12 Banned Books in New England #fREADomToRead

I am part of Authors Against Banned Books and in our most recent meeting, we all wanted to take an action step to fight against banned and challenged books. One suggestion was to raise awareness of affected books in your state so here is my list which I got from the Boston Public Library.

I encourage everyone to read these books. If you can, please buy a few books and give them away.

12 Books Banned or Challenged in New England

A Prayer for Owen Meany: A Novel by John Irving

When 11-year-old Owen Meany hits a foul ball and kills his best friend’s mother, it changes his life. Removed from the Pelham, NH, summer reading list after a parent complained about the novel’s objectionable language and sexuality.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie*

* Sherman Alexie has been accused of sexual misconduct

The story of a teenage boy living on a Spokane Indian reservation who transfers to an all-white high school. Challenged in Mattapoisett, MA, after it was assigned to an eighth-grade English class. This novel is usually challenged for drugs/alcohol/smoking, gambling, offensive language, sex education, sexual explicitness, inappropriateness for age group, and violence.

Tweaked: A Crystal Meth Memoir by Patrick Moore

Memoir of a crystal-meth addict who grew up in Iowa and moved to Los Angeles. Banned from North Middlesex, MA, because the book contains “’F’ words and instructions on how to make certain types of illegal drugs.”

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling*

*J.K. Rowling has been accused of being anti-transexual

A story about a young wizard and his friends and their time at school battling dark forces. All of the novels in the Harry Potter series were banned in Wakefield, MA, due to the content of witchcraft and sorcery.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

Narrated from heaven, Susie Salmon, who was raped and murdered, watches as her family copes in a myriad of ways. Moved to a faculty section of a school library in Waltham, MA, because it was considered too scary for the students.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The entire series is about a society in which “districts” send their children (11-18) to a game where the only way to win is to kill the other contestants. Challenged in Goffstown, NH, by a parent claiming that it gave her eleven-year-old nightmares and could numb other students to the effects of violence.

Water for Elephants: A Novel by Sara Gruen

A historical novel with strong romantic elements set in the 1920s with a traveling circus. Removed from a course list in Bedford, NH, after a parent complained about the novel’s sexual content.

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

A young black girl in 1941 wishes for her eyes to turn blue. Challenged in Brookfield, CT, because of sex scenes, profanity, and age-appropriateness of the book.

Ttyl by Lauren Myracle

An epistolary novel about three teen girls that was retained in Norwalk, CT. While some critics decry its style as “grammatically incorrect,” most who take exception point to its “foul language,” sexual content, and questionable sexual behavior.

Wizardology: The Book of the Secrets of Merlin by Dugald Steer

A children’s book about the secrets of alchemy and wizardry written by Merlin himself! Challenged in West Haven, CT, due to concerns that the book exposes children to the occult.

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

A story about a young boy’s adventures in the Mississippi Valley. Challenged in Manchester, CT, due to the use of racially insensitive language throughout the book.

The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls

The author’s memoir of her dysfunctional family. Challenged after the parents of a child objected to its inclusion on an AP English teacher’s summer reading list in Hollis/Brookline, NH.

Mapping Censorship

Chris Peterson of the National Coalition Against Censorship and Alita Edelman of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression created a visual representation of banned books throughout the United States. All of the titles on this list were taken from this map.

p.s. Related posts:

My Ten Books Recs for Banned Book Week September 23-29

Top 10: Challenged or Banned Books

Top 10 Must-Read Banned Books for Kids

10 Books to Read for Banned Book Week

20 Banned or Challenged Books to READ!

78 Children’s Books for Young Activists

26 Voting and Election Children’s Books

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