Banned Books Week 2015

Artwork courtesy of the
American Library Association

A few weeks ago, while preparing for this post, I looked through the American Library Association's "Top Ten Frequently Challenged Books Lists of the 21st Century".  I focused my attention on the lists from the past 5 years or so and then picked a few of those frequently challenged books to share with you here. Some of these books are ones that I had read previously and others are books that were new to me, that I specifically read for this post. There was only one picture book listed (And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell), but I have already written about that one in a previous post, so the following are all books for older children and teens.

Middle-grade fiction:

Captain Underpants (series), 

written and illustrated by Dav Pilkey, 1997

George and Harold love to play pranks and also create their own comic books about super hero, Captain Underpants. However, their school principal Mr. Krupp does NOT appreciate the comic books or the boys' pranks. Finally, Mr. Krupp comes up with a plan to stop George and Harold's shenanigans. Unfortunately for him, the plan backfires in a most uproarious way!

I have seen this book (and the rest of the series) before -- and I've heard people talk about it -- but no one in our family had ever read it before I brought it home from the library last week. The other day I was sitting in my living room, reading the book and laughing out loud at some of the very silly humor inside. My ten-year-old Ben walked in to see what was going on -- apparently, the sight of his mother reading Captain Underpants was hilarious. He fell to the floor in a fit of giggling that lasted several minutes. :) I told him he should read the book when I was done. He did and the giggling resumed! We are both eager to read more books from the series and see what wackiness Captain Underpants gets up to next.

This series has been challenged due to offensive language, being unsuited for its age group, and violence.  I'm thinking that the people who want to ban it must have no sense of humor....

***

Bone (series),

written and illustrated by Jeff Smith, 1991

When three cousins (Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone) are run out of town, they get lost in the desert. A storm of locusts sweeps through, separates the cousins, and deposits them in a strange land. Soon the three find themselves in the middle of an epic adventure complete with dragons, rat creatures, and ghost circles.

At the beginning of this year, I committed myself to a set of book challenges that involves reading about 65 different books. Over the summer I asked friends and family for suggestions for a graphic novel so that I could complete one of the challenges. My daughter Emmalie (19) recommended Bone. She and my son Nick (16) had both read the series before and really liked it. I checked all 9 books out from the library -- then ended up "fighting" for each issue because all 3 of my kids decided to read (or reread) them, too! 

I'll admit, I was a bit skeptical about this story at first and wasn't sure it would be something I'd enjoy. I was wrong. Towards the end of the series, I could not put the books down. I just had to find out what would happen next. At the time I read it, I had no idea that it had ever been challenged and when I found it on the lists recently, I was surprised. I don't remember being at all concerned that my 10-year-old was reading it. (By the way, at our library this series can be found both in the juvenile section and the young adult section.)

 "Political viewpoint, racism, and violence" are the reasons cited for challenging this series.

***

Young adult fiction:

The Chocolate War,
written by Robert Cormier, 1974

Jerry Renault is a freshman at Trinity, a private Catholic school, with a poster in his locker that reads: Do I dare disturb the universe? Jerry begins disturbing his universe and making waves when he refuses to participate in the annual school fundraiser, selling chocolates. But then, when he challenges The Vigils (a secret society of bullies at school), his actions lead to all-out war.

This book has been around since I was a young girl, but I had never read it until this week. I found it to be a powerful, haunting book about the evil that can be found in the world. It reminded me somewhat of Lord of the Flies, which is another frequently challenged book that I reviewed here. Parts of the book made me uncomfortable -- but I believe that was Cormier's intention, and that we should feel uncomfortable about cruelty towards others.

This book has been challenged for the following reasons: nudity, offensive language, being sexually explicit and unsuited to its age group.

***

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,

written by Sherman Alexie,
with art by Ellen Forney, 2007

Junior is a young adolescent living on the Spokane Indian reservation. He loves to draw cartoons, he lives with a variety of medical issues, and is picked on by almost everyone. Determined to receive a good education, Junior decides to transfer to an all-white school in a nearby town where the only other Indian is the school mascot. Now considered a traitor by others on the reservation, he must learn to navigate a world that's very different from the one he calls home.

