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Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Thomas Yellowlees)

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Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Thomas Yellowlees)

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Title: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Author: Mark Twain
Date Published: 1884

Context:
Huckleberry Finn was banned immediately after publication by the Concord Public Library and challenges to the book have been persistent since its publication. The book was banned by the New York Public Library two decades later in which Mark Twain remarked the controversy would only increase sales. In 1991, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn along with Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird were targeted by a parent group for removal from recommended reading lists in Saint Johns, New Brunswick School District 20.

Why it was challenged/banned:
The book was banned on the recommendation of public commissioners in Concord, Massachusetts as it was described as racist, coarse, inelegant, etc. The book is based in southern antebellum society and the language in the novel is considered to be an accurate representation of how rural populations in the pre-civil war south spoke which in many cases wouldn't be deemed socially acceptable today with the book having "racial content" and having many uses of the "n" word.

Merits of the book:
The book became a bestseller and by 1960 it had sold 10 million copies. The book is widely considered Mark Twain's best work and one of the greatest American novels.

Sources:
Purdy, E. R. (2009). Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In THE FIRST AMENDMENT ENCYCLOPEDIA. Retrieved from https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/789/adventures-of-huckleberry-finn#:~:text=Huckleberry%20Finn%20banned%20immediately%20after%20publication&text=Immediately%20after%20publication%2C%20the%

Freedom to Read. (n.d.). Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In Freedom to Read. Retrieved from https://www.freedomtoread.ca/challenged-works/adventures-of-huckleberry-finn/

BANNED: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. (2017, September). In PBS. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/banned-adventures-huckleberry-finn/

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Challenged and Banned Books (By: Lazarus Pommells)

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Challenged and Banned Books (By: Lazarus Pommells)

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Title: The Book Thief
Author: Markus Zusak
Date Published: 2005
Context:

The book takes place in 1938 during the third reich.

This book talks about a young orphan named Liesel who is adopted. Her foster parents come to learn she cant read so they teach her how to read which sparks her interest in books.

why it was challenged:

The book thief  portrays horrid topics to most people like Nazis and the holocaust

because of this many parents groups challenged this book because of its unpleasant context.

This book also portrays gruesome fates and sacrifice

and expresses depressing and sad nature

Who challenged these books?

This book was challenged by librarians, teachers and parents

Merits:

2007: Sydney Taylor book award

16 million copies sold

500 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.

published in 42 foreign languages

book sold word wide

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Advocacy Project: Mein Kampf (Michael Sain)

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Advocacy Project: Mein Kampf (Michael Sain)

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Title: Mein Kampf
Author: Adolf Hitler
Year of Publication: 1925

Context:

-An autobiography of the leader of the nazi party

-Describes Hitler's life, how he became anti semitic and outlines his plans for the future of the nazi party

-Autobiography, Political Manifesto, Political philosophy

Who challenged the book and why:

-Germany, Russia, Poland and Hungary have banned the book for its ideas on nazism and anti semitism, to not influence anyone.

- Mussolini thought the book was "illegible' and that Hitler was "literally sick with racist and anti-Semitic ideologies"

Merits of the book:

- by 1939 the book had been translated into 11 languages and sold 5,200,000 copies worldwide

- people should read this as it could give insight into the "rationale" behind Hitler and the Nazi party

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Ziggy Piggy and the Three Little pigs (Advocacy Project By Logan Morais)

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Ziggy Piggy and the Three Little pigs (Advocacy Project By Logan Morais)

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A book that has been challenged is “Ziggy Piggy and the Three Little Pigs” by Frank Asch the author and published in 1998.

In 2006 “in the Edmonton Public Library, a parent complained about this children’s book” (Ziggy Piggy and the Three Little Pigs, n.d.) they complained that “at the end of the book in which the Wolf huffs and puffs and blows the four pigs on raft far out to sea and the pigs then go for a swim” (Ziggy Piggy and the Three Little Pigs, n.d.). The parent wrote: “I don’t know what the author was hoping children would learn from the actions of the pig [i.e., Ziggy]. Yes, he was creative and perhaps a free spirit; however, he may have delivered his friends into greater danger. What is the lesson learned?” (Ziggy Piggy and the Three Little Pigs, n.d.) the parent found to book to be inappropriate for small children, but the library had chosen to keep the book among their collection. Not many share the hopes of banning this book but, others say the book is not too bad and give “a gentle twist on the old standard” (Adams, 1998).

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Title: Fifty Shades of Grey                               Author: E L James                                                 Date of Publication: May 25, 2011

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Fifty Shades of Grey (Advocacy Project, Mike Saunders)

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Fifty Shades of Grey (Advocacy Project, Mike Saunders)

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Context:

- Fifty Shades of Grey is an erotic romantic drama film
- Part of a British-American trilogy series containing Fifty shades of Grey (2011), Fifty Shades Darker (2012), and Fifty Shades Freed (2012)
- This book follows the relationship of a college graduate Anastasia Steele and a young business man Christian Grey

More about the book:

- Fifty Shades of Grey has topped the best sellers list's all over the world
- Set a record for fastest selling paperback of all time
- Has been translated in 52 different languages
- Has received huge amounts of criticism not only for its display of BDSM, but also for its lacking literary qualities
- Has also received a large amount of positive reviews for being an enjoyable read

Who challenged this book?

- Upon initial release of this book, it was banned from many libraries in Georgia, Wisconsin, and Florida due to its sexual story line
- These libraries claimed it was pornography and decided to not include it in their inventory despite the public's interest
- Most of these libraries claim that they were never asked to take Fifty Shades of Grey off their shelves but instead just decided to never feature it
- A library services director from a library in the Florida district told reporters "It's quite simple, it doesn't meet our selection criteria"
- Some libraries were criticized for not featuring Fifty Shades of Grey even though they continued to offer some other erotic novels such as Fear of Flying, Fanny Hill, and Tropic of Cancer. These libraries claimed that the other books are classics, and Fifty Shades of Grey is not.

Merits

- Translated into 52 different languages
- The series sold over 125 million copies worldwide by June 2015
- Fifty Shades of Grey is the bestselling book in the U.S. market over the past decade
-Films were made based on the novels
- Won the British Book Award of the Year in 2012
- Won the British Book Award for Fiction Book of the Year in 2012
- Many say this book should not be banned because after all, the main character Ana is a consenting adult and it shares someone's story

Although this book can be seen as offensive to many, I do not think this book should be banned. First of all, this book is the result of E L James's imagination, and it is only right that she can tell it. Also, like some media critics have said, the main character Ana is a consenting adult so there should be nothing wrong with that. Overall, I just think that if people don't like it then all they have to do is not read it.

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Title: Such A Long Journey
Author: Rohinton Mistry
Year of Publication: April 1, 1991

Social Context:
The book was challenged in 2010 in the country India. That was a time when India rose up from a great economic depression under their prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and showed real signs of promise as a country but this preposterous banning of this well acclaimed book was a real step backwards for the politics as well as the educational standpoint for India as a country.

The Movement to Ban the book from the syllabus of Mumbai University was started by Aditya Thackeray who was the Grandson of Bal Thackeray, The founder of a group called Shiv Sena and Aditya is currently the Leader of Shiv Sena. According to him the book said false and derogatory things about their leaders especially his grandfather and things that were apparently not true and said that the book was being forced upon them, even though the organization itself is renowned for their goon like nature and corrupt political influence.

Merits Of the book.
The book described life as an Indian middle class man and its complexities as well as the politics and the nature of politicians of that time and it also covered in detail the time of the Indian Emergency, on of the most prominent event of Indian History and the effect it had on people and the effect politics during that time had on the life of people. These are only a couple of reasons among a plethora of them that are proof enough that the book should not have been banned from the syllabus of the Mumbai University because it sheds light on a time fir the country that each and every modern student should know about and more than that feel a sense of pride to see what all the country that they live in has been through.

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Author: Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi
Date Published: April 12th, 2016

Context:

Novel won national book award for non-fiction.

Has two other versions for kids and teens.

was banned all around the United States.

This novel talked about the years of racism way before the era of MLK, Rosa Parks, and Malcom X, starting from the first racist human.

Why was it challenged/banned?

