tˈuː pˈɛɹənts, mˈaɪkəl hˈæɹiz ænd ɹˈɪtʃɚd ˈæntklɪf nˈoʊɾᵻd ðə nˈɑːvəlz ɪŋklˈuːʒən ʌv pɹəfˈeɪn lˈæŋɡwɪdʒ lˈaɪk “dˈæm,bˈæstɚd,ænd hˈɛl,” ænd ˈɜːdʒd ðætðə bˈʊk biː ɪmˈiːdɪətli ɹᵻmˈuːvd fɹʌmðɪ ˌɛlɪmˈɛntɚɹi kɜːɹˈɪkjʊləm.
Two parents, Michael Harries and Richard Antcliff noted the novel's inclusion of profane language like “‘damn,’ bastard,’ and ‘hell,” and urged that the book be immediately removed from the elementary curriculum.