- "A Light in the Attic" Shel Silverstein
- "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" Judy Blume
- "Anastasia Krupnik" Lois Lowry
- "Final Exit" Derek Humphry
- "Girls and Sex" Wardell Pomeroy PhD
- "Jack" A.M. Homes
- "Deenie" Judy Blume
- "The Chocolate War" Robert Cormier
- "A Day No Pigs Would Die" Robert Newton Peck
- "Alice" Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
- "American Psycho" Bret Easton Ellis
- "The Boy Who Lost His Face" Louis Sachar
- "Bridge to Terabithia" Katherine Paterson
- "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" Mark Twain
- "How to East Fried Worms" Thomas Rockwell
- "Bumps in the Night" Harry Allard
- "Blubber" Judy Blume
- "Native Son" Richard Wright
- "Carrie" Stephen King
- "Asking About Sex and Growing Up" Joanna Cole
- "Flowers for Algernon" Daniel Keyes
- "It's Perfectly Normal" Robie H Harris
- "Running Loose" Chris Crutcher
- "Of Mice and Men" John Steinbeck
- "Jump Ship to Freedom" James Lincoln Collier
- "Heather Has Two Mommies" Leslea Newman
- "Fallen Angels" Walter Dean Myers
- "In the Night Kitchen" Maurice Sendak
- "More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" Alvin Schwartz
- "On My Honor" Marion Dane Bauer
- "Sex" Madonna
- "The Catcher in the Rye" J.D. Salinger
- "The House of the Spirits" Isabel Allende
- "Beloved" Toni Morrison
- "The Headless Cupid" Zipha Keatley Snyder
- "Summer of My German Soldier" Bette Greene
- "Athletic Shorts" Chris Crutcher
- "The Shelters of Stone" Jean M Auel
- "Ordinary People" Judith Guest
- "Daddy's Roomate" Michael Willhoite
- "The Drowning of Stephan Jones" Bette Greene
- "Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat" Alvin Schwartz
- "Guess What?" Mem Fox
- "Goosebumps" R.L. Stine
- "Julie of the Wolves" Jean Craighead George
- "The Color Purple" Alice Walker
- "Killing Mr. Griffin" Lois Duncan
- "Brave New World" Aldous Huxley
- "The Bluest Eye" Toni Morrison
- "Crazy Lady" Jane Leslie Conly
- "The New Joy of Gay Sex" Dr. Charles Silverstein
- "We All Fall Down" Robert Cormier
- "Annie on My Mind" Nancy Garden
- "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" Mark Twain
- "Mommie Laid an Egg" Babette Cole
- "The Arizona Kid" Ronald Koertge
- "Always Running" Luis J. Rodriguez
- "The Goats" Brock Cole
- "Go Ask Alice" Anonymous
- "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" J.K. Rowling
- "To Kill a Mockingbird" Harper Lee
- "Bless Me, Ultima" Rudolfo Anaya
- "Boys and Sex" Wardell Pomeroy PhD
- "The Anarchist Cookbook" William Powell
- "The Stupids Have a Ball" Harry Allard
- "A Wrinkle in Time" Madeleine L'Engle
- "My Brother Sam is Dead" James Lincoln Collier
- "Kaffir Boy" Mark Mathabane
- "The Dead Zone" Stephen King
- "Sex Education" Jenny Davis
- "Little Black Sambo" Helen Bannerman
- "Women on Top" Nancy Friday
- "The Giver" Lois Lowry
- "The Face on the Milk Carton" Caroline B Cooney
- "Where Did I Come From?" Peter Mayle
- "The Outsiders" S.E. Hinton
- "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" Maya Angelou
- "James and the Giant Peach" Roald Dahl
- "Halloween ABC" Eve Merriam
- "The Great Gilly Hopkins" Katherine Paterson
- "The Terrorist" Caroline B Cooney
- "Forever" Judy Blume
- "Song of Solomon" Toni Morrison
- "Slaughterhouse-Five" Kurt Vonnegut
- "The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty" A.N. Roquelaure
- "The Pigman" Paul Zindel
- "Fade" Robert Cormier
- "Private Parts" Howard Stern
- "The What's Happening to My Body Book for Boys" Lynda Madaras
- "The Handmaid's Tale" Margaret Atwood
- "Lord of the Flies" William Golding
- "The What's Happening to My Body Book for Girls" Lynda Madaras
- "The View from the Cherry Tree" Willo Davis Roberts
- "The Pillars of the Earth" Ken Follett
- "Where's Waldo?" Martin Handford
- "The Witches" Roald Dahl
- "Tiger Eyes" Judy Blume
- "Family Secrets" Norma Klein
- "Cujo" Stephen King
Banned Books Week Banner
During Banned Books Week, we show our support of the intellectual freedom and the freedom to read. One of the reccuring images we have used each year is this banner we created with 99 of the 100 most banned books for the years 1990-2000. There are a surprising number of literary classics, children's books and books we've all grown up reading at home, in the library and at school. Authors like Roald Dahl, Stephen King, Judy Blume and Chris Crutcher even have several titles on this list!