The novel was banned from schools and United States because it had no relation to history.

The novel was challenged because of the authors public statements.

Was said to contain " selective storytelling incidents".

Does not talk about racism against all people.

Merits:

To be a step to a antiracism community

Sources:
Kendi, Ibram X., and Jayson Reynolds. “Top 10 Most Challenged Books Lists.” Advocacy, Legislation & Issues, 5 Apr. 2021, https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10.

“Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You.” Edited by Edi Campbell, Social Justice Books, 16 Sept. 2021, https://socialjusticebooks.org/stamped-racism-antiracism-and-you/#:~:text=This%20remarkable%20reimagining%20of%20Dr,the%20poison%20of%20racism%20lingers.

Titus, Ron. “Banned Books 2021 - Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You.” Marshall Libraries, 7 Sept. 2021, https://www.marshall.edu/library/bannedbooks/stamped/.

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Title: The Untouchable
Author: Mulk Raj Anand
Date Published: 1935

Context:

⁕The religious ideal and caste system present during the early 1900s.Anand is an activist in this novel, which shows him attacking the social injustices of India's caste system. Mulk Raj Anand is a powerful critique of India's caste system.

⁎ The novel depicts the life of Dalit boy (lower cast) were considered to untouchables.

⁎ The treatment received by upper cast; partiality, gender discrimination and sexual assaults.

Why was it challenged/banned:

⁎ The book mainly focuses on complex social hierarchy values and practices that existed in the 1900s.

⁎ The novel stirs up controversies as it ultimately contradicts Gandhi's policy even though the author states that Gandhi was the main inspiring figure for the social protest novel.

⁎ Directly or indirectly undermines the Brahmin community of Indian society.

⁎  Anglo audiences, especially those in Bloomsbury, can better comprehend the highly fraught politics of India in Untouchable, a novel written by a diasporic anti-colonial author.

Merits of this book:

⁎  There has been a great deal of debate over untouchability in the Indian Subcontinent, particularly in the Union of India, not only due to its role in religion and economy, but also for its role in oppressing the subalterns, as well as those from lower castes.

⁎ Received international peace prize from world peace council in 1953.

⁎ Received  Padma Bhushan in 1967 under the genre realistic fiction.

⁎  Received  the Sahitya  Akademi  Award for English writers receivable award for literature in 1971.

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A little Piece Of Ground

Author: Elizabeth Laird

Publication date: 2003

Genre: Fiction young adult

Context/challenges :

·      Ongoing crisis in Palestine with Israel at the time of publication.

·      Challenged and said to be “ a racist, inflammatory, and a totally one-sided piece of propaganda.”

·      Challenged by a Canadian bookseller who wrote to British publisher.

·      Continued opinions on the matter globally, including social media due to political issues.

·      Book based on a story of a 12-year-old boy living in Ramallah.

·      The boy was in an Israeli controlled area and faced many challenges living there.

·      Many opinions on such a great world issue. Which causes divided opinions, some which are biased for many complicated reasons.

·      Aimed at teenage readers

Merits :

Publicity about the objection enabled it to be ranked 161 on www.amazon.co.uk

Sources:

Campbell, E. (2019, February 22). A Little Piece of Ground. Social Justice Books. https://socialjusticebooks.org/a-little-piece-of-ground/

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Laird, E., Nimr, S., & Neal, B. (2006). A little piece of ground. Haymarket Books.

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Challenged and Banned books (By: S. Amy Ahad)

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Challenged and Banned books (By: S. Amy Ahad)

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Title: The Lord of the Rings
Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
Date Published: July 06,195

Context:

·      The Lord of the Rings was placed at #40 on the American Library Association’s Banned Book List.

·      Was banned in various school systems in the US.

·      In 2001 a group in New Mexico burnt copies of the trilogy.

·      Books were said to contain many Christian themes.

·      Contains what could be described as a devilish antagonist.

·      Characters overcome evil to restore peace.

Why was it Challenged?

·      The novels describe the act of smoking, which some viewed as an unacceptable influence on children.

·      Banned in Christian schools and homes, as some believed that the book was anti-Christian and anti-religious themes.

·      In Alamogordo New Mexico copies were burnt as some believe that the novels promote magic and was Satanic.

Merits

·      Author was a devout Roman Catholic.

·      Autor Converted C.S. Lewis from Atheism to Christianity.

·      The trilogy has sold an estimated 150 million copies worldwide.

·      The trilogy inspired film adaptations that made just under 4 billion in box office sales.

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Author: Toni Morrison, Date Published: 1970                                              

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Challenged and Banned Books (By Toni Morrison) 

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Challenged and Banned Books (By Toni Morrison) 

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Context: - Though many of the novel's themes examine issues black people were fighting for during the Civil Rights Movement, The Bluest Eye was written during the height of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.

- One of the movements that emerged during the Civil Rights movement was the Black is Beautiful Movement.

-During that time, the movement was intended to counter the commonly held belief that white people were more beautiful and desirable than black people.

Why it was challenged/banned: It was considered sexually explicit and depicted child sexual abuse and therefore banned and challenged.

-A novel on sexual violence and child sexual abuse was pulled from the English Language Arts reading list of the Colton (CA) Joint Unified School District during Black History Month after complaints were made by several parents.

-The book is still available in the school library. Following pushback by other parents and some national press attention, the school board reversed its decision, restoring Morrison’s book to the curriculum list and adding five other books.

Merits of the book- Sold close to a million copies of the book.

- The story confronted beauty and the consequences of beauty standards.

- Helped people become aware and empathise those who suffer from oppression.

Sources: - Powers, Jacob. "The Bluest Eye Plot Summary." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 21 Dec 2013. Web. 18 Feb 2022.

-https://www.marshall.edu/library/bannedbooks/the-bluest-eye/
-j (Titus 2021)

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Title: Lord of the Flies
Author: William Golding
Date Published:  September 17, 1954

Context:

Even after 68 years of publication this is one of the most controversial books with many challenges and attempts to remove the book from being taught and read in schools.

Originally published in London, England, not long after publication became one of the most sold books across North America and Europe.

Published not long after World war two and during the start of the Cold War. This made the strict political attitude more sensitive to a book filled with deeper political and physiological ideas.

Parents found their children misbehaving more frequently, as well as becoming more violent and aggressive with other children.

The story contains the violence and savagery, and at a deeper level, the progression of change in the stories characters. From innocent stranded children to wild barbaric animals.

This story showed people how ordinary people if removed from their possessions and belonging would begin to show a more primal truer self.

First released at a very conservative and Christian based Culture of the 50's.

Why it was Challenged/Banned

This book was first challenged and soon banned because of the strong view at the time of man being the smartest and strongest species. So when the author compares man to animals, and how we might not be so different it was extremely controversial.

The book contains many racist remarks as well as sexist and hateful speech towards the disabled and minority groups. As well as many references towards religious figures especially Christianity.

Contains many instances of serious violence and murder between young children that parents were frightened to see their children reading.

Challenged many of the traditional and more conservative values at the time the book was released in London.

Banned In:

1988 Toronto, Canada Board of Education, June 23,

1984 Olney, Texas, Independent School District in

1992 Waterloo, Iowa schools in

1974  Independent School District- Dallas, Texas

1981 Sully Buttes High School- South Dakota

1981 Owen High School- North Carolina

1983 Marana High School- Arizona

2000- Bloomfield, New York

2016 Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB)

Merits:

The Nobel Prize in Literature 1983

Sold over 10 million copies

Still widely read in schools all over the world

Creates discussion and debate today to millions of young people. Helps many think of their life without all of the things we take for granted.

NewYorkTimes Best seller

Made millions think deeper about their own moral ethical and psychological ideals.

