I love this story. This is 'Banned Books Week' in the US. You would think they would need a month to highlight all the books taken off shelves by illiterate hillbilly mouth breathers. Which book to you think would be the most banned book across America? One about how to build a homemade pipe bomb? No. With all the troubles on this magnificent planet of ours, THIS is the most banned book this year because the good Lord knows we can't have our precious little snowflakes co-opted by the gay penguin agenda.
"According to the ALA, there were more than 500 "challenges" to specific books in schools, stores, and libraries reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom in 2008.And probably many, many more that went unreported. And Tango Makes Three was apparently the biggest target. It's a true story about a same-sex penguin couple in New York's Central Park Zoo who were given an egg to raise."
This is the list of the top ten banned books. See if you can see what they have in common. Maybe if kids got the chance to read about human sexuality they wouldn't be so surprised to find themselves having babies while still teenagers. I can guarantee you that any of these books that are over 100 pages haven't even been READ in their entirety by those seeking to have them banned. Just scanned with a highlighter to find all the naughty words.
"1. And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Reasons: anti-ethnic, anti-family, homosexuality, religious viewpoint, and unsuited to age group
2. His Dark Materials trilogy, by Philip Pullman
Reasons: political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, and violence
3. TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series), by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
4. Scary Stories (series) , by Alvin Schwartz
Reasons: occult/satanism, religious viewpoint, and violence
5. Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya
Reasons: occult/satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, and violence
6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: drugs, homosexuality, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, suicide, and unsuited to age group
7. Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily von Ziegesar
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
8. Uncle Bobby's Wedding, by Sarah S. Brannen
Reasons: homosexuality and unsuited to age group
9. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
10. Flashcards of My Life, by Charise Mericle Harper
Reasons: sexually explicit and unsuited to age group"
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5 comments:
Calvin: Great post. I work at a library, and we have set up a Banned Books display in honor of the week. Many of the books you mention are part of that display. Our most common response so far, from staff and patrons alike, has been: "This book was banned?" -- Mykal
How great a job is working at a library? Am I right? Did the gay penguin lovers book make your list? Do you guys have a library cat? Do you ever just take the magazines home to read them?
Cal: In the world of jobs, it's pretty great! The gay penguins did make the list (you would be suprised at the number of YA and childrens' books that are challanged for promoting a gay lifestyle, although anti-gay groups seem to be catching on not to do that as it makes them look comical if not downright stupid).
We do not have an official library cat, but my cat, Bad Jerome (whom you have met), has become very popular with the staff, due to my stories. About once a month I bring him in (one of the staff is very good at trimming his claws, which I suck at) and he really gets the royal pass arouind treatment from the staff. You can imgagine how he revels in that.
No to the magazine question. As for the staff, well, I turn a blind eye. -- Mykal
This just burns my waffles! Grrrrrr Who has the right to ban a kid's book about gay penguins? Children have a right to know there are other options and that there is no problem with being gay! ROWL GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE WORD VERIFICATION IS: tolistov!!!!
This is unbelievable.
What is also unbelievable is
A) His Dark Materials is banned - that is one awesome series, man!
B) Gossip Girl is banned but there is a TV show
The Kite Runner is definitely not a kids book AT ALL. It's definitely an adult book and I don't understand why it would be in schools. But banned? No.
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