Can you figure out which book is missing? (lulu852 was the first to guess the answer HERE.)
What is your favorite Banned Book?
How many have you read?
Pretty soon the list for years 2000-2010 will be released, what are
your guesses about the books we'll see on that list? One thing we're
fairly certain of, Harry Potter (series) will feature pretty high on
the list!
Check out this incredible short film David Jewell made teasing the full-length documentary online!
Your library will always support your choice to read, and your choice to not read any of these books. We feel the best way to support your freedom to read is to make sure no one else makes that choice for you. Stop by your local library and enjoy your freedoms, and all that the library has to offer!
Comments and faves
erin_oldfather, cbmanges, melissarogers, sarah loves the cheshire cat, and 194 other people added this photo to their favorites.
Tezza # (62 months ago | reply)
That's an awesome banner. It must have taken a long time to put this presentation together.
Nice work.
may I suggest, add a tonne of tags to it and add it to a tonne of groups. A little effort here will help your existing effort go a lot further.
ccrfence52 (59 months ago | reply)
I always thought that "Fahrenheit 451" would be up there.
meghan_dunlay (59 months ago | reply)
Go Harry Potter!! haha almost every Judy Blume book is up there
Bobgafford (59 months ago | reply)
The Holy Bible?
DML East Branch (59 months ago | reply)
Fahrenheit 451 is one of the more commonly banned books, but surprisingly not one of the top 100 for the years 1990-2000.
Judy Blume's count never ceases to amaze us. She gets special kudos for being on there the most times!
And the Bible, though it gets challenged occasionally, has so many different publications that it's challenges are split so many different ways.
Eric-I have a couple personal favorites on this list: Brave New World, James and the Giant Peach, and of course Slaugherhouse-Five
Mary & Matthew (58 months ago | reply)
I have read 7 out of 99, but hadn't heard of 75% of them - they appear to be mostly childrens books. What would be the difference between a School's governing body deciding to ban abook and simply deciding to stock a different one? - There are a lot of books to choose from on all manner of subjects, and people have a duty to think about what to give their children, if parenst disagree with a school, then let the childen read at home.
I guess in the UK we are less paranoid/concerned about what our kids read. I have read all of the Harry Potters (mostly when I am tired and can't be bothered with something of a higher quality). I have also read the first few left-behind series before giving it up as poor writing as well as theological heresy. A year later, in our Bible-loving Holy-spirit-filled local church we have had a lot more spoken about regarding the damage that the left-behind series can do with it's plausible but wrong theology, (whereas Harry potter is plainly fiction).
Whatever you read, whatever you listen too and whatever you watch will affect you, it helps to know that. It is also good to decide not to accept some influences.
amyc500 (FamilyTrees) (58 months ago | reply)
"Where's Waldo?" ?!?!! You've got to be kidding me... !
My guess for the missing book would be either "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" or "The Satanic Verses."
--
Seen in Ohio Libraries (?)
DML East Branch (58 months ago | reply)
"Where's Waldo" had a little drawing on the beach scene of a lady jumping up topless while someone was spilling water on her. It's since been republished and covered up! So to see this you'd have to get one of the original copies.
nyalibrarian (58 months ago | reply)
-quote-
"My guess for the missing book would be either "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" or "The Satanic Verses." "
Both good guesses, and both are books that have been banned a number of times in a number of places. But nope, that one isn't the one missing from the list.