Sources:
1.
Lord of the flies (Ryan Werts). CMLIT 130 Banned Books. (n.d.). Retrieved February 18, 2022, from https://sites.psu.edu/bannedbookscmlit130/2016/02/18/lord-of-the-flies/
2.
Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). William Golding. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved February 18, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Golding

3.
Lombardi, E. (2019, May 30). Why does 'lord of the flies' continue to get banned in schools? ThoughtCo. Retrieved February 18, 2022, from https://www.thoughtco.com/lord-of-the-flies-banned-challenged-740596

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Advocacy Project Banned and Challenged Books (By Jordan Dolman)

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Advocacy Project Banned and Challenged Books (By Jordan Dolman)

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Title: Maus A Survivors Tale
Author : Art Spiegelman
Date Published: serialized from 198o - 1991
CONTEXT
This is a nonfiction story in the form of a graphic novel. The story itself is a retelling of the stories the author was told by his father of his time spent in Poland in the 1940s during the Holocaust as a person of Jewish decent. The book follows early anti-Semitic actions taked by the Nazi party to restrict the Jewish people rights as citizens and continues through to his fathe imprisonment in Auschwits the Nazis death camp.

For the purpose of this novelization the author anthropmorphizes the characters in order to emphasize the divide of peoples at that time.

This book may look like a comic book but it is more so a historical text book.

There is one single drawing depicts the authors nude mother while be tortured.

REASON FOR BEING BANNNING
In January 2022  the McMimm County Tennessee School Board voted 10-0 in favour of removing "Maus" from the curriculum and replacing it if possible with another book  without content deemed objectionable.
Concerns were raised over " rough, objectionable language" and a drawing of nude woman.

MERITS

Art Spiegelman's work on the "Maus" series has earned him a Pullizer prize and other accolaides.

The book itself is heralded for honest historical depiction of the Holocaust and it's abilty break bearers being in the format of a graphic novel.

Since the Tennessee School Board voted to remove "Maus" it has once again risen to best seller status. Reaching numer 9 on Amazons top sellers currently.

"CO-Mix" was a retrospective on Art Spiegelman's work on "Maus" that toured internationally I attended the exhibit at The Art Gallery Of Ontario in Toronto.

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Title - To Kill a Mockingbird
Author - Harper Lee
Year of Publication - 1960

Context
- The book was written in the middle of the Civil Right Movement in the United States.

- The book is during the Great Depression

- The book depicts subjects such as rape and racism

Why it was challenged/banned
- It has been banned and challenged because of the language that is used in the book. It is a book that is read by high school students around the world, so parents do not want their kids to read the subject material that is prominently featured in the book.

Merits of the book
- Won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1961
- To date, it has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide.

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To Kill A Mockingbird was published in 1960 which was just when civil rights movement had begun. It was extremely popular as it sold 40 million copies around the world and was the most assigned book in American schools. It was praised for basically teaching children about racism and prejudice in the southern parts of America.

This book was mainly challenged because of the use of racial slurs. This book has been challenged and banned over many years throughout america because it was said to "conflict the values of communities, it is a filthy, trashy book, and was also challenged for profanity. This book had students and their families complain because of the racial slurs, teachers saying these slurs as they read the book which caused a stir in school boards and counties all over the country. In 2017 the book was removed from 8th grade classes in Biloxi, Missouri because of a parent's complaint about the N-word that using it from the book may negatively affect her daughter. After protesting from free speech supporters, the book was added back for optional reading.

References:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird
https://bannedbooks.library.cmu.edu/harper-lee-to-kill-a-mockingbird/
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics

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Published : May 22 2007

Context:
* This novel is based between the late 1900s and the early 2000s
* Depicts the struggle in Afghanistan for women and the many power struggles between them and men
* Shows strong sexual harassment towards women and other brutalities such as underage marriage , rape and forced abortions
* Also shows the struggles of civilians with the Taliban regime and the multiple horrors faced when being locked up or being tortured
* Story is narrated from 2 different women's perspectives but with the same circumstances ( both married to one husband that is extremely abusive ) and the multiple hardships they face trying to just live a peaceful life
* Helps the reader see a whole new perspective of individuals in underdeveloped countries

Why it was challenged:

* The brutality towards women in this book was not received well by many schools and were banned as a result. It as extremely descriptive

* Banned in Afghanistan and removed for the portrayal of life and attitude towards women

* An example of this can be seen at Dalles High school in 2010 during a First year english class

Merits:

* Sold over a million copies in a week alone
* Amazon book of the year in 2007
* Theatrical Adaptation was released in 2017 and premiered in San Francisco
* On New York Times bestseller list for 15 weeks straight

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (Padlet by Jasmine Codling)

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (Padlet by Jasmine Codling)

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Title: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Author: Stephen Chbosky
Date Published: Feb. 1999

Some Context:

This book was often available in libraries where younger, high school students were able to freely read the book during school hours.

parents of these students found the book to be inappropriate for their children, as it had themes including rape, sex, drug abuse, suicide, and more.

some of these parents argued that students should need permission to read/borrow the book due to it's darker, potentially "harmful" themes.

The book was challenged, and in some cases banned, many times throughout the years of 2002 - 2019 (Titus, R. 2019).

although the book was challenged on many occasions to be removed from certain high schools and libraries, it generally remained available for students to read.

People Who Challenged the Novel:

A group called Parents Against Bad Books in Schools (PABBIS) believed the sensitive material (drug abuse, sex and masturbation, and suicide) would send negative messages to young readers.

A group of parents in Iowa also believed the book was sending potentially harmful messages to students, and especially pointed out the book's graphic scenes involving rape, sexual content, and again, drug abuse.

One member of this group voiced that some students may feel triggered by some of the more sensitive content within the book.

In 2019, a parent deemed the book to be a "trash novel". They disliked the books so called attempts to be sexual and arousing

The high school that was challenged by this parent reviewed the book but did not ban the book.

A man in BC, Canada (2014) attempted to get the book pulled out of the high school curriculum as he thought the book was too vulgar.

Other high schools that were challenged include the following: Clarkstown (NY) High School, Portage (IN) High School, Montgomery County (TX) Memorial Library System, and many more.

Merits of the Novel:

Regardless of the backlash many have given the book, it is still regarded as a critically acclaimed novel.

The book is an honest tale of high school.

The book acknowledges real issues students could face during their teenage years, including the themes many deem to be too "harmful".

Reading a book about relatable issues a student may face can be beneficial to those who do relate.

Those who relate to the main character may find the book enlightening or comforting to read.

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Title: Where Willy Went
Author: Nicholas Allen
Date Published: February 5, 2004

Context:

This children’s sex education novel shows how human conception happens and is presented in a humorous way by illustrations from Nicholas Allen.

Focused on presenting the facts of life to young children and parents in an accessible way.

Ironically the author is Christian and still found his book challenged in Chandler, AZ (2008)

Why it was challenged/banned:

Where Willy Went was challenged in Chandler, AZ in 2008.

One of the parents asked that the book about a sperm race be moved to a restricted parenting collection because Willy is a sperm, and the book is about sex.

A lot of parents had concerns with this book. The official reason for the ban of Where Willy Went, was to protect the “physical and mental health” of students from horror material that “misleads innocent children and distorts their mind and spirit.”

Due to the book trying to be informative, Nicholas Allen added a few nude character pages.

Merits of the book:

“Where Willy Went is one of the many books you can use to talk about where babies come from. It’s especially useful if you have a kid who is curious about sperms and eggs. You could also use it for that first discussion about sex. This is book is pretty good and one of the few funny sex education books I’ve come across “– Cath Hakanson, Sex Educator

4/5 – Goodreads, 5/5 - Waterstones, 5/5 - Toppsta

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Challenged and Banned Books (Brendyn Beck) 

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Challenged and Banned Books (Brendyn Beck) 

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Title: Animal Farm
Author: George Orwell
Date Published: August 17, 1945
Context:
•   Animal farm was released with the intention of being a satire towards the Russian Revolution and the Stalinist era

• During the publishing of the book, the Soviet Union was expanding its "socialist" republic throughout Europe

• Stalin's stance on socialism and its laws continued to change as more people questioned him and his beliefs while his power over Europe increased

• Similiar to Hitler's campaigning against Jewish people, Stalin campaigned against Jewish People and Non-Russians in order to align the Soviet Union as tensions with the Western Allies continued to rise

Why it was challenged/ banned:
• The UK, where Orwell resided at the time, shared a wartime relationship with the Soviet Union banned the book during WW2.

