Banned Book Week: The 10 Most Challenged Books of 2011

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Banned Book Week

Thirty years ago, there was a surge in books being banned from schools, bookstores, and libraries. To call attention to this issue and celebrate the freedom to read, the national book community launched Banned Book Week in 1982. As a part of this movement, the American Library Association's office of Intellectual Freedom compiles reports each year of the most challenged books.

Challenged books are ones that people have continually sought to ban from libraries and schools across the country. Stories are challenged for a number of reasons, but the most common motivation is to protect children from material considered inappropriate by some adults.

Click through this gallery to see the 10 most challenged books of 2011. Hint...you may have seen one of these novels adapted on the big screen.

(Photo: Jupiter Images/Getty Images)

The Hunger Games (trilogy) by Suzanne Collins

Some parents feel The Hunger Games trilogy expresses anti-ethnic, anti-family, and insensitive views. The general theme of children killing another for sport is also a contributing factor.

(Photo: Scholastic Books)

Alice (series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

The Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor tells the story of Alice McKinley as she grows up and reaches high school. The books are often challenged for including nudity and offensive language, and having a religious viewpoint.

(Photos from Phyllis Reynolds Naylor Blog)

Gossip Girl (series) by Cecily Von Ziegesar

Von Ziegesar’s book series and TV show follows a gossipy group of upper-class high schoolers. Some parents have complained that the books include offensive language, mentions of drug use, and nudity.

(Photo: BP Blogspot)

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

This classic about a dystopian future has been challenged by some for being insensitive, sexually explicit, and racist.

(Photo: Wikipedia)

My Mom's Having A Baby! A Kid's Month-by-Month Guide to Pregnancy, by Dori Hillestad Butler

Some parents find the explanation about pregnancy Dori Hillestad Butler offers to their children too sexually explicit for the intended age group.

(Photo: Catalogs)

What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones

Some parents challenged Sonya Sones' book about a high school girl navigating her freshman year because they felt it included too much nudity, offensive language, and sexually explicit material.

(Photo: News Times)

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Harper Lee's classic takes on the subject of the Jim Crow South. Racism and language are reasons cited by the ALA for the book being challenged.

(Photo: Movie Poster)

The Color of Earth (series), by Kim Dong Hwa

Kim Dong Twa's three-part Color of Earth series is set in Korea and follows a widowed mother and her daughter. The books have been challenged by critics for including sexually explicit material considered unsuitable for the series' age group.

(Photo: A Clock Work Sub)

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Alexie's young adult novel about a Native American teenager living on a reservation drew objections from some parents for its offensive langauge, racist and religious viewpoints, and sexually explicit material not suitable for the intended audience.

(Photo: Marshall University)

ttyl; ttfn; and l8r, g8r (series) by Lauren Myracle

Myracle's triology of text-messagable titles drew ire for its supposedly offensive language, sexually explicit material, and religious viewpoint.

(Photo: BP Blogspot)

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• Horrific 10 Percent Literacy Rate Prompts ACLU to Sue Michigan Schools

Related Gallery

The 10 Most Commonly Banned BooksSee Full Gallery

Are you offended by any of these books? Share your thoughts in comments.

Andrew Freeman is a California native with a degree in history from UCLA. He’s covered a wide range of topics for TakePart, but is particularly interested in politics and policy. Email Andrew |@natureofdabeast | TakePart.com

Banned Book Week: The 10 Most Challenged Books of 2011

Banned Book Week

(Photo: Jupiter Images/Getty Images)

The Hunger Games (trilogy) by Suzanne Collins

(Photo: Scholastic Books)

Alice (series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

(Photos from Phyllis Reynolds Naylor Blog)

Gossip Girl (series) by Cecily Von Ziegesar

(Photo: BP Blogspot)

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

(Photo: Wikipedia)

My Mom's Having A Baby! A Kid's Month-by-Month Guide to Pregnancy, by Dori Hillestad Butler

(Photo: Catalogs)

What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones

(Photo: News Times)

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

(Photo: Movie Poster)

The Color of Earth (series), by Kim Dong Hwa

(Photo: A Clock Work Sub)

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

(Photo: Marshall University)

ttyl; ttfn; and l8r, g8r (series) by Lauren Myracle

(Photo: BP Blogspot)

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