Nick was assigned this book for an English class back when he was a freshman. He read it, then told me that he found it "interesting" -- which is pretty high praise from a guy who normally only reads non-fiction. :) I decided to give it a try myself, and am very glad that I did. Alexie wrote this book beautifully, somehow managing to make it both funny and heart-breaking at the same time.

This book has a long list of reasons that it's been challenged for: being anti-family, cultural insensitivity, drugs/alcohol/smoking, gambling, offensive language, sex education, sexually explicit, being unsuited for its age group, violence, and depictions of bullying.

***

Looking for Alaska, 

written by John Green, 2005

Eager to escape a dull existence in Florida and seek his "Great Perhaps", Miles Halter (who has a fascination with famous last words) transfers to a boarding school in Alabama. Suddenly his boring life becomes anything but -- thanks mostly to a girl named Alaska who steals his heart.

This, his first novel, has been out for ten years now, but I only discovered John Green's works fairly recently. I am a big fan. I read Looking for Alaska about a year ago now, when I was systematically checking out book after book of his from the library. As he often does, Green weaves a tale here that not only made me laugh out loud but also wipe tears (many tears) from my eyes. The story is both silly and profound. It's hard to believe that a 200-page novel can contain so much truth about loss, suffering, and the meaning of life, but it does -- something I've come to expect with Green's writing.

Offensive language, being sexually explicit and unsuited for its age group are among the reasons cited for this novel being challenged.

***

The Perks of Being a Wallflower,

written by Stephen Chbosky, 1999 

Charlie is a freshman, a shy, socially awkward boy trying to navigate his way through high school. As the blurb on the cover of the book says, "Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor."

As a wallflower myself, I've been wanting to read this book for many years now. I finally had my chance this week. I found it to be a thought-provoking, poignant read and now I'm hoping to watch the movie sometime!

Some of the reasons why this book has been challenged over the years include homosexuality, drugs/alcohol/smoking, offensive language, being sexually explicit and unsuited for its age group.

***

The Hunger Games (trilogy)

written by Suzanne Collins, 2008

Frequently challenged for "anti-ethnic" and "anti-family" themes, insensitivity, offensive language, and violence, this series (one of my favorites!) was featured earlier on Blue Sky, Big Dreams in this post.

***

Have you read any of the challenged books above? If so, what did you think of them? What are some of your favorite challenged books?

If you're looking for more banned or challenged books to read, please check out the following links to some of my previous posts:

Banned Books Week 2011: Picture Books

Banned Books Week 2011: Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction

Banned Books Week 2012: Picture Books

Banned Books Week 2012: Middle Grade Books

Banned Books Week 2012: Young Adult Books

Interview with a BookWyrm: My Three BookWyrms

Photo courtesy of PublicDominPictures.net

When I decided to return to writing Blue Sky, Big Dreams earlier this month, I thought about which aspects of the blog I would like to keep: the poems, the word of the week, the book reviews, and more. I also did a lot of thinking about items that I wanted to add to the blog. One new piece that I am excited to implement is "Interview with a BookWyrm", where my readers can share photos of themselves (or their children) reading books and also answer a few questions about their own love of reading. I enjoy hearing about others' favorite books, authors, etc. -- and I'm hoping that you do, too! My plan is to share one or two of these interviews each month.

To kick off this new blog piece, I thought I would start with my own kiddos. (They are captive subjects, after all.) I took photos of each of them reading this week and then interviewed them individually. The questions and their answers are below:

Name: Emmalie

Age: 19

Do you have a favorite reading spot? My bed.

What kinds of books do you like to read? Usually either fantasy or non-fiction books about mythology, etc.

What kinds of things do you like to do when you're not reading? Art. I like to draw and paint. I don't do it at home too much, but I like pottery. And I took up sewing this summer. I also like writing, listening to music, and just sitting and talking to my friends online or in person.