• According to The Censorship Files The Soviet Union banned the book until its collapse in the 1980s as the novel "defamed its supreme leader as a pig." It also served as a means of protecting Stalin's reputation and communism

• Temporarily banned in the UAE due to its talking pigs, which go against Islamic values

• Due to its "political theories" it was deemed a "problem book" and challenged throughout the United States in the mid to late 1900's
Merits of the Book

• Chosen by Time Magazine as one of the best 100 English language books of 1923-2005

• Number 31 on the Modern Library List of Best 20th- Century Novels and number 46 on the BBC's Big Read Poll

• Winner of a Retrospective Hugo Award (1996)

• Included in the Great Books of the Western World selection of Encyclopedia Brittanica

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Title: The Catcher in the Rye
Author: J.D. Salinger
Date of Publication: serial form; 1945-1951

Context:
The novel was intended for adult readers, however due to its rebellious and alienation oriented themes, adolescents began to read it.

The novel focusses on the main character, Holden Caulfield's hatred of superficiality in society.

A series of unfortunate events take place throughout the plot, worsening Holden's view of society and decreasing his hopes of finding something worth living for.

Why was it challenged/banned:
From 1961-1982, The Catcher in the Rye was the most challenged book in USA schools.

People were offended and opposed to the novel's ideas as they felt it represented an "overall communist plot".

Vulgar language, sexual references, blasphemy, undermining of family values and promotion of drinking, smoking and lying were all causes of the bans.

Merits of the book:
Cultural insights and symbolism within the novel create a deeper meaning for readers.

The novel impacted society by introducing an "iconoclastic" perspective on adolescence.

The novel changed the course of post-second world war writing.

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Title: All American Boys

Author: Jason Reynolds & Brendan Kiely

Date Published: September 29, 2015

Context:

Concerns about racism

Police brutality in modern society

Protesting for something you believe in

Why it was challenged/banned:

For profanity, drug use, and alcoholism

Promotes anti-police views

Contains alienating topics

Said to be “too much of a sensitive matter right now”

Merits of the book:

Raises awareness on political topics such as police brutality

Gives perspective on how others view racism

Shows how the justice system will do anything to supress people that don’t necessarily agree with their actions.

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Title: Asha's Mums

Author:  Rosamund Elwin, Michele Paulse
Illustrator: Dawn Lee

Publication Year: 1990

Context:

When her teacher doesn't believe she can have two mothers, Asha goes on a roaring rampage of revenge

The teacher demands that Asha take the form back home and have it filled out "right" or she can't go on the field trip

Asha tells her mothers what happened and how worried she is about not getting to go to the science museum

Why it was challenged/banned:

Almost idealistic characters and situations for children to emulate and connect with, as a counter to the problematic stuff they're likely to encounter in real life

Main case is from Surrey, British Columbia, Canada in 1997. The school banned the use of children's books depicting same-sex parents in elementary, including this one

A teacher, James Chamberlain, took the school to court

Merits of the book:

Gay and Lesbian Themes and Topics in Selected Children's and Young Adult Books, 2009 Cooperative Children's Book Center

the book made it on the We Are Kid Lit Collective Summer Reading Lists in 2015

people should be allowed to read whatever the feel too because everyone is entitled to have an opion

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Title: Carrie

Author: Steven King

Year of publication: 1974

CONTEXT
Carrie by Steven King is about a girl named Carrie. She does not have any social skills or friends and lives in a very abusive religious household with her mother.

The book had a negative view on religion which was very important in the time period which this book was published as well as it is very violent.

"Promoted" violence to readers.

WHY IT WAS CHALLENGED
The book was challenged and banned in Vermont, New York, Iowa, Nevada Pennsylvania and North Dakoda.

It was challenged based on its,

Negative take on religion, also due to telepathic powers that Carrie possesses

Extreme violence towards her classmates and eventually her own mother

Foul Language

Underaged sex

MERITS OF THE BOOK

Steven King has sold over 350 million copies of Carrie since 1974.

The theme of Carrie, "longing for love." can be related to many people all over the world.

Steven king has received many awards for Carrie.

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Title: To Kill A Mockingbird
Author: Harper Lee
Date Published: July 11, 1960

Context:

Book was published during the Vietnam war

The Civil rights protests were starting to happen in the early 60s

Same decade as when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated

The book is about a black man being accused of raping a white girl and the main characters father is to defend him in court

Why it was challenged/banned:

One of the main reasons the book was challenged was because of its use of the N word

A white substitute read the word aloud and the only black student in the class recorded it and complained to the principal, there would then be a new policy in that district where “racially charged language will no longer be spoken”

A parent whose daughter is in 8th grade and was black, was worried about her classmates response to the book which included laughter over the use of the slur

Merits:

Translated into 40 languages

Sold more than 40 million copies worldwide

One of the most assigned novels in American schools

Won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961

Won three Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White

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Advocacy Project: Of Mice and Men (Michael Panagakos)

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Advocacy Project: Of Mice and Men (Michael Panagakos)

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Title: Of Mice and Men

Author: John Steinbeck

Year of publication: 1937

Context:
The book was written in 1930's America and as such racism was prevalent and mental health was not something that was understood or sympathized with by many at the time, as such many words that may have been common place at the time of publication are considered to be offensive slurs in the modern day.

Why the book has been challenged:
Of Mice and Men has been part of high school curriculum for many years now but that's not to say it's part of English education hasn't been challenged.
Some of the reasons for this challenging include using offensive language, racism, violence, it's morbid and depressing themes as well as even the author’s alleged anti-business attitude and being unsuited to the high school age group.
As recent as 2021 the administrators of Henry Sibley High School in Mendota Heights have decided to "pause" the teaching of this novel for it's use of the N-Word, their reasoning was "This is not about censorship, this is about righting the wrongs of the past" (Marshall Libraries, 2021)

Merits of the book:
Of Mice and Men is one of the most famous books ever written, future generations being unable to experience this book for themselves would not only be a true shame it would also be as if a piece of history was being erased from the public consciousness. My personal thoughts are that the book should remain to be taught in schools, when I was in high school my English class read this book and i remember it being one of the few assigned books that i actually enjoyed reading and to take that experience away from others would be a mistake in my eyes.
This viewpoint of keeping the book as part of English curriculum is not unpopular either, Jodie Scales an English Teacher at Wapahani High School, in Selma, Indiana also shares this opinion, she says "There’s a lot in there that might make parents say, “I don’t think my kids are ready for this.” But once they see the purpose — that we’re not throwing something at their kids for the shock value, then it becomes a safe environment to discuss issues that the students are going to deal with in life". By the time kids get to high school they are old enough to understand that the book was written in a different time and some of the topics discussed are not ok in today's society, Jodie Scales claims "I’ve never had a student making fun of Lenny" (Scales, 2017)

References:
Marshall Libraries. (2021, September 7). Banned books 2021 - Of Mice and men. Retrieved February 18, 2022, from https://www.marshall.edu/library/bannedbooks/of-mice-and-men/

Public Broadcasting Service. (2017, September). Banned: Of mice and men. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/banned-of-mice-and-men/

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The Giver is a book about a young teen in a futuristic setting. The members of a group named "The Elders" have created a Utopian society where they oversee everything that an individual does. They control what people are allowed to do and what they cant do. The book was challenged in America because of its inappropriate nature for young readers who read the book. The book's subject nature includes violence that is unsuited to the age target demographic of the book, governmental control, offensive language, sexually explicit, with the most cited reasons for challenge being violence that is unsuited to the target demographic of the book which is for young readers.
Between 1990 and 1999, the Giver ranked 11th on the list of the most frequently requested for removal. In the 2000's is was 23rd on the list. Since the 1990's there is a recorded value of over 11,000 separate attempts to have the book removed.

The book has some merits to it such as teaching young adults about what Utopian societies are and how they cannot exist in a real society as people have their own opinions that will not always conform to the governmental view of how things should be. It teaches young adults to be their own person and avoid "sameness" that censorship of an entire community of people is almost impossible as individuals have their open thoughts and feelings like compassion, hope, and curiosity.

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Title: And Tango Makes Three
Author: Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Date Published: April 26, 2005

Context:
-Brings up the topic of homosexuality and having same gender parents

-Published during a time where homosexuality wasn't as accepted as it is today

Why it was challenged/banned?

