Banned Book List - How many have you read?
By Withoutwings
@Withoutwings (6992)
United States
January 2, 2007 6:07pm CST
The list of the most challenged books from 1990 - 2000 are listed on the American Library Association http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm
How many of them have you read?
I have read:
Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
Forever by Judy Blume
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
The Witches by Roald Dahl
Blubber by Judy Blume
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Cujo by Stephen King
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
Carrie by Stephen King
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Where's Waldo? by Martin Hanford
Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
14 people like this
54 responses
@not4me (1711)
• United States
3 Jan 07
I've never read "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" so I don't know why it's on that list but I adore Maya Angelou and I can't imagine why she would be on that list!
I too borrowed Judy Blume's books from our school library back in the day. I don't know why those are being challenged.
OMG Where's Waldo also? I don't have much time to read in general but can someone please explain to me why people challenge books like these? Thanks. :\
4 people like this
@Withoutwings (6992)
• United States
3 Jan 07
Actually on the 2006 list there was also a collegiate dictionary banned... and Garfield and Friends. It doesn't make any sense.
1 person likes this
@desertdarlene (8910)
• United States
3 Jan 07
I work in a library and I have to say that just about all those books are very popular and go out frequently. I've read many of them.
I can't understand why Flowers for Algernon would be a problem, nor many others. The funny thing is that a lot of those you listed are required reading in many schools.
4 people like this
@tbomb2002 (269)
• United States
3 Jan 07
Wow, I did not realize that so many Judy Blume books were challenged. I think I read most of her works when I was younger, she was my favorite author for young adults. I noticed a few others on the list that I read, but now I will be curious to check out the ones I did not read to try to understand why they would be so controversial.
@Withoutwings (6992)
• United States
3 Jan 07
I don't really understand why there are so many Judy Blume books on the list either. I read them growing up and I'm perfectly fine :)
2 people like this
@Melizzy (1381)
• United States
3 Jan 07
Judy Blume was quite controversial back in the day. I still have my copy of Wifey. God, that book was scandalous reading back in the day. Still a bit racy, but not nearly as bad as before.
I try to read as many books as possible that are on the list. It's my own private rebellion.
3 people like this
@Withoutwings (6992)
• United States
3 Jan 07
It's my goal to read as many more of them as I can this year. I try to read a bunch of them during banned book week.
@Withoutwings (6992)
• United States
6 Jan 07
Last year is was Sept. 23 - 30. You can find more information about it at http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.htm
@tbomb2002 (269)
• United States
4 Jan 07
Are you serious? They actually have a banned book week??? I have never heard of that! When is this week supposed to be anyway? I think I will have to join you in reading some of those books that week!!
1 person likes this
@goldjay (465)
• United States
3 Jan 07
Wow, I have read a lot of those books. I didn't count but I think that it is more than half of them. I don't understand why some of them are on the banned book list but some are pretty obvious. I think that most of them are really good books.
@Jlowe110 (313)
• United States
3 Jan 07
I read all the Harry Potter books but the new one. I don't have time or like to read. I have t, but have only gotten through 20 pages in... a year. I have read GooseBumps series when I was like 8 ... I didn't think those were challenging, my 7 year old sister read like all of them.
3 people like this
@Withoutwings (6992)
• United States
3 Jan 07
It doesn't have to do with how challenging they are to read - it's people challenge them and say they shouldn't be allowed in the library because the content will have a negative influence on a child.
@baldingeagle69 (749)
• United States
8 Jan 07
Okay, why are some of these banned? When I went to school a few of them were required reading. I have acrually read several that you have listed and a few of them are actually favorites of mine. Mark Twain will always remain one of my favorite authors. Go Ask Alice was an incredible book I read it 20 years ago and still have it somewhere. Where's Waldo, What the heck is wrong with that.
This silly "PC" world we are striving to become, give me a break. I think everyone should be required to read Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer.
Whoever has the power to ban these books needs to banned from any decisions.
2 people like this
@baldingeagle69 (749)
• United States
8 Jan 07
Dear God I just looked at the list. I bet I read about 80% of those books. Likely 45% of them were required reading when I went to school. I loved alot of them and found nothing wrong with them.
2 people like this
@clownfish (3272)
• United States
3 Jan 07
Hi! Obviously, I don't understand why some of these books are on the list. Anyway, I've read part of the Catcher in the Rye. I want to go back and read it all, though. And I have To Kill a Mockingbird. I haven't read the book but I've seen the movie and it's absolutely wonderful! I can't imagine that being banned!
@clownfish (3272)
• United States
3 Jan 07
I don't know, it didn't say on the cover of the copy I have (paperback). I hope it is, it deserves to be! The message is just so appropriate! When I saw the end of the movie, I just cried - it was so moving!
2 people like this
@gifana (4833)
• Portugal
3 Jan 07
I only read two banned books (but they are not on your list). The first one was Lady Chatterly's Lover by D.H. Lawrence and the other was a breezing swiftly through of Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller (and only because I was curious) and I hated it. Didn't understand what he "h" he was getting at. Loved Lady Chatterly though it was a beautiful love story. I remember my mother reading Lil Black Sambo to my brother and I on those long winter nights in the 40's. Can't understand why any one would want to ban Mark Twain. Would like to meet the "censors".
3 people like this
@brightbluesea (1143)
• United States
3 Jan 07
I've read well over half of them and am glad that I did!lol There are some of my favorites on that list and I grew up with Judy Blume books!
@Raevyn1972 (275)
• Canada
3 Jan 07
You know, that's scary to see... seeing as how at least five of those we studied in high school/public school and my oldest son was studying The Bridge to Tarabithia just last year in grade seven (there's a movie coming out or has already come out about it, have you heard?).
2 people like this
@kumikosuzuki83 (161)
• Japan
3 Jan 07
Thank you for that list of great books to read!! I'm going to try and get through them all. :)
I can see why some were banned, but some....well....they were only banned in america at least.
kumiko
xo
2 people like this
@Adrenochrome (1653)
•
7 Jan 07
If you enjoy reading banned literature, then might I recommend a book that has historically caused many legal cases, and was banned in the UK for decades, 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' by DH Lawrence. I have noticed some of the discussions you have posted, and think you may well enjoy this novel, and also Lawrences 'The Rainbow'.
@prashanth_vv (848)
• India
3 Jan 07
well i have read the harry potter series and also goosebumps n roald dahl n tom sawyer.i don't have much time nowadays to read more books.so i haven't read many in the recent past.
2 people like this
@harsh1985 (593)
• India
3 Jan 07
is harry poter baned..this is shocking news for me..i have not only read all the series but also see first day first show of movies created on harry potter!!
2 people like this
@linzmcwilliams (1552)
•
3 Jan 07
I have read: Harry Potter, Goosebumps, The Witches, James and the Giant Peach, The Cookbook and Carrie. Infact I read Carrie in primary school with my class. I have no idea why most of these books were challanged, except of course The Anarchist Cookbook. Why on earth were Rowling and Dahl challanged?
2 people like this
@erminiasanjose (1588)
• Philippines
3 Jan 07
Thanks a lot for listing such books. I know some which I thought would not be challenged.
@hassanchop (820)
• United States
3 Jan 07
I have read the following books, mostly in school, and I am no worse for it:
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Where's Waldo? by Martin Hanford
2 people like this