Name three favorite books (or series): Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, and Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes

Who are your favorite authors? J.K. Rowling, Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Jonathan Stroud, Jim Butcher, J.R.R. Tolkien, Victor Hugo... the list goes on and on!

What book are you reading now? I just finished rereading the graphic novel Bone by Jeff Smith. I also recently finished another graphic novel, Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel. I'm currently between books because I'm working on art projects.

Name a book on your "to read" list: Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Other than the books you've already named, what book (or series) would you recommend to kids or young adults? The Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer. I like it because it's an original take on urban fantasy. Usually the fantasy realm and technology don't get along very well, but they do in these books. It's also a very funny and cleverly written series with a diverse cast of interesting characters!

***

Name: Nick

Age: 16

Do you have a favorite reading spot? Not really, no.

What kinds of books do you like to read? Non-fiction about animals, especially books that talk about conservation and endangered species.

What kinds of things do you like to do when you're not reading? Spend time outside. I also like cooking, gardening, and volunteering at the forest preserve.

Name three favorite books (or series): Encyclopedia of Animals [by Johnathan Elphik], The Atlas of Global Conservation: Changes, Challenges, and Opportunities to Make a Difference [by Jonathan Hoekstra, Michael Jennings, Carmen Revenga, Mark D. Spalding, and Jennifer L. Molnar], and Cows Save the Planet: And Other Improbable Ways of Restoring Soil to Heal the Earth [by Judith D. Schwartz and Gretel Ehrlich]

Who are your favorite authors? I don't have a favorite non-fiction author.  For fiction, Rick Riordan and Eoin Colfer.

What book are you reading now? Let the Lions Roar!: The Evolution of Brookfield Zoo [by Andrea Friederici Ross]

Name a book on your "to read" list: The book I'll be reading next is In Search of Lost Frogs: The Quest to Find the World's Rarest Amphibians [by Robin Moore].

Other than the books you've already named, what book (or series) would you recommend to kids or young adults? For young kids: Feeding Time at the Zoo [by Sherry Shahan]. I used to read it over and over again. I loved the pictures!

***

Name: Ben

Age: Almost 10

Do you have a favorite reading spot? The couch

What kinds of books do you like to read? Adventure, fantasy, and comic books

What kinds of things do you like to do when you're not reading? Play outside with my friends, ride my bike, build with Legos, and draw my own mazes

Name three favorite books (or series): Bone [by Jeff Smith], all the Calvin & Hobbes books [by Bill Watterson], and The City of Ember [by Jeanne DuPrau]

Who are your favorite authors? I don't really pay attention to the names of the authors....

What book are you reading now? The 6th Bone book and Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy [by Karen Foxlee]

Name a book on your "to read" list: The second Magic Thief book [Lost by Sarah Prineas]

Other than the books you've already named, what book (or series) would you recommend to other kids? The Harry Potter books [by J.K. Rowling], the Percy Jackson books [by Rick Riordan], and the Peter and the Starcatchers books [by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson] are all awesome series for kids!

***

Do you have young BookWyrms in your home? Or maybe you are a young BookWyrm yourself? I am looking for volunteers 18 and under (or parents, volunteering their children!) to feature in "Interview with a BookWyrm". If you are interested, please message me on the Blue Sky, Big Dreams Facebook page. I will send you a list of the interview questions which you can fill out at your leisure and then return to me along with a photo of your child (or yourself) reading. (The BookWyrm's face does not need to show in the picture and I will only share the first name or first initial of the BookWyrm, depending on your preference. I respect your privacy and safety.)

