Happy Banned Books Week! Check Out The 10 Most Challenged Books in the Past Year

It’s officially Banned Books Week again! A week celebrating books that have been challenged and/or out right banned in libraries and schools.

Last year I put together a gallery showing you some books that had been in the past banned or challenged, and the sad things is some of those are STILL being challenged today. In fact, the ALA has put out a list of the 10 most challenged books in 2010, and you might be surprised by what people are going after.

1. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin RichardsonReasons: Homosexuality, religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman AlexieReasons: Offensive language, racism, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence3. Brave New World by Aldous HuxleyReasons: Insensitivity, offensive language, racism, sexually explicit4. Crank by Ellen HopkinsReasons: Drugs, offensive language, sexually explicit5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne CollinsReasons: Sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence6. Lush by Natasha FriendReasons: Drugs, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group7. What My Mother Doesn’t Know by Sonya SonesReasons: Sexism, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group8. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By In America by Barbara EhrenreichReasons: Drugs, inaccurate, offensive language, political viewpoint, religious viewpoint9. Revolutionary Voices: A Multicultural Queer Youth Anthology edited by Amy SonnieReasons: Homosexuality, sexually explicit10. Twilight by Stephenie MeyerReasons: Religious viewpoint, violence

Now, look. I think it’s fine to dislike a book or an author. You all know probably my feelings on Stephenie Meyer and I’m not a huge fan of Ellen Hopkins, either. But you know what? Banning books is WRONG. It is not my place to decide what other people should or should not have the right and the ability to read. I don’t get to make that choice for other people and I will be DAMNED if anyone is going to make that choice for me.

The ALA website has a full list of books that were banned and/or challenged in 2010 through to 2011, and trust me, you should check it out.

You know what else you should do? Be a rebel. Read banned books.