Banned and Challenged Books in America

Banned and Challenged Books in America

This article relates to Snow Falling in Spring

Some of the most memorable and painful moments in Snow Falling in Spring involve the solace of reading and the loss and destruction of books. American readers might be surprised to know that in America books are frequently challenged and even banned.

The American Library Association explains the difference between a challenge and a banning of a book as follows: "A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others."

The American Library Association lists the top ten most frequently challenged or banned books of 2009, as reported to the Office for Intellectual Freedom

1. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
2. His Dark Materials trilogy, by Philip Pullman
3. TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series), by Lauren Myracle
4. Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
5. Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya
6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
7. Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily von Ziegesar
8. Uncle Bobby's Wedding, by Sarah S. Brannen
9. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
10. Flashcards of My Life, by Charise Mericle Harper

Banned Books Week
Since 1982, Banned Books Week, a weeklong event celebrating the freedom to read, has been observed during the last week of September. For more information visit the ALA website.

Filed under Reading Lists

This "beyond the book article" relates to Snow Falling in Spring. It originally ran in May 2008 and has been updated for the March 2010 paperback edition. Go to magazine.