100 Banned Books (51-60)

Check out the rest of the list at https://solonor.com/bannedbooks.php.

51
TITLE: A Light in the Attic
AUTHOR: Shel Silverstein
ISBN: 0060256737
Plot Summary: A collection of humorous poems and drawings for kids.
Complaints: Violence, unsuited to age
Challenged at the Fruitland Park Elementary School library in Lake County, Fla. (1993) because the book “promotes disrespect, horror, and violence.” According to the publisher, it’s been challenged because it “encourages children to break dishes so they won’t have to dry them.”
Solonor Says Ban It Because: If I knew I could get away with that stuff, I wouldn’t be the fine upstanding citizen I am today! This will lead to devolution. And what’s up with that Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show anyway? Drugged-out hippies.
Links:
Literary Relations


52
TITLE: Brave New World
AUTHOR: Aldous Huxley
ISBN: 0060929871
Plot Summary: “Community, Identity, Stability” That is the motto for Huxley’s future utopia. Pain is drugged out of existence. Babies are born to specification in test tubes. Everything is perfect…and perfectly dull…This novel from 1931 predicts much technology that our society struggles with today.
Complaints: Drugs, sex
Challenged as required reading in the Corona-Norco, Calif. Unified School District (1993) because it is “centered around negative activity.” Removed from classroom, Miller, Missouri, 1980. Challenged frequently throughout the U.S.
Solonor Says Ban It Because: It hits way too close to home. (Plus, it’s hard to read!)
Links:
Aldous Huxley: Brave New World

53
TITLE: Sleeping Beauty Trilogy
AUTHOR: A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
ISBN: 0452156610
Plot Summary: Erotic take on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, done in three volumes.
Complaints: Sexual themes
Banned by many public libraries as “pornography”.

Solonor Says Ban It Because: It’s just smut. Ms. Rice should stick to wholesome subjects, like vampires.
Links:
Anne Rice – Erotic Writings of

54
TITLE: Asking About Sex and Growing Up
AUTHOR: Joanna Cole
ISBN: 0833525174
Plot Summary: An illustrated question and answer book about sex, intended for pre-teens.
Complaints: Sexual themes, homosexuality
Banned in Graham school district, Texas.
Solonor Says Ban It Because: I’m getting tired of being snarky about banning sex books. They’re just information, people. You have to use your brain and teach your kids and trust that they will do so, as well.

55
TITLE: Cujo
AUTHOR: Stephen King
ISBN: 0451161351
Plot Summary: Cujo is a friendly old St. Bernard…until he goes down the rabbit hole and comes back as a foul demon from Hell…
Complaints: Violence
Banned in Graham school district, Texas.
Solonor Says Ban It Because: Scawy, scawy sit, man. Mom used to have a poodle that would attack us as we came out of the bathtub…painful memories…
Links:
Banned Book: Cujo, by Stephen King

56
TITLE: James and the Giant Peach
AUTHOR: Roald Dahl
ISBN: 0140374248
Plot Summary: Another Dahl children’s classic, wherein James escapes mistreatment at the hands of his two, evil aunts by running away with insects in a giant peach.
Complaints: Language, drugs, inappropriate for age
Challenged at the Deep Creek Elementary School in Charlotte Harbor, Fla. (1991) because it is “not appropriate reading material for young children.” Challenged at the Pederson Elementary School in Altoona, Wis. (1991) and at the Morton Elementary School library in Brooksville, Fla. (1992) because the book contains the word “ass” and “promotes” the use of drugs (tobacco, snuff) and whiskey. Removed from classrooms in Stafford County, Va. Schools (1995) and placed in restricted access in the library because the story contains crude language and encourages children to disobey their parents and other adults.
Solonor Says Ban It Because: Note to self–other kid books to ban for the same reasons:
‘Pinnocchio’, ‘The Wizard of Oz’, ‘Alice in Wonderland’, ‘Cinderella’, ‘Sleeping Beauty’, ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’…hell, why do we bother with that imagination crap anyway?
Links:
Lizard of Fun

