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It’s Banned Books week and we are celebrating our freedom to read! Did you know the Harry Potter books were challenged? It’s true! So was the Bible. And even Shel Silverstein’s A Light in the Attic! Many of the most frequently banned books are, or go on to become, celebrated classics because they address very real issues of their times. Reading banned books not only celebrates reading, it promotes acceptance and openness to new ideas, and widens your world view, too.
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Harry Potter series
by J. K. Rowling
Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Banned and forbidden from discussion for referring to magic and witchcraft, for containing actual curses and spells, and for characters that use “nefarious means” to attain goals
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Skippyjon Jones
by Judith Byron Schachner
A mischievous Siamese kitten named Skippyjon Jones transforms himself into the legendary Spanish sword fighter Skippito when he is banished to his room, in a hilarious picture book that celebrates the power of imagination. Challenged for depicting stereotypes of Mexican culture.
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The adventures of Captain Underpants
by Dav Pilkey
When George and Harold hypnotize their principal into thinking that he is the superhero Captain Underpants, he leads them to the lair of the nefarious Dr. Diaper, where they must defeat his evil robot henchmen. The series has been challenged because it is perceived as encouraging disruptive behavior.
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A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo
by Marlon Bundo
Meet Marlon Bundo, a lonely bunny who lives at the Naval Observatory with his Grandpa, the Vice President of the United States. Challenged for concerns that it is “designed to pollute the morals of its readers,” and for not including a content warning
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Where the wild things are
by Maurice Sendak
First published in 1963, Where the Wild Things Are tells the story of a naughty little boy named Max who sails to the land of the Wild Things to become their king. The title has been thought to be too dark and possibly traumatizing for young readers.
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To kill a mockingbird
by Harper Lee
The explosion of racial hate and violence in a small Alabama town is viewed by a little girl whose father defends a black man accused of rape. Considered an American classic, this book has been challenged and banned because of depictions of violence and use of racial slurs.
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Roll of thunder, hear my cry
by Mildred D Taylor
A black family living in Mississippi during the Depression of the 1930s is faced with prejudice and discrimination which its children do not understand. Frequently challenged for offensive language.
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The Handmaid's Tale
by Margaret Atwood
Offred, a Handmaid, describes life in what was once the United States, now the Republic of Gilead, a shockingly repressive and intolerant monotheocracy, in a satirical tour de force set in the near future. Banned and challenged for profanity and for “vulgarity and sexual overtones”
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The kite runner
by Khaled Hosseini
This title traces the period between the final days of Afghanistan's monarchy through the horrific rule of the Taliban and follows the unlikely friendship between a wealthy Afghan boy and the son of his father's servant. Challenged and banned due to depictions of sexual violence and was thought to "promote Islam".
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13 reasons why
by Jay Asher
When Clay Jensen receives a box containing thirteen cassette tapes recorded by his classmate Hannah, who committed suicide, he spends the night crisscrossing their town, listening to Hannah's voice recounting the events leading up to her death. Banned, challenged and restricted for the topic of teen suicide.
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