2014 Challenged Books Infographic
Out of 311 challenges recorded by the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF), the “Top Ten Most Challenged Books in 2014” are:
- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
Reasons: Anti-family, cultural insensitivity, drugs/alcohol/smoking, gambling, offensive language, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group, violence. Additional reasons: “depictions of bullying.” - Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi
Reasons: Gambling, offensive language, political viewpoint. Additional reasons: “politically, racially, and socially offensive,” “graphic depictions.” - And Tango Makes Three, Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Reasons: Anti-family, homosexuality, political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: “promotes the homosexual agenda.” - The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison
Reasons: Sexually explicit, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: “contains controversial issues.” - It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris
Reasons: Nudity, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group. Additional reasons: “alleges it [to be] child pornography.” - Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
Reasons: Anti-Family, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age group. - The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
Reasons: Offensive language, unsuited to age group, violence. - The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, homosexuality, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: “date rape and masturbation.” - A Stolen Life: A Memoir, Jaycee Dugard
Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age group. - Drama, by Raina Telgemeier
Reasons: Sexually explicit.
Understanding Book Challenges
Challenges by Institution 2014:
Public Library 38%, School Library 11%, School 36%, Other 15%
Challenges by Initiator:
- Board Member 1%
- Librarian 1%
- Religious organization 1%
- Politician or Elected Official 1%
- Clergy 2%
- Pressure group 2%
- Government Body 4%
- Administrator 6%
- Patron 23%
- Parent 35%
- Other 10%
Reasons for Challenges 2014:
- Abortion 1%
- Anti-Ethnic 1%
- Inaccurate 1%
- Sexism 1%
- Gangs 2%
- Occult Satanism 2%
- Political Viewpoint 2%
- Racism 2%
- Sex Education 2%
- Suicide 2%
- Cultural Insensitivity 3%
- Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking 5%
- Anti-Family 6%
- Homosexuality 6%
- Nudity 10%
- Offensive Language 23%
- Other Offensive Item 12%
- Religious Viewpoint 10%
- Violence 14%
- Unsuited For Age Group 21%
- Sexually Explicit 34%
Note: Most challenges include more than one reason.
Diverse Content in Top Ten Challenged Books 2005-2014:
- 2014: 8 of 10
- 2013: 5 of 10
- 2012: 5 of 10
- 2011: 4 of 10
- 2010: 5 of 10
- 2009: 4 of 10
- 2008: 5 of 10
- 2007: 6 of 10
- 2006: 5 of 10
- 2005: 4 of 10
Definition for diverse content from the work of Lalinda Lo: non-white main and/or secondary characters; LGBT main and/or secondary characters; disabled main and/or secondary characters; LGBT issues; issues about religion which encompass in this situation the Holocaust and terrorism; issues about disability and/or mental illness; non-Western settings, in which the West is North America and Europe.
References:
Statistics on challenged books compiled by the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom.
Definition for diverse content: Lo, Malinda. “Book Challenges Suppress Diversity.” Diversity in YA, September 18, 2014.
http://www.diversityinya.com/2014/09/book-challenges-suppress-diversity/
American Library Association State of America's Libraries Report 2015.
Learn more about the state of America's libraries at: http://ala.org/americas-libraries
Learn more about banned and challenged books at: http://ala.org/bbooks