ban a book from my son"

...is the word "ever". That leaves the door open for way too much in my little world. There's plenty I would not allow, but I hope that I never have to inforce those rules.

Now matter how much you teach your child about sex and love, if he becomes very interested in the most extreme kinds of pornography won't you be quite a bit concerned? Especially if he's only 13 or 14? Would you let him read book after book after book of graphically depicted rape sequences?
 
You will notice I said "I don't think I would" and that I have not had to deal with this yet. My son is 7 and so he only goes where I take him reads what I pick up for him. I am involved with his life, over involved in some people's opinions. I volunteer at his school everyday, I know all his schoolmates, and he doesn't leave the house at this point that I am not with him. So we talk about everything in his life and I am well informed of what goes on it.

This whole topic for me is hypothetical. I don't know what the future holds but I'm guessing at some point he will gain some independance from me and this is how I will deal with it. I am not aware at this point of anybody in my neighborhood out pushing porn books on the corner but I do know that there are billboards of ladies in their underwear in town and girls running around with all their assets hanging out at the mall. I know that there are kids shooting other kids and some drugs are becoming an accepted part of everyday life. I know that you can't watch prime time TV or listen to the radio without language that would have been out right banned just a few years ago.

The world is getting harder and I think that children are having their innocense taken at younger ages than ever before and while I don't condone it, I'm thinking I must deal with it not put my son in a closet and hope he comes out ok later.
 
I never said anything about putting children in closets. Over-protective is just as harmful as under-protective. Parenting is the hardest job in the world. No doubt about it. You'll find I've started many threads about kids, sex, violence, and parenting ideas in general.

But you did make it sound like you had completely shut off the idea of holding a book back from your child, and that doing so may be irresponcible, and I was merely pointing out that at some point you may have to re-think your opinion.

Just wait until your child is in middle school. It's a whole different ball game, and at times quite scary.

good luck and enjoy the forum....
 
I received a series of fantasy books as a Christmas present at about age 9, I started reading the first but found it impossible to get into. A couple of years later I tried again and really enjoyed them -they definately instilled in me a love of the fantasy genre. The books did however contain sexually explict material including male rape in conjunction with dark magic rituals. The family friend who bought them for me would most likely have been mortified had she realised their content!
The sexual content, I feel, had no detrimental effect on me and I felt free to discuss it with my mum, who has always encouraged me to talk with her about anything.
On my first attempt at reading the book it was clearly too advanced for my age and only when I was intellectually ready could the book hold my attention.
 
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