The Most Targeted Books

[Libra6Poe]

Transparency: The Most Controversial Books in America - Transparency - GOOD

Every year, libraries are asked to remove books from their shelves, because they are found to be inappropriate. These "challenges" can occur for any reason, and do not necessarily result in a book's removal from libraries. But the list of the 10 most challenged books in 2009 does show which books some parents find objectionable, and why they feel their kids shouldn't be reading them.

I want to read And Tango Makes Three. It seems so sweet.

---
What do you think guys? We've discussed censorship before. Would you want any of these books to be removed from the library?

 

[Anamnesis]

Hmm, isn't Twilight known for the chaste relationship between the two main characters? Seems silly to slap an "explicit sexual content" label on it.
ETA: There are two I'd like to remove but only because I'm not a fan of the authors. This is why I shouldn't be trusted to make such a decision .

 

[Libra6Poe]

There are two I'd like to remove but only because I'm not a fan of the authors. This is why I shouldn't be trusted to make such a decision .

Yeah, I think I'd like to keep a certain one away to protect the children from becoming morons.

 

[SFG75]

I just love To Kill a Mockingbird. There is some sly humor in that book, I love the depiction of the people of Maycomb.:lol: The controversial parts are what makes it a hoot. You can discuss a lot of social attitudes that are still around today.

 

[Peder]

Have only read Catcher in the Rye. But immaterial -- not my job. I trust librarians to do the job they are paid for -- whatever they believe that to be -- and not what parents ask them to do.

 

[sparkchaser]

I liked their summary of The Catcher in the Rye. Twitter ready and everything.

 

[beer good]

It's interesting that "Homosexuality" is considered offensive in and of itself. Makes you wonder what they mean by "Racism" in regards to Mockingbird...

 

[SFG75]

Makes you wonder what they mean by "Racism" in regards to Mockingbird...

the "racism" part I believe, has to do with the occasional use of the "n" word. You would think context would be important, but not in the eyes of certain patrons and school board members.:whistling:

 

[abecedarian]

the "racism" part I believe, has to do with the occasional use of the "n" word. You would think context would be important, but not in the eyes of certain patrons and school board members.:whistling:

Harper Lee exposed racism by portraying the very real attitudes of many white Southerners of that era. Using the "n" word was only the tip of a gigantic iceberg. I read To Kill a Mockingbird in highschool, and it's still one of my favorites. My teacher was African-American, and the class was multi-ethnic; lots of great discussions here. If I remember correctly, that was the same semester we read Huckleberry Finn. Racist? I don't think so.

 

[The Butcher]

Uhhhh,don't most kids watch Friday The 13th uncut,even when they are 3-5 years old?

How is Twilight adult like?From what I heard when Bella and Edward do it they skip over it and jump to the part after.

I don't know about the rest though. I'm starting to reconsider donating my copy of American Psycho to my school library if they are going to do that.

 

[Libra6Poe]

What makes Mockingbird & Catcher a targeted book of 2009?

 

[The Butcher]

The kids should have common sense not to read the book if the parent does not like the content of it.

 

[SFG75]

Today is the 50th anniversary of the publication of To Kill a Mockingbird. Jesse Kornbluth has a great write up about the book and how it is getting criticism from all sides. I still get a chuckle about the GOP nitwits trying to tie Elena Kagan with Thurgood Marshall.:lol: yep, that integration was just terrible.:whistling:

 

[perzephone]

The kids should have common sense not to read the book if the parent does not like the content of it.

If a kid knows their parents or guardians don't approve of something, that seems to make them more likely to do it, and that includes reading books. I was lucky enough to live in an uncensored home - and my parents would discuss questions I had about what I saw and read that was confusing to me.

Parents should be able to do this - if the parent doesn't like a book, or something on television, or the radio - open up a dialogue with their child/ren to help the child understand why it's offensive. Don't just ban it or censor it outright, thereby denying other people of the ability to go to their library and pick it up. Libraries, even school libraries, are paid for by taxes of the communities they are in, not by select parental groups.

 

[Wolfy]

they have a whole week for these books called Banned Book Week. Another book part of it was the Harry Potter series for Promoting Witchcraft. Some of these people need to get over them selves IMO