read all of the books on the ALA's list of 100 most frequently challenged books of 1990-2000

omg. did i actually say that?

really, i’m so tired of reading the books i should read. i’m going to read the books i want to read… when i get a break from reading all those books i “should” read.
stupid college.

I didn’t want to read all those Stephen King books.

The List:
http://www.listsofbests.com/list/33/compare/Kamyra

Six books down, 94 to go. :)

1. Of Mice and Men
2. Bridge to Terabithia (I LOVED this book. I read it in 4th grade.)
3. Go Ask Alice (6th grade. I’m a rebel, I know.)
4. To Kill a Mockingbird
5. Flowers for Algernon
6. Harry Potter and the Camber of Secrets

Hey, I totally read To Kill a Mockingbird in school. Didn’t realize that was on here.

I went to Borders a few weeks ago and read several of the shorter books on the list:
2. Daddy’s Roommate
9. Heather Has Two Mommies
27. The Stupids (I bought and read 3 of the 4)
35. What’s Happening to My Body? Book for Girls : A Growing Up Guide for Parents and Daughters (read through it, not really a “reading book”)
58. What’s Happening to My Body? Book for Boys : A Growing Up Guide for Parents and Sons (read through it, not really a “reading book”)
77. Mommy Laid an Egg

The list of these books is below. Anything in bold I have read. Anything in italics I have no interest in reading at this time.
13. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
14. The Giver by Lois Lowry
15. It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
16. Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
17. A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
18. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
19. Sex by Madonna
20. Earth’s Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
21. The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
22. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
23. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
24. Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
25. In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
26. The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
27. The Witches by Roald Dahl
28. The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
29. Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
30. The Goats by Brock Cole
31. Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
32. Blubber by Judy Blume
33. Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
34. Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
35. We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
36. Final Exit by Derek Humphry
37. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
38. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
39. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
40. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
41. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
42. Beloved by Toni Morrison
43. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
44. The Pigman by Paul Zindel
45. Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
46. Deenie by Judy Blume
47. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
48. Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden (GREAT BOOK!)
49. The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
50. Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
51. A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
52. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
53. Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
54. Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
55. Cujo by Stephen King
56. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
57. The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
58. Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
59. Ordinary People by Judith Guest
60. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
61. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
62. Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
63. Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
64. Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
65. Fade by Robert Cormier
66. Guess What? by Mem Fox
67. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
68. The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
69. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
70. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
71. Native Son by Richard Wright
72. Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies by Nancy Friday
73. Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
74. Jack by A.M. Homes
75. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
76. Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
77. Carrie by Stephen King (don’t like scary books)
78. Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
79. On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
80. Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
81. Family Secrets by Norma Klein
82. Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
83. The Dead Zone by Stephen King
84. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
85. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
86. Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
87. Private Parts by Howard Stern88. Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford
89. Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
90. Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
91. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
92. Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
93. Sex Education by Jenny Davis
94. The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
95. Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
96. How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
97. View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
98. The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
99. The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
100. Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

1. Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
 2. Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite
 3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
 4. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
 5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
 6. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck7. Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
 8. Forever by Judy Blume
 9. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
10. Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
11. Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
12. My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

Some of the ones I didn’t mark I don’t know if I’ll read or not. This goal ties in with my goal of reading two books a month too. So I’m gonna TRY to read each of these books. Will update once I read each time I read one of these books.

14. The Giver by Lois Lowry
27. The Witches by Roald Dahl

I loved both of these books. The Giver touched my soul (I followed up with Gathering Blue – not as good) and The Witches made me laugh. I can only imagine that these books are challenged by people with no imagination and boring lives. I certainly intend to read Roald Dahl books to my (unconceived) children and point them to the Lois Lowry section of the library.

Don’t tell me what I can’t read!

I cannot for the life of me figure out why this one would be challenged. All I can discover is it is challenged for “offensive language”. Cause you know, no 11 or 12 year old has ever heard damn, which is about the worst thing I could find.

Vernon Dibbs is one of 5 children being raised by their father after their mother’s death. The Dibbs family lives in a rundown neighborhood in Baltimore. In their neighborhood is a duplex in habited by a retired teacher and an alchoholic with a retarded son. As the story goes on Vernon is tutored by the retired teacher and to repay her helps out the mother and son.

This intense story shows great character development, and insight into types of people many kids may never know. I plan to recommend this book to several of my students.

25. In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak

I have now read this one. It is banned because there are several illustrations of the little boy’s penis. It looks like a finger sticking out between his legs, but it is there none-the-less.

On to more intriging books.

The following is a list of the 100 most frequently challenged books from 1990-2000, as recorded by the ALA. I bolded the books I have read – nearly all of them before the age of 16. I have also marked the books I plan to read. There are a few I have NO interest in. I suspect some of the sex and growing up books I haven’t read, and haven’t marked, I will read with/for one of my (as yet unconceived) children. I am sorry haven’t read more than I have, but I am going to change that.

Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz-
Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite-
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou-
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain-
Of Mice and Men by John SteinbeckHarry Potter (Series) by J.K. RowlingForever by Judy BlumeBridge to Terabithia by Katherine PatersonAlice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor-
Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman-
My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier-
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger-
The Giver by Lois Lowry-
It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris-
Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine-, one or 2
A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton PeckThe Color Purple by Alice Walker-
Sex by Madonna
Earth’s Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel – first 3 The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine PatersonA Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’EngleGo Ask Alice by Anonymous Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers-
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak-
The Stupids (Series) by Harry AllardThe Witches by Roald Dahl-
The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry – most The Goats by Brock ColeKaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane-
Blubber by Judy BlumeKilling Mr. Griffin by Lois DuncanHalloween ABC by Eve Merriam-
We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier-
Final Exit by Derek Humphry-
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood-
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George-
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison-
What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee-
Beloved by Toni MorrisonThe Outsiders by S.E. Hinton-
The Pigman by Paul Zindel-
Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard-
Deenie by Judy BlumeFlowers for Algernon by Daniel KeyesAnnie on my Mind by Nancy Garden-
The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar-
Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz-
A Light in the Attic by Shel SilversteinBrave New World by Aldous Huxley-
Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
Cujo by Stephen King-
James and the Giant Peach by Roald DahlThe Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
Ordinary People by Judith Guest-
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis-
What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy BlumeCrazy Lady by Jane Conly-
Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher-
Fade by Robert Cormier-
Guess What? by Mem Fox-
The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende-
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut-
Lord of the Flies by William GoldingNative Son by Richard Wright-
Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies by Nancy Friday
Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen-
Jack by A.M. Homes-
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya-
Where Did I Come From? by Peter MayleCarrie by Stephen King-
Tiger Eyes by Judy BlumeOn My Honor by Marion Dane BauerArizona Kid by Ron Koertge-
Family Secrets by Norma Klein-
Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole-
The Dead Zone by Stephen King-
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain-
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison-
Always Running by Luis Rodriguez-
Private Parts by Howard Stern
Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene-
Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman-
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett-
Running Loose by Chris Crutcher-
Sex Education by Jenny Davis-depends
The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene-
Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas RockwellView from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts-
The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder-
The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier-