Why are books banned?
Many books become challenged, meaning there is an attempt to remove it from a library. The opposition can come from an individual parent or a group of people. Most of the time these challenges come about from people who are trying to protect children from the content of the material. Material that is challenged is usually sexually explicit or contains offensive language. Some times it is challenged because it is considered unsuitable for anyone. Most of the time the challenges are unsuccessful because of the efforts of librarians and others to maintain access. To see a list of frequently challenged books, click here.
The Great Gilly Hopkins by
Katherine Paterson
Interest Level: 5-8
Reading Level: 5.3
Gilly is placed in her third foster home in less than three years even though she just wants to be with her mother. Maime Trotter is her new foster mother and she is a fat, nearly illiterate widow. Not to mention, Trotter has strange little seven-year-old boy named William Ernest as a foster son and a friend who is blind and black. Gilly can’t believe that the system would send her to such a place. She even has a black teacher. Gilly Hopkins is going to show them just how difficult she can be and starts plotting her scheme to get out of this place and with her mother. This will never be her home. The book is probably challenged because of the use of profanity (damn and hell). In addition, Gilly’s has a racist attitude towards African Americans, specifically her foster mother’s friend and her teacher. She displays an attitude of superiority and even leaves her teacher a card with a racist joke. Overall, I don’t think those are valid reasons to keep this book off shelves and out of the hands of students. I think it may be wise to have a conversation with students about prejudices and also help them identify how Gilly overcame her own.
Reviewed By: Julie Weideman
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Interest Level: YA
Reading Level: 4.8
Melinda’s freshman year of high school gets off to a rocky start. She is ostracized by her classmates because she was the one who called the police, who then proceeded to bust the underage drinking party she was attending. What Melinda didn’t tell anyone, not the police, and not even her parents, was that she was raped at that party by a high school senior, Andy Evans. The tragic event plummets Melinda into near silence, and she barely speaks to anyone. Melinda loses her friends, her grades begin to slip, and the worst thing is that she has to see Andy in the hallway at school. The reader gets to know Melinda as an observant individual with a quirky sense of humor as she describes the painful viciousness of the cliques at high school and the good and bad characteristics of her teachers. Can the understanding art teacher help Melinda find her voice when Melinda’s ex-best-friend starts dating Andy?
I was writhing in agony throughout this book. It brought back so many unpleasant high school memories. As a middle school teacher, I would only recommend this book to my most mature readers because of the subject matter.
Reviewed by Polly J. LaMontagne
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Interest Level: YA
Reading Level: 4.8
Holden Caulfield has been expelled from yet another school. Not wanting to share this disappointing news with his parents, Holden decides to buy his time wandering the streets of New York City until his parents receive the letter of his expulsion from Pencey Prep Academy. Being a 16-year-old runaway on the streets of New York City doesn’t come easily for Holden and he gets himself into some pretty sticky situations, all while dealing with his own insecurities and emotional issues. Will Holden decide to go home and confess his fate or will he continue to brave the streets of NYC? Find out by reading J.D. Salinger’s 1951 classic The Catcher in the Rye.
Since this book has been published many students have connected with Holden and his teenage angst. While this is a classic that I think should be shared, I’m not sure I would share it with young students – save it for a high school read.
Reviewed by: Tiffany L. Braunel