-Having a non-traditional family many people did not agree with it

-Showing these non-traditional families to young children would have confused them

-Families and schools thought children should discover this lifestyle at a more suitable time

Merits of the book:
-Encourages the view that we should accept everyone for who they are and their families

-Bank streets college book of the yea award in 2005

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Post By: Justin Griesbach

Title: The Kite Runner

Author: Khaled Hosseini

Year of publication: 2003

Context:

·         Focuses on the life of a young, privileged boy named Amir, and his servant in Afghanistan during the 1970’s.

·         Due to events Amir suffers during his childhood, and the everchanging political climate in the 1970’s, Amir and his father are forced to flee Afghanistan.

·         Eventually Amir needs to return to Afghanistan to confront his past.

Reasons It was challenged:

·         Offensive language and violence can desensitize young minds.

·         Not suitable for younger readers.

·         Depictions of sexual assault can cause trauma for victims.

·         Depictions of homosexuality.

·         Fear the novel would inspire terrorism.

·         Some parents are uncomfortable with the religious content discussed.

·         Many schoolboards removed the book from classrooms without explanation.

Merits:

The book accurately depicts the struggles of growing up in Afghanistan from both privileged and under privileged people. In addition, it also describes the struggles of immigrating to America and some of the feelings people have when they move there. The Kite Runner shows a unique perspective in the way of demonstrating how people actually live in Afghanistan and their unique struggles.

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Title: George

Author: Alex Geno

Year Published: August 2015

Context:

Published late August of 2015

children's novel about a young transgender girl written by American author Alex Gino

a fourth-grade girl who is struggling to be herself to the rest of the world. The rest of the world sees Melissa as George, a boy

The themes for George are friendship, dream, freedom and sacrifice

Why it was challenged/banned:

Top 10 Most Challenged Book in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020

Challenged, banned, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content, conflicting with a religious viewpoint, and not reflecting “the values of our community

challenged because of its inclusion of a transgender child whose "sexuality was not appropriate at elementary levels”

Merits Of The Book:

Changing the name on the book to Melissa’s story and just crossing off the original tittle “George”. Since the girl never wanted to be referred to as George but wanted to be known as Melissa.

Alex realized her mistake and decided to “just fix it”

the positive feedback later convinced Scholastic to increase the first printing order from 35,000 to 50,000

I do not think the book should have been banned although it is the school board choice as to what books should be in the library. Everyone will know about the LGBTQ community at some point throughout elementary school it’s just a matter of what age and best way to approach it.

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There has been several Dr. Seuss books that have been banned in Canadian Schools.

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Advocacy Project - Dr. Seuss (By: Teagan Martire)

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Advocacy Project - Dr. Seuss (By: Teagan Martire)

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Book Titles & Their Publish Dates:

And to Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street : December 21, 1937

McElligot's Pool : September 12, 1947

If I Ran the Zoo : 1950

Scrambled Eggs Super! : March 12, 1953

On Beyond Zebra! : September 12, 1955

The Cat's Quizzer : August 12, 1976

Author: Dr. Seuss

Context:

The 21st century is well known for challenging past medias with racial propaganda.

BLM movement

Ongoing challenges with unlawful killings of African American's by White Police Officers.

New age Social Justice.

Hate crimes toward people of asian decent.

Why is was challenged/banned:

All of the books listed above were challenges due to their racial propaganda depicted towards minorities or of non white decent.

Illustrations of people on non white decent in a very "stereotypical" manner.

Racial remarks towards people of colour and asian decent.

Canadian Roman Catholic and Public schools boards do not want kids subject to books in their libraries that depict minority groups in a racial, mean, and hurtful way. (As of March 2nd, 2021)

Merits of the book:

These books were made from 1937-1976, a time where the social context was very different from what it is now. It was very normal during this time period for these types of books, with racial discrimination, to be published.

Caldecott Medal winner in 1948, 1950, and 1951.

Children's Literature Legacy Award in 1980.

Countless medals and awards.

One of the most popular author for children's books  in the world.

References:

Carter, R., n.d. School Boards in Hamilton-Wentworth Order Removal of Dr. Seuss Books - Freedom to Read. [online] Freedom to Read. Available at: <https://www.freedomtoread.ca/newsbytes/school-boards-in-hamilton-wentworth-order-removal-of-dr-seuss-books/> [Accessed 17 February 2022].

Collie, M., 2019. Dr. Seuss books are ‘racist,’ new study says. Should kids still read them? - National | Globalnews.ca. [online] Global News. Available at: <https://globalnews.ca/news/5008003/dr-seuss-racist-books/> [Accessed 17 February 2022].

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Title: Of Mice and Men

Author: John Steinbeck

Date Of Publication: November 23 1937

Historical Context:

-        Book was challenged throughout the USA during the late 70s and even into the 80s. At this time Jimmy Carter was president meaning the country was being run in a more liberal matter. Even though Jimmy Carter was known as a more “conservative liberal” the democrats being elected insinuated a more liberal mindset throughout the country. This timeline is also on par with the battle against racism. Of Mice and Men was written in a time of segregation and during the 70s and 80s was the beginning of segregation being banned meaning some of the contexts and manners of the book were becoming extremely taboo for readers in that era.

Who Challenged the Book and Why?:

-        Of Mice and Men was primarily challenged by high schools throughout the United States due to a lot of the vulgar language used and the general racial and depressing themes of the book. As stated previously, the book was written and published in 1937. This was a time in which segregation and racism ran in large and vulgar language was not monitored. People deemed that this content was not beneficial for young teens to see and learn from and felt the overall depressing theme of the book had a negative affect on teens mental states and moods. Of Mice and Men is know for having one of the sadder most well-known endings in fiction. This blunt sad ending had people questioning its affect on young impressionable minds and if the book had enough positive content to make up for the obvious flaws during that time.

Merits:

-        Of Mice and Men shows and amazing ability to create a sad story with a hopeful feeling at the end. While no death is justified the way the story is written gives a conflicted feeling to the death which is a hard emotion to convey when talking about killing a main character. This ability is something that is rare in fiction, at least personally, and makes it an amazing book to read. Along with this, it’s a great way to study the difference between writing styles considering its age compared to most books read today in school or even alone. The use of vulgar language while offensive is a blunt more realistic way to portray a story and I believe that can be seen as a positive to the quality of story.

Dylan Partridge

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Title: The Giver

Author: Lois Lowry

Year Published: 1993

Context:

-The Giver is a book about a young adult living in a futuristic community after an event called "the ruin," where a group called "The Elders" controlled every aspect of everyone's life—creating a Utopian society and maintaining the secrets of the world. Community members must take medication daily that controls their emotions.

Why the book was challenged/banned:

-Since its release in 1993, parents and schools across America have attempted to ban the book multiple times in American schools. It has been ranked 11th on the list of most frequently requested books for banning between 1990-1999 due to inappropriate content for younger readers. The book questions political correctness, control, diversity, suicide, and euthanasia. The Office of Intellectual Freedom can estimate over 11,000 reports of individuals challenging the book.

Merits:

-This book teaches children that Utopian societies cannot exist; the world is a complex place full of emotions and choices that a group of individuals should not control. Censorship of an entire community inhibits essential life experiences such as love and loss, curiosity, and pain.

-Lois Lowry received awards, nominations, and recognition for the book.

-It is a compelling statement and argument why her book should not be banned. I have won. I agree wholeheartedly with her because I have read this book in school and thought it was important for people my age to understand how beautifully complex the world we were about to navigate

References

Blatt, B. (2014, August 14). Why Do So Many Schools Try to Ban The Giver? Slate. https://slate.com/culture/2014/08/the-giver-banned-why-do-so-many-parents-try-to-remove-lois-lowrys-book-from-schools.html

Reading Sanctuary. (2014, August). The-Giver-Pdf.jpg [Graphic]. Www.Readingsanctuary.Com. https://www.readingsanctuary.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/The-Giver-Pdf.jpg

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Advocacy Project Challenged and Banned books by: Sarah Byrne 

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Advocacy Project Challenged and Banned books by: Sarah Byrne 

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Context:

The book is written for younger audiences but enjoyed by older readers.

the author's writing is highlighted by his experiences growing up as a child.

characters are witty and peculiar to traditional children's books, with very imaginative descriptions.

the main concept is to be mindful of people they are not always as they seem.