To show my appreciation for your participation, I will send each interviewed BookWyrm a handmade bookmark. (It won't necessarily be handmade by me -- I'm not able to do much with my right arm at the moment -- but my daughter has agreed to make some for me and I also have many crafty friends. :) )

Books That Go Bump In the Night

Photo courtesy of PublicDomainPictures.net

I don't think that I'm a particularly brave person.  I'm scared of storms and fire and flying and speaking in front of strangers. (Heck, I'm scared of speaking in front of people that I know!)  However, I love spine-tingling books and movies.  When I know that I'm safe, that what I'm reading or seeing on screen isn't real, I love that feeling of suspense, of goosebumps and my hair standing on end.  I've read several chilling tales this month, and thought I'd share them here for older kids and adults who share my affinity for the horror genre.  (Please note: Not all of the books below are actually classified as "horror".)

I'll start you out with some haunting poetry:

Halloween ABC,

written by Eve Merriam

and illustrated by Lane Smith, 1987

You may wonder why I'm sharing an ABC book in a post for middle grade and young adult readers.  I decided to include it here instead of mentioning it in my post about Halloween picture books because I feel some of Merriam's poems might be too spooky for young children.  Older children and teens (and adults!) who enjoy a good scare, however, will appreciate her poetry, along with Smith's dark illustrations.

I wrote more about this book in a previous post, which can be seen here.

***

The Whispering Room:

Haunted Poems,

chosen by Gillian Clarke

and illustrated by Justin Todd, 1996

This anthology contains both classical and contemporary poetry, including that of Carl Sandburg, Lilian Moore, William Shakespeare, Emily Bronte, Marchette Chute, and Jack Prelutsky.  Subjects range from ghosts and the bogeyman to a dark, dark wood to the Titanic to the wind.

***

Witch Poems,

edited by Daisy Wallace

and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman, 1976

A collection of eighteen poems about witches, this book includes the work of e.e. cummings, Karla Kuskin, James Reeves, Myra Cohn Livingston, and more.  Along with the poetry, each two-page spread also features deliciously eerie black and white illustrations by Hyman.

I first noticed this book on the library shelf several months ago, but didn't pick it up until earlier this month.  When I finally started flipping through it and reading the poems, I knew I wanted to bring it home and read it over and over again.  A reviewer on Amazon called this book "creepy-crawly" (in a good way), and I have to agree.  It's perfect for reading aloud on Halloween or any time you want to scare up some fun!

***

If you're in the mood for something that will make you shiver but don't have time to read a longer book, I suggest trying one of these compilations of short stories:

More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,

collected from folklore and retold by Alvin Schwartz,

and illustrated by Stephen Gammell, 1984

Many of the stories in this book were already familiar to me. I'd heard versions of them when I was younger, at slumber parties and Girl Scout camp.  Schwartz collected the tales from folklore and then wrote them down in his own words. Most of the stories are only two or three pages long, so they make for a quick read.

My favorite parts of this book were the ghoulish illustrations by Gammell -- in my opinion, they are much scarier than the stories themselves.

***

Fear: 13 Stories of Suspense and Horror,

edited by R. L. Stine, 2010

R. L. Stine, author of the Goosebumps and Fear Street series, put together this anthology of thirteen short stories by different authors including Meg Cabot, Jennifer Allison, and Walter Sorrells.  (Stine also contributed a story of his own.) While each offers moments of terror and suspense, the plots of the stories vary widely-- from the disappearances of humans on a distant planet to a school shooter and his victims to a portal into a shadowy world.

***

The Oxford Book of Scary Tales,

selected by Dennis Pepper

and illustrated by many, 1992

This book contains 35 stories and poems, both classic and contemporary, representing a wide variety of cultures and traditions.  Many authors are featured, including James Kirkup, Grace Hallworth, and Robert Scott.  I thoroughly enjoyed the whole book, but my favorite entries were the poem "This is the key to the castle" by Dave Calder and the story "Tiger in the Snow" by Daniel Wynn Barber, which literally gave me goosebumps!

***

The House of Dies Drear,

written by Virginia Hamilton

and illustrated by Eros Keith, 1969

Thirteen-year-old Thomas and his family move to Ohio, to a Civil War-era home which used to be a station on the Underground Railroad.  Filled with secret doors and tunnels, the house is supposedly haunted by the ghosts of the abolitionist Dies Drear and two runaway slaves who were murdered there.  When strange things begin happening, Thomas starts to think there really are ghosts in his new home.

