J. ‘Harry Potter’ Continues To Top Annual List of Challenged Books

     There are books -- and subjects -- that seem eternally controversial.

     In 2001, the Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) of the American Library Association recorded 448 challenges to library materials in school and public libraries.  These reports came primarily from librarians and teachers who called or wrote to OIF and voluntarily reported the challenges occurring in their communities.  The office estimates that for every challenge it receives, another four or five go unreported -- thus, the 448 challenges probably represent only a fraction of the challenges to library resources in 2001.

     OIF defines a book challenge as a formal written complaint, requesting that a library remove a specific item from its collection.  Books are most frequently challenged in schools and school libraries, while challenges in public libraries most often revolve around materials available to minors.  Although OIF does not have definite numbers, reports indicate that most challenges are unsuccessful; library materials are usually retained and books are rarely banned.

     Many of the same types of materials appear year after year in the data base of challenges maintained by OIF.  The office compiles and releases an annual “Top 10” list of challenged books.  These lists, along with the 100 most frequently challenged books since 1990, can be found on the OIF Web site, http://www.ala.org/bbooks/top100bannedbooks.html.  The most frequently challenged books of 2001 were:

·        “Harry Potter” series, by J.K. Rowling, for its focus on wizardry and magic.

·        Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, for offensive language and being unsuited to age group.

·        The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier, for offensive language and being unsuited to age group.

·        I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou, for sexual content, racism, offensive language, violence, and being unsuited to age group.

·        Summer of My German Soldier, by Bette Greene, for racism, offensive language, and being sexually explicit.

·        Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, for offensive language and being unsuited to age group.

·        “Alice” series, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, for being sexually explicit, offensive language, and being unsuited to age group.

·        Go Ask Alice, author anonymous, for being sexually explicit, offensive language, and drug use.

·        Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Myers, for offensive language and being unsuited to age group.

·        Blood and Chocolate, by Annette Curtis Klause, for being sexually explicit and unsuited to age group.

Sex, Language, and Other Complaints

     The most frequently challenged books of 2001 are representative of challenges over the past decade, according to the Office for Intellectual Freedom.  The reason most often cited for challenging a book is sexual content.  Half of the books on the current list are challenged on these grounds, as are Forever by Judy Blume; It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris; and The Color Purple by Alice Walker.

     The second most common objection is offensive language.  In addition to the titles above, books often challenged because of language include Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anayo; Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut; My Brother Sam Is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier; James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl; and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

     Books also are challenged frequently because of “cultural sensitivity” (e.g., racism and sexism).  This category often overlaps with “offensive language.”  Of Mice and Men and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are frequently targeted on these grounds.

     The ever-popular and frequently challenged “Harry Potter” series represents another common complaint: the promotion of Satanism and the occult.  Some conservative Christians have expressed concern that the magic and witchcraft portrayed in the books will attract young readers to Satanism.

     As of this writing, “Harry Potter” is still the most frequently challenged title or series.  It remains to be seen, however, if the number of challenges will stay consistent from this year to next, if the efforts to restrict access to library materials will be any more successful, or if the reasons given for challenging books will remain constant.  The Office for Intellectual Freedom speculates that “Harry Potter” and other books with magic and occult themes may supplant books challenged for sexual content and offensive language as the most frequent targets of censorship attempts. 

--Judith Krug and Beverley Becker