By Clare Duignan-Masterson, University Marketing and Communication
According to the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, below is a list of the top 10 most challenged books of 2015 and the reasons for their banishment. Good news, they’re all available at our own J. Willard Marriott Library.
“Looking for Alaska”
By John Green
Challenged: Offensive language, sexually explicit and unsuited for age group.
“Fifty Shades of Grey”
By E. L. James
Challenged: Sexually explicit, unsuited to age group and other (“poorly written,” “concerns that a group of teenagers will want to try it”).
“I Am Jazz”
By Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings
Challenged: Inaccurate, homosexuality, sex education, religious viewpoint and unsuited for age group.
“Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out”
By Susan Kuklin
Challenged: Anti-family, offensive language, homosexuality, sex education, political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, unsuited for age group and other (“wants to remove from collection to ward off complaints”).
“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”
By Mark Haddon
Challenged: Offensive language, religious viewpoint, unsuited for age group and other (“profanity and atheism”).
“The Holy Bible“
Challenged: Religious viewpoint
“Fun Home”
By Alison Bechdel
Challenged: Violence and other (“graphic images”)
“Habibi”
By Craig Thompson
Challenged: Nudity, sexually explicit and unsuited for age group.
“Nasreen’s Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan”
By Jeanette Winter
Challenged: Religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group and violence.
“Two Boys Kissing”
By David Levithan
Challenged: Homosexuality and other (“condones public displays of affection”)