This book was required reading for my kids Emmalie and Nick in elementary school (5th or 6th grade, I believe).  I remember both of them talking about it at the time, and when I spotted it at the library awhile ago, I decided to read it myself.  More a mixture of history and mystery than a horror story, the book does still have an aura of spookiness about it, with a dash of suspense thrown in as well.

***

Eddie: 

The Lost Youth of Edgar Allan Poe,

written and illustrated by Scott Gustafson, 2011

Young Edgar Allan Poe (Eddie) is falsely accused of destroying his neighbor's chicken coop.  With the help of his raven, an imp named McCobber, and the magician Captain Mephisto, Eddie tries to solve the mystery and find the true culprit.  Though the story is fictional, Gustafson does offer quite a bit of factual information about the real Edgar Allan Poe.  He also provides several pages of stunning artwork that illustrate his story.

I found this to be a cleverly written book, a quick read that kept me engaged.  While the tale has a gothic feel, as well as moments of suspense, it also contains a healthy dose of humor.

***

The Graveyard Book,

written by Neil Gaiman

and illustrated by Dave McKean, 2008

When a man named Jack murders a family, he inadvertently leaves one survivor -- a young toddler.  The boy escapes from his home and ends up in a nearby graveyard.  Ghostly residents there adopt the boy, naming him Nobody (aka Bod).  They raise him in the graveyard, where Bod learns all about the living and the dead.  Now a teenager, Bod finds himself in danger from the man Jack who is still hunting him.

As Gaiman himself says, this story was inspired by Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, only instead of being raised by wolves, Bod is brought up by ghosts.  I thought this was an interesting plot idea, and Gaiman succeeds in mixing the macabre with humor and fantasy to create an engrossing book.

***

Looking for a quirky and frightfully funny book series?  Try this one:

May Bird and the Ever After,

written by Jodi Lynn Anderson

and illustrated by Leonid Gore, 2005

Ten-year-old May Bird lives near the woods of Briery Swamp, a place where several different people have mysteriously disappeared over the years.  She's considered an oddball at school and her only friend is her pet cat, Somber Kitty.  One day May finds a letter from 1951 that is somehow addressed to her.  The letter leads her on a quest -- into Briery Swamp and then to the land of Ever After, where people go after they die.  There she encounters ghosts, ghouls, the Boogeyman, and the evil Bo Cleevil, all the while trying to get back home again.

May Bird Among the Stars, 2006

May Bird is still alive... and still stuck in the Afterlife.  She is torn between going home to her mother (if she can ever figure out how to get back) and saving her friends in Ever After from the evil Bo Cleevil.

May Bird Warrior Princess, 2007

May Bird is finally back on Earth and famous for having survived "the land of the dead".  She feels out of place, however, and finds herself missing those she left behind in Ever After.  When she returns to the Afterlife, she discovers that much has changed (for the worse) in her absence.  Can she save Ever After -- and Earth itself -- from Bo Cleevil?

Though this series is filled with ghosts and otherworldly creatures, and it does have an eerie quality about it, the thing I liked most about it was Anderson's dark, tongue-in-cheek humor and the way she pokes fun at popular culture.  I laughed out loud many times while reading these books!

***

The Crowfield Curse,
written by Pat Walsh, 2010

An orphan in the winter of 1347, fourteen-year-old William works as a servant at a monastery.  While out gathering firewood, he discovers a hobgoblin caught in a trap.  William saves its life and learns that only people with the Sight can see hobgoblins.  Soon the boy is caught up in a mystery involving dead angels, evil curses, a haunted hollow, and creatures of the fay -- and danger looms ever closer.

I found this to be an intriguing, spooky story, filled with suspense and enchanting characters.

Walsh has written a sequel to this book, The Crowfield Demon (2011).  Our library doesn't have a copy of it yet, but I am on the waiting list to read it when it arrives.

