SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Pearl's & Ruby's
  • Politics in Practice
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • *Best New Books*
    • Annual Best Lists
  • Reviews
    • One Star Review
    • Nonfiction
    • Toon Reviews
  • Articles
    • Authors
    • Link Du Jour
  • Covers
    • Covering the Newbery
    • Cover Curiosity
    • Unfortunate Covers
  • News
    • Books on Film
    • Morning Notes
  • Newsletter

April 12, 2011 by Travis Jonker

ALA Most Frequently Challenged Books 2010

April 12, 2011 by Travis Jonker   4 comments

It’s a little known fact that most librarians mark the beginning of spring not by the first bloom, but by the release of the American Library Association’s most frequently challenged book list. Nothing says rebirth like a fresh batch of books that some people think should never have been born. Let’s take a look at the top five:

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

1. “And Tango Makes Three” by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson

Reasons: Homosexuality, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group

2. “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie

Reasons: Offensive language, Racism, Sex Education, Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group, Violence

3. “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley

Reasons: Insensitivity, Offensive Language, Racism, Sexually Explicit

4. “Crank” by Ellen Hopkins

Reasons: Drugs, Offensive Language, Sexually Explicit

5. “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins

Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group, Violence

Click here to see the rest of the list at the ALA website.

Other than And Tango Makes Three (which returns to the top spot after a year at #2), the top five is all new.

(Top Image: ‘Untitled‘ http://www.flickr.com/photos/hatchergraduatelibrary/5062954986/)


Join 2,000+ librarians! Subscribe to my newsletter on Substack

SUBSCRIBE

Filed under: Articles

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments

About Travis Jonker

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

A Fuse #8 Production

Don’t Skip the Thought: A Rialto Discussion with Kate Milford

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

The British Are Coming | Preview

by Brigid Alverson

Heavy Medal

Early May Update: Our list of possible Newbery contenders according to Heavy Medal readers

by Steven Engelfried

Politics in Practice

From Policy Ask to Public Voice: Five Layers of Writing to Advance School Library Policy

by John Chrastka

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Post-It Note Reviews: Oops, all graphic novels!

by Amanda MacGregor

The Yarn

N. West Moss Visits The Yarn to Talk Birdy

by Colby Sharp

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Charlotte says

    April 12, 2011 at 6:01 pm

    I am about to check out Tango Makes Three. I hope my children and I survive.

  2. Amanda (A Bookshelf Monstrosity) says

    April 12, 2011 at 6:23 pm

    The Hunger Games? Seriously? That’s pretty sad…

  3. Nan says

    April 19, 2011 at 9:04 am

    “And Tango Makes Three” is a fave in our house, but then so is “Brave New World.” Guess that makes us subversive radicals!

  4. rainbowpancakes says

    October 7, 2012 at 12:21 pm

    Crank? Really? I have every Ellen Hopkins book that’s been published thus far, and I don’t see anything wrong with it.
    Standards are going pretty low when you challenge books that give an idea of human nature and homosexuality…

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • Author/Illustrator Blogs

    • Erin Stead Illustration
    • Hey, Rabbit!
    • James Preller's Blog
    • MATTHEWCORDELLBLOGS
    • Mo Willems Doodles
    • The Scop
  • Book Blogs I Like

    • A Book and a Hug
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • A Kids Book a Day
    • A Year of Reading
    • Abby (the) Librarian
    • Awful Library Books
    • Becky’s Book Reviews
    • Better Book Titles
    • Book-A-Day Almanac
    • Bookends
    • books4yourkids.com
    • bookshelves of doom
    • Bottom Shelf Books
    • Calling Caldecott
    • Caustic Cover Critic
    • Chad C. Beckerman
    • Charlotte’s Library
    • Cheryl Rainfield
    • Chicken Spaghetti
    • CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATION
    • Collecting Children’s Books
    • Cybils
    • EarlyWord
    • educating alice
    • Finding Wonderland
    • For Those About to Mock
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Good Show Sir
    • GottaBook
    • Great Kid Books
    • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
    • Hi Miss Julie!
    • Jen Robinson’s Book Page
    • Kidsmomo
    • Maria T. Middleton Design
    • Nerdy Book Club
    • Neverending Search
    • Nine Kinds of Pie
    • One Book, Two Books, Old Books, New Books
    • Out of the Box
    • Oz and Ends
    • PlanetEsme
    • Read Roger
    • Reading Rants!
    • Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
    • sharpread
    • ShelfTalker
    • so tomorrow
    • The Children's Book Review
    • The Miss Rumphius Effect
    • Uncovered Cover Art
    • Waking Brain Cells
    • Watch. Connect. Read.
  • Library Blogs

    • ALSC Blog
    • Blue Skunk Blog
    • librarian.net
    • LISNews
    • Stephen's Lighthouse
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Unshelved
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books 2024
    • 2024 Stars So Far
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Pearls & Rubys
    • Politics in Practice
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • Reasons to Love Libraries
    • 2025 Youth Media Awards
    • Defending the Canon:SLJ & NCTE Review 15 Banned Classics
    • Refreshing the Canon Booklist
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Read Free Poster
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2026


    COPYRIGHT © 2026