Every year the ALA publishes the banned book list, or in more formal terms, American Library Association’s (ALA) 10 Most Challenged Books of 2007. Some books are on the list for obvious reasons, but every year it seems I'm surprised by one or two. For instance this year, Olive's Ocean made the list. What? Really? I loved that book! Do I have a selective memory? Did any of you find it offensive?
Here's the list:
1. “And Tango Makes Three,” by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell
Reasons: Anti-Ethnic, Sexism, Homosexuality, Anti-Family, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group
2. “The Chocolate War,” by Robert Cormier
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Violence
3. “Olive’s Ocean,” by Kevin Henkes
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language
4. “The Golden Compass,” by Philip Pullman
Reasons: Religious Viewpoint
5. “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” by Mark Twain
Reasons: Racism
6. “The Color Purple,” by Alice Walker
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language,
7. “TTYL,” by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
8. “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” by Maya Angelou
Reasons: Sexually Explicit
9. “It’s Perfectly Normal,” by Robie Harris
Reasons: Sex Education, Sexually Explicit
10. “The Perks of Being A Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
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5 comments:
I liked Olives Ocean too. Now I want to go back and reread it!
I don't remember anything about Olive's Ocean being "sexually explicit." It was a great, moving story that I really enjoyed.
I chose to read this book because I like Kevin Henkes picture books. I am going to read a selection to be recorded for banned books week. I read it and marked the offensive parts-are you ready?
pg 22 to her mother Martha says"I cant believe you said the word crotch", (angst ridden preteen)
pg 40 "Damn"(someone scribbled it out in the library book)
pg 68 "Damn it" (both said by fathers frustrated)
pg 128 "Now. He. Kissed. Her." (the dirty sex talk)
pg 140 "Jimmy Manning can be a prick" (said by protective brother)
That's it. There it is. Shocking young adult novel huh?
(Reply to this)(Parent)
I've been assigned to do a book review about Olive's Ocean and tell why it has been banned.
There's really not much to justify the banning of this book! The information you gave with the page numbers was helpful, but it just doesn't seem like enough.
Any more ideas as to why it might have been banned?
Thanks
another reason it may have been banned was the part in the beginning of the book with Morning Sex Behavior for the main character's parents.
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