***

Anya's Ghost,
written and illustrated by Vera Brosgol, 2011

This young adult graphic novel shows readers the life of high school student Anya, a Russian immigrant who is trying to be more "American" and fit in with the other teens at school. One day she accidentally stumbles down a deep hole in a park.  While trapped there, she encounters a ghost named Emily, who died in 1918.  When Anya is rescued from the hole, Emily follows, offering to be her friend and give her advice to succeed in life.  After awhile, Anya discovers that Emily may have ulterior (and sinister) motives for helping her....

This is only the second graphic novel that I've ever read.  It took a little while to get used to because of that.  There really is a difference between reading a regular novel and reading a graphic novel.  However, once I adjusted to that, I found Brosgol's story entertaining.  It pulled me in right away and kept me eagerly flipping pages.  

Just a note:  At first glance, the "comic book look" to this novel may make it seem like it's a story for middle grade readers -- but it's not.  Some of the content and situations presented are much more suitable for older teens and adults.

***

Finally, for those who are eager to be scared over and over again, here is an entire horror series that I highly recommend.  I found this series in our library's section for middle grade readers, but if it were up to me, I think I'd put them in the young adult section.  I'm pretty sure these books would've given me nightmares if I'd read them when I was 9 or 10:

The Last Apprentice:

Revenge of the Witch,

written by Joseph Delaney
and illustrated by Patrick Arrasmith, 2004

Twelve-year-old Thomas is the seventh son of a seventh son. When he is apprenticed to Mr. Gregory, a Spook whose job is to fight evil spirits and witches around the County, Thomas foresees a lonely, dangerous life ahead of him.  He does not expect to face a powerful enemy, Madame Malkin, on his own and so soon after leaving his home.  Despite warnings from the Spook, Thomas befriends Alice, the young daughter of a witch family.  Will she help him?  Or betray him?

The Last Apprentice:
Curse of the Bane (2005)

Thomas and the Spook travel to Priestown on unfinished business. A terrifying, vicious monster called the Bane has been imprisoned deep in the catacombs of the town's cathedral. Though it has been unable to break free to roam the land, the Bane can reach out with its thoughts, controlling the minds and actions of the town's inhabitants.  As if Thomas and the Spook didn't have enough to worry about, they must also evade another enemy in Priestown, the Quisitor -- a man who pursues and executes anyone suspected of witchcraft or being too close to the Dark.  Now the Quisitor is on the hunt for the Spook, who is high on his list.

The Last Apprentice:
Night of the Soul Stealer (2006)

Thomas and the Spook travel to Anglezarke, Mr. Gregory's bleak and desolate winter home.  There Thomas meets Meg, a lamia witch who doesn't remember what she is, and hears rumors of a barbaric beast called Golgath.  He also encounters Morgan, one of the Spook's former apprentices.  Morgan hates Mr. Gregory and, since leaving his employ, has learned necromancy (communication with the dead).  Now Morgan hopes to use his new powers -- and Thomas -- to unleash a malevolent spirit on the County.

I have really been impressed so far by Delaney's writing.  The story is chilling -- it has kept me on the edge of my seat through all three books.  The characters are well-developed and Delaney manages to weave several different plot lines together to create an interesting story with many twists and turns.  Arrasmith's illustrations lend a creepiness to the story, as well.

Other books in this series include Attack of the Fiend (2007), Wrath of the Bloodeye (2008), Clash of the Demons (2009), Rise of the Huntress (2010), Rage of the Fallen (2011),  Grimalkin, the Witch Assassin (2011), Lure of the Dead (2012),and Slither (2012).  I just started reading Attack of the Fiend yesterday, and plan to read through the entire series.  I can't wait to see what happens to Thomas, Alice, the Spook, and the others....

***

For even more spooky stories, please check out my post from last year, Oh, the horror!

Do you like reading scary books?  If so, what are some of your favorites?  I'm always on the lookout for book recommendations!