Why was it Challenged/banned?

One reason the book was challenged is that some parents thought that their children may read the book and start worshiping said Witches and become satanic.

1987 in Iowa "too sophisticated for children", 1990 "using the word 'slut', 1991-1994 many claims in the United States for Witchcraft, 1998 Ohio "derogatory for children, hurtful to self-esteem, and conflict with the families religious/moral beliefs." (Banned Library, 2016).

Religious reasoning/moral values: children getting involved in witchcraft, idolizing witches. (Banned Library, 2016).

Sexist/misogynistic content about the Witches in the book and the way the author describes them is anti-feminist and sexist. Parents feared that their children specifically young boys would grow up hating/resenting women.

The book is also perceived as being too dark for young children and could be a red flag by describing child hate to readers, by the treatment of the Witches.

While researching one article from the BBC stated that the ending of the book may cause readers that "you can escape growing up by dying, almost an encouragement of suicide." (Anderson, 2016). This is due to the protagonist of the story wanting to live his life as a mouse and not outlive his only living relative (his grandmother) because he would be an orphan.

Merits of the Book

Roald Dahl, the author of this book and many other classics like Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and BFG have won many awards. In 1983 the Witches won the New York Times Outstanding Book Award, Federation of Children's Books Award, and Whitebread award. (Roald Dahl Fans, n.d).

Also in 1983, the Witches won the World Fantasy Convention Lifetime Achievement Award (Roald Dahl Fans,n.d).

In 1986 the Witches also won the West Australia Award (Roal Dahl Fans, n.d).

The book has had many adaptations: two films (1990, 2020) and an opera premiering in 2008. (AS T.V,2008).

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Author: John Steinbeck  Date published: 1937

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The novel, 'Of Mice and Men', written by John Steinbeck was a huge seller in the late 1930's and even won the Nobel prize in 1962 for its depressing yet very realistic story set place during the Great Depression. Though some would view the novel a major success, others would argue that this specific piece of literature is quite repulsive.

It has been banned in countless parts of the world and even managed to find a spot in the American Library Associations top 100 banned book lists. From 2000 to 2009, it also gained a spot in the top 10 most challenged books in America. Due to its frequent use of racial slurs, profanity, vulgarity and offensive language, it is no wonder that this novel is so infamous.

The novel first gained its "fame" in the 1950's when it was first challenged (the earliest recordings of any distaste with the novel) due to its profanity. In 1953, the novel was banned in Ireland and years later in 1970, the novel was banned in many cities around the United States.

Once again, the novels overwhelming profanity and dark depressing story managed to regain its ever so familiar place on the chopping block when it was challenged in 2015, by a woman named Mary Jo Finney and other parents of the Coeur d'Alene highschool in Idaho. The vote to keep the book within the schools curriculum was 4 to 1. Tom Hearn, the school boards trustee, praised the decision and stated: " we need to trust the judgement of our english teachers to use this book wisely, as we have since 2002." This decision was extremely disappointing to the parents of the highschool, as they felt that the novel was much too negative and dark.  Finney stated "It has been 10 long years that i have worked to get this district to be more accountable to parents with safeguards and standards, and now i would suggest that parents pull their children from school district 271, or better yet, never put them in".

What is clear to see from the Coeur d'Alene highschool challenge and other challenges/ bans seen in the past, is that parents do not find 'Of Mice and Men' appropriate for their children to read.

When taking into account the many different opinions and beliefs towards this very controversial novel, it is impossible to make a universal statement on the behalf of the novels moral and ethical teachings. However, based strictly off of the research I have done, it seems as though this controversial piece of literature appeals to majority of people and represents much more than just a dark, depressive and profane story. Alot of people realize that the setting of the story has everything to do with its delivery and because of that, gives a much more realistic feel to the reader.

In my opinion, I do believe that 'Of Mice and Men' is a phenominal piece of literature, being that I read it in Highschool, but I also belive that this particular story is not timeless and my not be appropriate in modern day society. Society has come a long way and has built up the concept of censorship to a universal level where everyones opinions and beliefs are accomodated. I dont think that the novel really provides any sort of eductaion during the time in history the story takes place and instead only provides the reader with an emotional rollercoaster that ends in a good read. In short I dont disagree with the many challenges and bans that have transpired since the books publishing, I think that there are more educational books/novels that supply more relevant and factual information during the Great Depression.

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Advocacy Project - Joshua. Payuan
Title: The Gulag Archipelago

Author: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Date Published: 1973 and 1974 in English.

In what country and what time period was the book
challenged?

The Gulag Archipelago was written between the years 1918-1956 in the Corrective Labor Camps of the Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) . The Soviet Union although a socialist state aimed to achieve an almost communist government, during this time period the USSR was led by a totalitarian named Joseph Stalin followed by Malenkov, Khrushchev, and Brezhnev.

The book is written as a memoir of the life and horrid experiences of Solzhenitsyn  in the labor camps of the USSR post WWII and his thoughts on repressive socialism and Marxist ideals.  Due to the nature of the Soviet Union Solzhenitsyn was arrested along with anyone who criticized Stalin.

The book was challenged in the 1970's when it was published.

Who (what individuals/groups) challenged the book and why?

The Soviet Union banned and challenged this book in the country stating that it was propaganda and label him as a crank, extremist and a danger to the state to dismiss him and his works. The book was banned because it is considered destructive to the communist cause. .  Solzhenitsyn was eventually labeled as a traitor and exiled from the country.

What are the merits of the book? Why should the book NOT be banned? Why should people be allowed to read the book?

If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart? - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.

The Gulag Archipelago  is one of the most important texts of the 20th century as it contains the failings of the state and government towards its people through socialist/ communist  ideology and philosophy.

The Author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was awarded the Nobel prize  for his literature.

The Gulag archipelago was the book that helped make the world aware of  what was happening within the Soviet Union.

The book should not be banned as it exposes the atrocities committed by the USSR towards its on citizens for safeguarding their utopia.  Spreads awareness of the fight for rights and liberties as human beings, and serves as a historical tool that warns the people of overreaching governments.

The book is currently not banned and is now a mandatory read for all high schools in Russia.

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Several versions had been released over the years, but these were the original cover arts.

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Advocacy Project By: Emmanuel Corral
Book Titles:
- The Philosopher's Stone
- The Chamber of Secrets
- The Prisoner of Azkaban
- The Goblet of Fire
- The Order of the Phoenix
- The Half Blood Prince
- The Deathly Hallows
Author: J. K. Rowling
Publication Date: June 26, 1997 to July 21, 2007

Context:

Attracted both young and adult readers.

American Publishers changed The Philosopher's Stone to The Sorcerer's Stone, fearing that the word "Philosopher's" would not appeal to children.

Ever since its publication in 1997, children have discussed the books with a critical eye.

Rowling tolerated "Fan Fictions" despite violating copyright laws, as she believed that it inspired them to write and to think creatively.

Harry's escape from his miserable life to a new place where he has friends, respect, and a useful role is a projection of every child's ideal life.

Who challenged these books and why?

One of the most challenged books of 2019. Although the controversy has gone for years, even before the series ended.

There were attempts from several US states to ban the books from school libraries. In Gwinnet County, Georgia, a parent challenged the books on the grounds of promoting witchcraft to children.

Vicky, a fifth grader from San Francisco Elementary School, suggested that the books should be restricted from young readers in order to protect them from bad influences, as they do not yet understand some of the content.

Religious groups also challenged the books, claiming that they promote occultism and paganism, hence, undermining Christian values.

Merits of the books

The Philosopher's Stone won British Book Awards, Children's Book of the Year Prize, and Smarties Book Prize.

Critics compared Rowling to other classics, namely: Roald Dahl, C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien.

Scholastic Editorial Director, Arthur Levine, bought the American rights to the novel. This allowed Rowling to retire from her teaching job and devote herself entirely in writing the series.

Held the top spot of New York Times Best Seller for several months.

The sequels often won Smarties Book Awards.

Sold over 500 million copies worldwide.