57
TITLE: The Anarchist Cookbook
AUTHOR: William Powell
ISBN: 0962303208
Plot Summary: An encyclopedia of why’s and how-to’s on every illicit activity the author could think of, including drugs, espionage and weaponry.
Complaints: Language, drugs, inappropriate for age
From the author:Warning! Read this book, but keep in mind that the topics written about here are illegal and constitute a threat. Also, more importantly, almost all the recipes are dangerous, especially to the individual who plays around with them without knowing what he is doing. Use care, caution, and common sense. This book is not for children or morons.
Solonor Says Ban It Because: Most of the people that read this thing aren’t real anarchists. They’re doctors, lawyers and engineers with a desire to break out of their humdrum lives or college kids trying to be cool. No, it’s not a book to hand to every fifth grader. But if we ban books that don’t agree with the majority opinion, what happens if racists and fascists become the majority?
Links:
Anarchy for Anybody
Chuck’s Essay on the Anarchist Cookbook

58
TITLE: Boys and Sex
AUTHOR: Wardell Pomeroy
ISBN: 0385302509
Plot Summary: A book for sixth graders that discusses the physical, emotional, and ethical aspects of sex including such topics as pre-adolescent sex play, masturbation, homosexuality, dating and petting, intercourse and its consequences, and other related topics.
Complaints: Sex, inappropriate for age
Banned in 1990 in Black River Falls Wisconsin, in part because it dealt with homosexuality and masturbation. Four years later banned in Rangely Colorado for the same reasons.
Solonor Says Ban It Because: OK, so this one goes a little over the top with “sex is freedom” but it’s from 1968, what’d you expect?

59
TITLE: Ordinary People
AUTHOR: Judith Guest
ISBN: 0140065172
Plot Summary: From the Publisher–The Jarrets are a typical American family. Calvin is a determined, successful provider and Beth an organized, efficient wife. They had two sons, Conrad and Buck, but now they have one. In this memorable, moving novel, Judith Guest takes the reader into their lives to share their misunderstandings, pain…and ultimate healing.
Complaints: Suicide, sexual themese, obscene language
Called “obscene” and “depressing” and banned by Merrimack, NH High School, 1982.
Links:
LM and Censorship

60
TITLE: American Psycho
AUTHOR: Bret Easton Ellis
ISBN: 0679735771
Plot Summary: Pat Bateman is a 26-year-old Wall Street whiz kid by day–and brutal killer by night. This book digs into the depths of the killer’s mind (or madly satirizes the quick-fix, ‘Just say NO’ attitude of the 80’s, depending on your perspective).
Complaints: Violence, obscene language, sexual themes
Solonor Says Ban It Because: You HAVE to go to the first link! It is a riot. (And don’t forget to carefully read the Terms of Service…)
Links:
American Psycho Film, Banned!
American Psycho

NEXT: 100 Banned Books (61-70)

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5 Responses to 100 Banned Books (51-60)

  1. Katelyn says:

    Shel Silverstein?! I find it amazing how much shit people have to think up to complain about. They have WAY too much time on their hands and absolutely NO life! I’m sorry, I’m just a bit worked up about anyone trying to ban a book.

  2. Nessa says:

    Dude! James and the Giant Peach is my new exscuse for doing way too many drugs when I was a teen.

  3. Conner says:

    Man, most of these books are banned ’cause the people are homophobics, racists, people who read way too deep into a book. Half those books are put in the library so that teens understand what their bodies are goin through, it’s not ’bout sex. Though some books, I must admit are for porn stores. But still, think before you ban!!!

  4. Moltar says:

    American Psycho is the greatest book ever written by any man, alive or dead!
    It takes balls to write about a man who kills a woman by hooking a car battery to her nipples…then eating her. Or, shaving off a womans pubic hair and burning it. The book made me go a big rubbery one.

  5. Limmy says:

    I’m sorry people, but WHO THE HECK IS BANNING THESE BOOKS??? I bet they’ve never even opened the front cover of any of these books!

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