Title: Classic and Award-Winning Banned Books
Headings: Banned Books in America
Banned Books in America
12 Classic and Award-Winning Titles Banned in Public Schools
Common Objections
Banned Books Week
'The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian'
'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'
'The Catcher in the Rye'
'The Great Gatsby'
'To Kill a Mockingbird'
'The Lord of the Flies'
'Of Mice and Men'
'The Color Purple'
'Slaughterhouse-Five'
'The Bluest Eye'
'The Kite Runner'
Harry Potter Series

Content: When parents or educators take offense to a topic, they may challenge the appropriateness of making a particular book available at a public school. On occasion, the challenge may result in a ban that wholly restricts its distribution. The American Library Association, however, contends that "...only parents have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children—and only their children—to library resources." The 12 books on this list have faced many challenges, and all have been banned on more than one occasion, many in public libraries themselves. This sampling illustrates the variety of books that may come under scrutiny each year. Common Objections
The most common objections include sexually explicit content, offensive language, and "unsuitable material," a catch-all phrase used when someone doesn't agree with the morality expressed in a book or the portrayal of characters, settings, or events. Parents initiate the majority of challenges. The ALA denounces such censorship and maintains an ongoing list of ban attempts to keep the public informed. Banned Books Week
The ALA also promotes Banned Books Week, an annual event in September that celebrates the freedom to read. " Highlighting the value of free and open access to information, Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community—librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types—in shared support of the freedom to seek, publish, read, and express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular," says the ALA.