The statistics have been calculated for the past year. Here is the latest list of titles along with reasons for the challenges. How many have YOU read??
The 10 most challenged books in the US last year:
1. This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki and illustrated by Jillian Tamaki
Reasons: Challenged over LGBT characters, drug use and profanity. It was also considered sexually explicit, with mature themes.
2. Drama, written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier
Reasons: Challenged because it includes LGBT characters, was deemed sexually explicit and considered to have an offensive political viewpoint.
3. George by Alex Gino
Reasons: Challenged because it includes a transgender child, and the “sexuality was not appropriate at elementary levels”.
4. I Am Jazz written by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings, and illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas
Reasons: Challenged because it portrays a transgender child and because of language, sex education, and “offensive viewpoints”.
5. Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
Reasons: Challenged because its cover has an image of two boys kissing, and it was considered to include sexually explicit content.
6. Looking for Alaska by John Green
Reasons: Challenged for a sexually explicit scene that might lead a student to “sexual experimentation”.
7. Big Hard Sex Criminals by Matt Fraction, illustrated by Chip Zdarsky
Reason: Challenged because it was considered sexually explicit.
8. Make Something Up: Stories You Can’t Unread by Chuck Palahniuk
Reasons: Challenged for profanity, sexual explicitness and being “disgusting and all-around offensive”.
9. The Little Bill series by Bill Cosby and illustrated by Varnette P Honeywood
Reason: Challenged because of criminal sexual allegations against the author.
10. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
Reason: Challenged for offensive language.
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