ALA Banned Books Week 2010 Highlights Top 10 Banned Graphic Novels
The American Library Association (ALA) is currently marking Banned Books Week 2010. Banned Books Week is “the only national celebration of the freedom to read. It was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. More than a thousand books have been challenged since 1982. The challenges have occurred in every state and in hundreds of communities. ”
Each year, the American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom receives hundreds of reports on book challenges, which are formal written requests to remove a book from a library or classroom because of an objection to the book’s content.
In an article in the Huffington Post the ALA has listed the top 10 graphic novels that have faced removal, and the reasons for removal.
The 10 books featured in the piece are:
- Absolute Sandman, by Neil Gaiman - Reasons: Anti-Family, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
- Blankets, by Craig Thompson - Reasons: Sexually Explicit content, Other (unspecified)
- Bone (series), by Jeff Smith - Reasons: Sexually Explicit content, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs
- Fun Home, by Alison Bechdel - Reasons: Sexually Explicit Content
- Maus, by Art Spiegelman -Reason: Anti Ethnic
- Pride of Baghdad, by Brian Vaughn - Reasons: Sexually Explicit Content
- Tank Girl, by Alan Martin & Jamie Hewlitt - Reasons: Nudity and Violence
- The Dark Knight Strikes Again, by Frank Miller - Reasons: Sexually Explicit Content
- The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier, by Alan Moore & Kevin O’Neill - Reasons: Nudity, Sexually Explicit Content and Unsuited to Age Group
- Watchmen, by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons - Reasons: Unsuited to Age Group
For a complete list of challenged and banned books please visit www.ala.org/bbooks. You may also visit BannedBooksWeek.org, become a fan on Facebook or follow the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom at @oif on Twitter (hash tag #bannedbooksweek) to learn more!
Related posts:
- Douglas Wolk Highlights Select Graphic Novels from 2009 for the New York Times
- Boom! Studios Titles Nominated For 2010 Great Graphic Novels For Teens List
- The Essential Upcoming Comics and Graphic Novels of 2010
- The Young Adult Library Association Picks its 2010 Greatest Graphic Novels for Teens
- Boom! Studios’ Cthulhu Tales Vol. 2 Wins 2010 Great Graphic Novels For Teens Award
So, where was the sexually explicit content in Bone?
Don’t ask me! Quite frankly, I think the people who put it on the list must be insane. I’d happily give Bone to a child… erm, that doesn’t sound right…
Wow.bones is a banned book?I <3 bones!!I'm currently working on an essay about banned books apparently Bridge to Terabithia is banned becuase imagination is "bad."