Beloved by Toni Morrison is a powerful novel that explores the trauma of slavery and its impact on African American families. It has been banned in some schools and libraries due to its graphic depiction of violence and sexuality. Beloved, by Toni Morrison, published in 1987, won the Pulitzer prize for fiction in 1988. Is … Read more
Bastard Out of Carolina is a novel by Dorothy Allison that explores poverty, abuse, and family dysfunction in the American South. The book has been banned from many school curriculums and library shelves due to its graphic and unflinching portrayal of sexual violence. As if being the illegitimate child of a teenager from a dirt … Read more
The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and published in 1925, is a story of America in the 1920s. The Great Gatsby is a banned book due to its language and sexual references. This classic tale is told by Nick Carraway. Nick is a young Yale graduate who moves to New York and rents a house in … Read more
A Wrinkle in Time is a classic children’s book that has been banned in some schools and libraries due to its controversial themes and depictions of religion and science. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, published in 1962, is an Award Winning children’s book. A science fantasy novel, it won a Newbery Medal, Sequoyah Book Award, … Read more
Told in her own words, A Stolen Life is the true story of Jaycee Lee Dugard, who was kidnapped at age eleven, and held captive for eighteen years. It’s June 10, 1991 in Lake Tahoe, CA. Jaycee is walking up the road from her home to a school bus stop. When a car pulls over, she thinks … Read more
Molly’s Family, by Nancy Garden, illustrations by Sharon Wooding, was published in 2004. It is a children’s book about diversity in families. In this story, Molly’s kindergarten class is cleaning and decorating their room, in preparation for Open School Night. Molly and Tommy are drawing pictures to put on the wall. Molly draws her family … Read more
The online retail giant Amazon is one of the largest platforms for buying and selling books, but it is also known for its strict censorship policies. In this article, we will examine the themes, authors, and books that Amazon has banned, and analyze the impact of this censorship on free speech and the publishing industry. … Read more
This 1970 Judy Blume book opens with one of Margaret Ann Simon’s many talks to God. “Are you there, God? It’s me, Margaret. We’re moving today. I’m so scared, God. I’ve never lived anywhere but here.” She goes on, telling God of her fears. What if she hates her school? What if everybody hates her? Are … Read more
Nancy Garden’s 1982 novel, Annie on My Mind, is the story of two teenage girls, Liza Winthrop and Annie Kenyon, who meet and fall in love. The story is told by Liza, who lives in an up-scale neighborhood with her parents and younger brother, and attends a private school, Foster Academy. Liza hopes to become an … Read more
George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a story of animals revolting against their owner. Mr. Jones, owner of Manor Farm, as it was called at the time, was often drunk. One night, as soon as he had staggered back to the house, and the lights went out for the night, all of the farm animals gathered at the … Read more