-Signed-
Kevin, an Employee at the DML East Branch
imageining (57 months ago | reply)
I've read at least 13 of these... and those mostly for school. It is surprising how many books are still banned nowadays, especially considering that anyone can go to their local library/bookstore or order them online.
--
Seen in Four Freedoms (?)
hannahc565 (57 months ago | reply)
this amazes me. I have read ten of these, and my two favorite writers have books on his list. (Madeliene L'Engle and Margaret Atwood).
Oh, and is the missing book "Bless Me Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya?
DML East Branch (57 months ago | reply)
Nope, not "Bless Me Ultima," it's already on the flag! Keep guessing though. We want someone to guess it before Banned Books Week 2007, which is from September 29-October 6. For more information, go to www.ala.org/bbooks
DML East Branch (57 months ago | reply)
Also, tune in to the Dayton Metro Library's website during Banned Books Week 2007 to see our living BBW display LIVE! Find it from 9:00a.m. to 8:30p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9:00a.m. to 5:30p.m. Friday and Saturday to watch us! www.daytonmetrolibrary.org
quilted_kat [deleted] (57 months ago | reply)
quote: I've read at least 13 of these... and those mostly for school. It is surprising how many books are still banned nowadays, especially considering that anyone can go to their local library/bookstore or order them online. ----------
You've caught on to the main point: anyone can go to their public library or a bookstore and buy any one of these books. Banning a book in the United Stated doesn't mean that you can't read it (it's still a free country), but the fact that it has been challenged somewhere means that somebody is trying to decide for you what you should or should not be able to read. And I've read all 100!
fourlittlewitches (57 months ago | reply)
I have read about 58 of these books/series. And thats not counting every book in the series. Some for school but most for fun. I am suprized that HP and the Earth Childern serieses are on this. They are GREAT books!!!!!
DML East Branch (57 months ago | reply)
58 books isn't shabby at all! Harry Potter's been receiving complaints from the minute it hit the shelves basically. With the vast number of people who've read the books, and all of them virtually immediately, it was easily expected, poor boy wizards, they just can't get a break...
Earth Children is on there for different reasons, primarily for sexual content rather than occult (like Harry). Still, the EC series has sold heavily over the years, much like Harry.
Sometimes it seems like the Banned Books lists show trends of what people want to read rather than what people are trying to censor.
Luna42 (57 months ago | reply)
Hmm.. Let me guess.. Is it BFG? I loved that book when I was a kid. It's not up there, I don't think.
DML East Branch (57 months ago | reply)
Not BFG either! It's a tricky one, and there have been plenty of good guesses. BFG has a pretty funny reason for challenging:
1987 - Amana, Iowa first grade curriculum - "...too sophisticated and did not taech moral values."
Imagine, removing a book because it's too sophisticated!
lulu852 (54 months ago | reply)
I just wanted to add my two cents.
When I became a teacher eight years ago I made it my mission to have as many "banned books" in my classroom library as appropriate. (Some of them are a bit mature for my students.) I can’t imagine my library without Judy Blume, Maurice Sendak, Roald Dahl, Louis Sacher and even Heather has Two Mommies. I have never made a big deal about the content of these books and I have NEVER had a single complaint. In fact I have 30 copies of James and the Giant Peach and read it with my class every year.
Incidentally I can remember my elderly school librarian introducing me to the Judy Blume books in the early 80’s and my mother purposefully walking past protesters at a bookstore with me in tow.
I would agree that The BFG is MUCH to sophisticated for first grade but that would not be a reason to remove it from the school completely.
I think that people should understand that even though these books are "banned" it does not mean they don't appear in public schools. Most of the childrens' books on this list are not only in classrooms but in the school library. I have never had a school district, I have worked at three in two different states, tell teachers that they could not use a book.
Lulu
Is the missing book Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen??
DML East Branch (54 months ago | reply)
-quote-
Is the missing book Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen??