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Title: The Great Gatsby
Author: Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald
Date Published: April 10, 1925

Context:
- The novel is set in the prohibition era, when the sale and consumption of alcohol was illegal in the United States

-The novel divided the rich and the poor

- The novel captures the economical boom of the post war America, new jazz music and free flowing of illegal liquor

Why was it challenged/banned:
- Challenged at the Baptist College in Charleston, South Carolina (1987)

-Contains foul language and sexual references in the novel

- Promoted the increase of the illegal production and sale of liquor

Merits of the book:
- USA Today claims "It's the most American Of stories" May 7, 2013

-500,000 copies sold yearly and over 25 million copies sold worldwide

- The film "The Great Gatsby" won over 50 awards and had 86 nominations from 2013-2014

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Advocacy Project- The Handmaid's Tale (Anina Kostelski) 

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Advocacy Project- The Handmaid's Tale (Anina Kostelski) 

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Title: The Handmaid's Tale
Author: Margaret Atwood
Date Published: 1985

Context:

Written shortly after the election of Ronald Reagan in America and Margaret Thatcher in Britain.

A period of conservative revival in the West.

The religious right increased fears that womens rights gained in previous decades would be reversed.

Why it was challenged/banned:

It is challenged mainly by parents of highschool students from the time of its original publication to today.

For being too explicit and full of profanity.

Containing "statements defamatory to minorities, God, women and the disabled."

For being "poor quality literature and stress suicide, illicit sex, violence and hopelessness."

Merits of the book:

Awarded Governor General's Award in 1986

Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 1986

Inspired an award winning television series by the same name.

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Title: The Giver

Author: Lois Lowry

Year Published: 1993

Context:

The Giver is a book about a young adult living in a futuristic community after an event called "the ruin," where a group called "The Elders" controlled every aspect of everyone's life—creating a Utopian society and maintaining the secrets of the world. Community members must take medication daily that controls their emotions.

Why the book was challenged/banned:

Since its release in 1993, parents and schools across America have attempted to ban the book multiple times in American schools. It has been ranked 11th on the list of most frequently requested books for banning between 1990-1999 due to inappropriate content for younger readers. The book questions political correctness, control, diversity, suicide, and euthanasia. The Office of Intellectual Freedom can estimate over 11,000 reports of individuals challenging the book.

Merits:

This book teaches children that Utopian societies cannot exist; the world is a complex place full of emotions and choices that a group of individuals should not control. Censorship of an entire community inhibits essential life experiences such as love and loss, curiosity, and pain.

"I think banning books is a very, very dangerous thing. It takes away important freedom. Any time there is an attempt to ban a book, you should fight it as hard as you can. It is okay for a parent to say, 'I do not want my child to read this book.' But it is not okay for anyone to try to make that decision for other people. The world portrayed in The Giver is a world where choice has been taken away. It is a frightening world. Let us work hard to keep it from truly happening." Lois Lowry.

Lois Lowry received awards, nominations, and recognition for the book.

It is a compelling statement and argument why her book should not be banned. I agree wholeheartedly with her because I have read this book in school and thought it was important for people my age to understand how beautifully complex the world we were about to navigate.

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Advocacy Project - Banned/Challenged Books (Filip Kostov)

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Advocacy Project - Banned/Challenged Books (Filip Kostov)

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Title: Of Mice and Men
Author: John Steinbeck
Date of Publication: November 23, 1937

Historical/Social Context & Banning:

This book was often banned due to the vulgar language, however, certain places in the United States did not like the way that the book used their God's name in vein. It was also characterized as being morbid and depressing due to the premise and finale of the book. Women have also challenged this book as being misogynistic due to the way the female characters have been portrayed.

The political climate at the time was during the late 70s and early 80s, as the hippie movement was beginning to fade, and governments wanted to return to a more conservative, and religious positive image for their country. This was a common theme for many books to be banned, as vulgarity of any sort was heavily frowned upon in literature.

The earliest banning of this book was in the country of Ireland in 1953, but as it made its way into American schools, state high schools began to impose a ban on it as well. It was primarily banned by the institutions themselves for being considered vulgar, however, some schools also challenged the author himself having questionable patriotism, and thus, would want to avoid having books with authors whos view points did not align with their own.

While it was banned in certain places, this book was challenged but retained in a large number of schools throughout various states.

Merits:

This book, while vulgar at times, has an interesting story about friendship, and how sometimes the extent to which you value a friendship, can lead you to extremes that may go against your interests, and how sometimes, you might choose to forgo that friendship for your own sake.

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Catcher in the RYE, one of USA's greatest and most challenged books (By Patrick McCaskie)

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Catcher in the RYE, one of USA's greatest and most challenged books (By Patrick McCaskie)

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Author :  J. D. Salinger
Date Published : July 16, 1951

What was the historical, political, and/or social context in which the book was written?

This novel tells a story of a depressed, rebellious  and sometimes mischievous young man

The story involves vulgar language, violence and adult themes like sex and prostitution, as well as illegal acts like underage drinking

The American Library Association listed Catcher in the RYE as the tenth most challenged book from 1990-1999 and one of the top ten most challenged books three separate years since 2001 (References: [1][2])

Which individuals or groups challenged or banned the book?

Most challenges for this novel come from the general public and are based on “excess vulgar language, sexual scenes, things concerning moral issues, excessive violence and anything dealing with the occult.” (References [3])

Why was it challenged /banned:

In the 1970s citizens demanded the book be taken off school reading lists because it was too "explicitly pornographic" "Immoral" and 'contained filthy and profane language"  (References [4])

It was banned in the high schools of Issaquah Washington for having 785 profanities and charged the book as being "part of an overall communist plot" (References [5])

It was also banned at a high school in Florida in 1985, and in an Illinois high school in 1992 (References [6])

There have also been assassinations linked to this book like the assassination of John Lennon, and the attempted assassination of Ronald Regan. Both of the killers or attempted killers either had the book with them at the time of the killing or simply really liked the book (References [7])

Merits of the book :

This book portrays a very accurate depiction of life as a depressed young teenager going through their teenage angst years. The main character is often confused, angry and constantly rebelling

Many young adults may find comfort in this story and to help them cope with their own teenage angst

While the main character often times does illegal or immoral acts he is also shown to be very caring about others especially innocent children like his younger sister

This novel received many amazing reviews like in an article on Time Magazine written by Nash K. Burger which called the book "an unusually brilliant novel" (References [8])

Catcher in the RYE is second on Radcliffe's 100 Best Novels (References [9])

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Title: Final Exit
Author: Derek Humphry
Publish date: March 1st, 1991

Context:

The book, often described as a "suicide manual", describes the means that the terminally ill may use to end their lives. The book further outlines relevant laws, techniques, and living wills.

There were strict religious rules that were present in the 1990s

Who challenged the book and why:

Final Exit has been a frequent target of censors the novel appears on the American Libary Association list of the 100 Most frequently challenged books of 1990–1999 at number 29

2005—During Freedom to Read Week, the Lethbridge Public Library displayed books that had been challenged in North America. The inclusion of Final Exit in the display prompted one library patron to formally request the removal of the book from the library. (The complainant said that the book promoted suicide.)

Merits of the book:

In 1991, Final Exit spent 18 weeks on the new york times non-fiction Bestseller list, it reached #1 in August and was 25th on USA Today's April 2007 list of 25 books that leave a legacy

It has been translated into 12 languages. The original English Language version is in its third edition.

In 2000, Derek Humphry recorded a VHS video version of the information in the book; a DVD version and a Kindle version were released in 2006 and 2011, respectively. A 4th edition, 'Final Exit 2020' has been released as an Ebook.

The ethicist Peter Singer included it on a list of his top ten books in The Guardian.

in looking at what this book is about I feel that it should not be banned people have the right to the knowledge of what they want.

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Book Title: Lord of the Flies

Author: William Golding

Year of Publication: 1954

Context:

Published in London, England

Bullying and racism were rampant at the time of publishing

Children were the characters experiencing and committing the gruesome acts

Post World War II and Cold War so politically the world was at a stern time with conflict

A new experience for people seeing these acts by young people published

Questioned the philosophy of “if the luxuries of life were unavailable to us, would we still be the same people?” (Werts)

Why it was Challenged/Banned:

Contains offensive language and references to minorities, the disabled, women, and God (Was Lord of the Flies Banned?)

