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Lois Lowry Talks About Her Latest Novel, ‘Son’
Lois Lowry recently gave fans some insight into her latest novel, Son (2012)—it came about because the ending of her Newbery-winning, The Giver (1993, both Houghton), left too many unanswered...
View ArticleKeeping Kids’ Library Records Private| Scales on Censorship
The central district administrators in my school district have developed an app for parents that includes all kinds of K–12 student data (grades, lunch balance, library records, etc.). I can see how...
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10 Frequently Challenged Graphic Novels | Banned Books Week
Also read: Teaching with Graphic Novels Graphic Novels Resources for the Classroom Comics Censorship, from ‘Gay’ Batman to Sendak’s Mickey Banned Books Week (September 21–27) is celebrating graphic...
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Banned Books | Sparking Discussions with Students
It’s Banned Books Week, and if you haven’t yet promoted it, don’t fret—there’s still (a little) time. To generate interest in the week and conversations about censorship, start by asking your secondary...
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“King & King”—and Teacher Who Read It—Under Fire in North Carolina
Omar Currie, a third-grade teacher in Efland, NC, has come under fire for reading the picture book King & King (Tricycle Press, 2003) to his class. Written by Linda De Haan and Stern Nijland...
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ALA Addresses its Challenged Book List After Questioning by FiveThirtyEight
Exactly how many books are challenged—and banned—in schools and libraries across the country every year? We may never know. The American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom...
View ArticleCharleston Library Hands Out “Some Girls Are” After School Bans Book
The Charleston Public Library in South Carolina gave 1,000 copies of Courtney Summers's Some Girls Are to teens after a high school removed the book from its summer reading list.
View ArticleNew Zealand Bans YA Title “Into the River”; Imposes Fine for Selling, Sharing...
Ted Dawe's award-winning YA novel Into the River, about a Maori boy at a boarding school, is the first book to be banned in New Zealand in 22 years.
View ArticleBanned Books Week 2015: What Librarians Are Planning
From a costumed read-a-thon to a display with yellow "Caution!" tape, here's what librarians are planning for Banned Books Week 2015 (September 29 to October 3) and Banned Websites Awareness Day...
View ArticleThe Latest Tale of Captain Underpants Kept Out of School Book Fair
The 12th "Captain Underpants" novel will only be available to school kids in Monroe, MI, if they specifically order it. It is not in the school library or at book fairs.
View ArticleHear No Evil | Listen In
Sharon Grover and Liz Hannegan consider whether listening to challenged books is a different experience than consuming in print
View ArticleSLJ Controversial Books Survey: Word Clouds
School librarians mentioned these terms the most in their their answers to two questions in SLJ's 2016 survey, which explores self-censorship.
View ArticleSLJ Controversial Book Survey: Comments About Age-Appropriateness
SLJ's 2016 Controversial Books survey asked school librarians how they determined if a book is age-appropriate. Here's what they said.
View ArticleSLJ Controversial Books Survey: Comments About Book Challenges
In SLJ's 2016 Controversial Books Survey, we asked school librarians to tell us about a book challenge they had personally experienced or to communicate other information about this topic. Here's what...
View ArticleSLJ Controversial Books Survey Responses: Weighing Subject Matter
SLJ's 2016 Controversial Books Survey, addressing self-censorship, asked school librarians: "When making purchasing decisions, do find yourself weighing the effect of controversial subject matter more...
View ArticleBanned Books Are Often Diverse Books. Check the Stats.
Twenty-nine books on ALA’s top 10 challenged books lists from 2001–2015 have diverse content.
View ArticleSLJ Controversial Book Survey: Data and Findings
Download SLJ's 2016 Controversial Books Survey report, exploring self-censorship among school librarians.
View ArticleParent Objects to Depiction of Islam in Textbook
A middle school parent in Tennessee has asked that 'My World History' be removed from the seventh grade curriculum.
View ArticleFL Schools Brace for Book Challenges
After passage of a new state law allowing citizens to challenge educational materials in their county, Florida school librarians are wondering what the process will mean for them come fall.
View Article“Thirteen Reasons Why” Tops Most Challenged List
The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 354 challenges to library, school and university materials and services in 2017, and Monday released its annual list of Top 10 Most Challenged Books.
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