That's absolutely right! The reason that Cohen's book was left off was two-fold. The rpimary reason was that we just couldn't get a good high-resolution copy of the cover (finding a copy of the book was work enough!) and the second reason, I found out when setting up the image, was that there would only be room for 99 books (counting 3 double-wide kids books). So this is no way a way to exclude Cohen's extremely interesting book.
-quote-
I can’t imagine my library without Judy Blume, Maurice Sendak, Roald Dahl, Louis Sacher and even Heather has Two Mommies. I have never made a big deal about the content of these books and I have NEVER had a single complaint. In fact I have 30 copies of James and the Giant Peach and read it with my class every year.
...
I think that people should understand that even though these books are "banned" it does not mean they don't appear in public schools. Most of the childrens' books on this list are not only in classrooms but in the school library.
Very good point. All of these books are available in various formats still. True, you may not be able to find a true bound copy of The Anarchist Cookbook, but you can still access it online. Nearly all of these are still in your local public/school library. If not, well, just ask for them!
DML East Branch (53 months ago | reply)
This list is from the years 1990-2000. Given all the titles that are added as the years progress, do you see any major changes in the ALA's list for the next 10 years (2000-2010)? Give us your thoughts on what trends we might expect, or just make wild predictions!
Rawbert A. Wagner (52 months ago | reply)
I didn't see the Anarchist Cook Book in there
Oops, after enlarging, it's right there in the middle.
It's sad, I've read a lot of these books and I really do not see why they are banned. Even as projects for school, we had to re-do the covers of many of these books to give them a fresh take.
Just a Photography & Photos Lover (51 months ago | reply)
Wow!
writertabish.blogspot.com
Flosss (51 months ago | reply)
I live in an English speaking country and most of these books have been around me all my life and I made no special effort to get hold of them. I am a church going Christian. I am not promiscusous, or psychotic, or planning the downfall of western society. I am registered to vote and take an active role in my society (well, I spend a lot of time in the the pub, does that count!). ...and yet I have read 31 of these books.
I do think that had my Mum known what Judy Blume was writing about sex and puberty she might have stopped me reading them as a teenager! but that would her choice as my parent. Considering how important individual freedom is to the constitution how can US society allow the powers that be to take such a parental role and tell them what to read? Quite weird.
-Marlith- (50 months ago | reply)
Beautiful banner
sauj (50 months ago | reply)
An excellent response to the censorship of today.
DML East Branch (50 months ago | reply)
Did I happen to mention that you can get your own copy of our banner/flag in Second Life? It's true, just look me up Tad Little, and I'll send you a goodie bag with the flag in it.
jesse.millan (49 months ago | reply)
banning books is a sad business. I've read 13 of these
sauj (49 months ago | reply)
Is it possible to get a copy of this if you're not on Second Life... I'm not on second life...
samanthaa louisee (49 months ago | reply)
omg they banned judy blume books?
seriously!
they are sooo not worth being banned. i looove blubber!
and i mean i've read three of the books up there IN SCHOOL.
bridge to terabitha
a wrinkle in time
and to kill a mocking bird (my new favourite book)
i have read most of the ones up there
minus the sex ones. like the girls and sex book. never read it. dont want to.
DML East Branch (49 months ago | reply)
That's awesome that you've had the opportunity to read some of these amazing books in school. And as for not wanting to read some of the books on there, that's a personal choice. We all support your personal choice of what to read or not read. What's important is that you have the CHOICE - that there's no one telling you that you can't read those books. Keep up the reading!
-Kevin @ the East Branch
corynvall (49 months ago | reply)
I'm not american... but funny list though, just read 9 of them
Diverse Traverse (49 months ago | reply)
I've read about 11 or 12 of those, and plan on reading more.
but banning books is almost as bad as burning them.
and about half of those my school has on it's recommended reading list. It makes it seem like expanding your knowledge and having an open mind is a bad thing. And if someone tells me not to read a book, I would want to read it even more.
And kids need to know whats going on with puberity and such, how can books explaining it in a non scientific and easy to understand way be looked down on?
American Psycho is a tad 'mature,' but its still good literature.
I personally own like 300 books, and I cherish everyone, and just because I'm still in highschool doesn't mean other people need to be telling me what to read.