Moral concern that the book is “demoralizing inasmuch as it implies man is little more than an animal” (Werts)

A committee of the Toronto, Canada Board of Education ruled on June 23, 1988, that the novel is "racist and recommended that it be removed from all schools." (ALA)

Banned in:

1974- Independent School District- Dallas, Texas

1981- Sully Buttes High School- South Dakota

1981- Owen High School- North Carolina

1983- Marana High School- Arizona

1984- Independent School District- Olney, Texas

1988- Toronto Board of Education

1992- Waterloo, Iowa

2000- Bloomfield, New York (Werts)

Merits:

Sparks debate and discussion (Frank)

Golding’s presentation of the material (Frank)

Realistic symbol of power (Bruns)

Allowed for critical thinking

Questioned people’s thoughts within themselves

William Golding won a Nobel Prize after years of publishing the famous book (American School of Madrid)

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Title: The Satanic Verses
Author: Salman Rushdie
Date Published: 26th September 1988

Context:
The book is inspired partly by the life of Islamic prophet Mohammed and is based loosely on a group of verses in the Quran interwoven with a contemporary, surreal perspective.

Why was it challenged/banned:
Socially the book raised a storm throughout the Muslim community, who considered it blasphemous. The book subsequently wound up being banned in most Muslim dominated countries and still is.
The Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, then Supreme Leader of Iran, issued a fatwa in February of 1989, calling for the death of author Salman Rushdie and his publishers.

What are the merits of the book? Why should the book NOT be banned? Why should people be allowed to read the book?

Although not a masterpiece, the book was well-received by literary circles and critics with rave reviews. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and won the Whitbread Book Award in 1998. Timothy Brennan, author and professor, cited the book as "the most ambitious novel yet published to deal with the immigrant experience in Britain."

Mohammed Mashuq Ibn Ally said that the book shows the author as "The victim of nineteenth-century British colonialism." "Rushdie is a storyteller of prodigious powers, able to conjure up whole geographies, causalities, climates, creatures, customs, out of thin air." The New York Times Book Review.

Author Salman Rushdie confirmed that his book was not about Islam, but about migration, metamorphosis, divided selves, love, death, London and Bombay, in a satirical vein.
Banning the book would deprive many of the chance to enjoy the pleasure of a good read.

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Title:  Captain Underpants series

Author:  Dav Pikey

Year of Publication: September 1st 1997 to august 25th 2015

What country and time period was the book challenged:

It has always been challenged since it’s first publication in 1997 for its toilet humor. The series is mainly challenged in the US but has also seen challenges around the world.

Which individuals or groups challenged or banned the book

Many educators and school boards across the world have challenged the series. It has also been challenged in libraries. For example, in 2006 at Long Beach High school, 2 girls were sent home for dressing up as Captain Underpants. The most recent edition of Captain Underpants was also banned from Book Fairs for announcing the main character is gay.

Why it was challenged/banned:

The book showed off a same sex couple and apparent “racism”. It also had “toilet humor”, according to some people.

What was the political climate at the time? Are there any social trends that were occurring at the time the book was Challenged?

There were no political issues at the time for the book to be banned. It was a one off.

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Title: Super Diaper Baby
Author: Dav Pilkey
Year of Publication: 2002
What country and time period was the book challenged: It was challenged for the first time in 2003 and throughout the years kept getting challenged until 2012.
Which individuals or groups challenged or banned the book?  The Riverside Unified School District challenged the book in 2003 and continued to do so. Originally, a student’s grandmother filed a formal complaint.
Why it was challenged/banned:  The book was challenged because it had excessive toilet humour and it was inappropriate for children and have the word poo poo head in the books they read.
What was the political climate at the time? Are there any social trends that were occurring at the time the book was Challenged?  Trends were mostly costumes for Halloween around 2010 to 2012. It was quite popular and funny to most people to dress up as super diaper baby. It was common for parents to get upset about book like this for younger kids.

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Nicholas Kiproff- I am Malala (challenged book)

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Nicholas Kiproff- I am Malala (challenged book)

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Title: ‘I am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban

Author: Written by Malala Yousafzai and co-written with Christina Lamb.

Published: 2013.

What country and time period was the book challenged:

-The country where this book was challenged was in Pakistan back in 2013

Context:

Which individuals or groups challenged or banned the book?

-Education officials and heads of private schools banned the book for the lack of respect it showed Islam. As well, people were also generally unhappy with Malala Yousafzai because they saw her as being a tool to the west. The educational heads who believed in Islam did not like her and what she did.

Why it was challenged/banned:

-The book was challenged because it showed little respect to Islam. Women aren’t as respected in Islamic culture, and it was seen as wrong to many, for a girl to have “rebellious views” on women being educated.

What was the political climate at the time? Are there any social trends that were occurring at the time the book was Challenged?

-Pakistan has been an Islamic country for a very long time. With the lack of respect for women, it’s not surprising to see terrorist groups and religious people against this book and a girl speaking out about an issue they feel different about.

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Author : Harper Lee
Date Published : June 11,1960

Context:
* The novel was written in the 1960s during the era where people where the civil rights movement was begging to happen.

* The novel depicts subjects like rape , and numerous amounts of racial slurs pertaining black people.

*The book is set in the great depression era , following a kid Scott Finch , which follows the life story of the kid to adult.

*Book also follows the case of a black mans case in which he raped a white women and is put on trial.

Why was it challenged /banned:

* A mother Mississippi in 2017 , complained to the superintendent at the school , that she doesn't like the  use of the ''N'' word so frequently used in the novel.

* Banned or challenged for its frequent use of racism.

* In 2008 , a board of directors , residents , claims that they where offended by the depiction of black people in the novel .

* Banned and challenged and their negative effect on students , due to the claims that it had a ''white savior'' character , and the perception of the black experience.

* According to the Seattle Times, the Mukilteo School Board voted unanimously Monday night to remove Harper Lee's “To Kill a Mockingbird” from the required reading list for ninth graders while still allowing for teachers to choose to teach the classic novel to students.

Merits of the book :

*  Author Harper lee won the Pulitzer prize for his bestselling book.

* The movie ''To kill a mocking bird " won an oscar for best performance for Gregory peck for his role as Atticus Finch.

* The book is an instant classic , and sold 40 million copies worldwide.

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Challenged and Banned Books (By: Christopher Busse)

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Challenged and Banned Books (By: Christopher Busse)

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Title: Go Ask Alice
Author: Anonymous
Date Published: 1971
Context:

There were strict religious ideals that were present in the 1970's

The drug culture of the 70s played a popular role and was evidently shown in novels

Advocates a certain demographic of young teenagers/young adults that grew up in the 1970s

Why it was challenged/banned:

Go Ask Alice has been one of the most frequently challenged books, according to the American Library Association's  since it's publication in 1971, for content relating to drugs, sexual explicitness, offensive language, and inappropriate themes for a younger demographic

Schools, religious groups and parents believed that it was encouraging drug use and promiscuity in the children in their care

The school board attempted to ban Go Ask Alice, which they described as "anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-Semitic, and just plain 'filthy,'" because of vulgar language

Merits of the Book:

The nonjudgmental tone of "Alice" encourages kids to get specific about health questions they might feel uncomfortable asking others

It sold over three million copies worldwide and has been reprinted several times since 1971

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Title: Where the Wild Things Are
Author: Maurice Sendak
Date Published: 1963

Context:

Religious ideals in southern United States at the time of publishing

Overriding philosophy that children should be "protected'

Focus in children and discipline

New ideas emerging and challenging the status quo.

Why it was challenged/banned:

Religious reasons due to “witchcraft/supernatural elements”

Concerns about “rebellion, fear, punishment, and escape”

Child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim, wrote in Ladies’ Home Journal

“What [Sendak] failed to understand is the incredible fear it evokes in the child to be sent to bed without supper, and this by the first and foremost giver of food and security—his mother.”

Merits of the book:

President Obama claimed it is one of his favourite books.

Caldecott Medal winner in 1964

Sold nearly 20 million copies worldwide