I'm also a faithful Church-goer, and reading books about Harry Potter, or magic or the devil wouldn't 'corrupt' me. I just want to expand my knowledge, and to me, being ignorant is worse than anything really.
Diverse Traverse (49 months ago | reply)
And I agree with DML- taking it off the shelves would make people go looking for it.
naomijuma.xxo25 (48 months ago | reply)
are those really banned book in the states?
If so then why is there Shel Silverstein because that I saw that one in the mall in Sterling Heights Michigan?
or is that only in some states?
DML East Branch (48 months ago | reply)
are those really banned book in the states?
If so then why is there Shel Silverstein because that I saw that one in the mall in Sterling Heights Michigan?
or is that only in some states?
Actually, no, nearly all of these books will be readily available in most communities. Each of these books have had groups attempt to remove them from local libraries, school libraries and entire communities. We're trying to raise awareness that even thoughone group or individual may have a personal reason for disliking a book, the community still has the right to read the book at will.
-Eric
Noel_Hynd_books (48 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Readers & Writers, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
{laura ashley} (47 months ago | reply)
i love this! I've read a lot of these books and based on appropriateness by age, I understand, but they all have serious academic value. Esp when used to discuss topics, not ban them and pretend they don't exist. But then again, I suppose that's a defining staple of our society...
gutsandgrace (46 months ago | reply)
should i be proud of how many of these i have read, own and can quote from memory? well, i am.
DML East Branch (46 months ago | reply)
should i be proud of how many of these i have read, own and can quote from memory? well, i am.
YES! You should definitely be proud that you've read many of these classics, many of these excellent pieces of literature, and even be proud of reading the "filth" (not my quote) that are Stephen King's books. Anytime you decide for yourself what appropriate reading is, you are making an excellent decision. It's when a concerned individual begins making that choice for everyone else that a poor decision is being made.
-Eric
Itstimmyyang (46 months ago | reply)
Wow, A Light in the Attic? That's silly. It's banned because of that poem about the girl who dies since she doesn't get a pony, not doing dishes, and stuff about supernatural junk. My high school banned the book "Whale Talk" because the parents didn't like that. Censorship is crazy sometimes...
DML East Branch (46 months ago | reply)
You're telling us Timothy! Chris Crutcher, the author of Whale Talk agrees with the sentiment that censorship is crazy. He even posted the banner (above) on his website last year, showing his support of intellectual freedom. :)
-Eric
ivybaby16 (46 months ago | reply)
What a shame...a whole new generation of children are going to miss out on so much...
Nikita! (45 months ago | reply)
Wow, I've read 21 of those.... Shel Silverstein is a fave, as is Toni Morrison. Judy Blume and Lois Lowry are amazing children's authors. Blume's book Anastasia Krupnik had a major impact on me as a child.
DML East Branch (45 months ago | reply)
Many of these are the books I read as a younger me as well. The first true piece of literature I read was Tom Sawyer, and I can remember just how easily I slipped into that world Twain created. It is part of what drove me to keep reading more challenging books. What amazes most of the people who see this list is the disproportionate number of books that are/were used as examples of exemplary literature in schools and other institutions.
At times it is almost too much to absorb!
-Eric
giantessfootlover (45 months ago | reply)
is the missing one " the Anarcists cook book" =)
DML East Branch (45 months ago | reply)
is the missing one " the Anarcists cook book" =)
Nope, You can find The Anarchist Cookbook in the 4th row, pretty close to center.
Someone has actually already figured out the answer to our riddle, if you're curious, you can see the answer HERE.
What are your guesses for the top 100 for 2000-2010 which will be released in a few short years?
grammy librarian (45 months ago | reply)
I've read at least eight of these books (kind of hard to read some of the titles, even after enlarging the image), all of which are great books and the list includes what may be my favorite book of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird.
People who try to censor books have such small minds.
faegirl (45 months ago | reply)
As a new library science student, I adore this and have set it as my background on my screen. Lovely idea!
Fer Jimenez (45 months ago | reply)
very interesting!
Hi! I am manager of a group called Books / books / books and we'd love to have this added to the group!