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RFH 2010, Arts

Author Friend's Book in Good (Challenged) Company

Wed, Apr 13, 2011

Natasha Friend's book Lush was one of the most challenged, according to the American Library Association.

Author Friend's Book in Good (Challenged) Company

Natasha Friend, the young adult writer who grew up in Hamilton, is in some pretty good literary company. 

The author of (among many other books) Lush, found that book among the top 10 books most challenegd by people who didn't like its content. Lush was number six on the American Library Association's (ALA) list of most challenged books of 2010. That list includes:

  1. And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson. Reasons: homosexuality, religious viewpoint, and unsuited to age group
  2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie.Reasons: offensive language, racism, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, and violence
  3. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley.Reasons: insensitivity, offensive language, racism, and sexually explicit
  4. Crank, by Ellen Hopkins. Reasons: drugs, offensive language, and sexually explicit
  5. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. Reasons: sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, and violence
  6. Lush, by Natasha Friend. Reasons: drugs, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
  7. What My Mother Doesn't Know, by Sonya Sones.Reasons: sexism, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
  8. Nickel and Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich. Reasons: drugs, inaccurate, offensive language, political viewpoint, and religious viewpoint
  9. Revolutionary Voices, edited by Amy Sonnie. Reasons: homosexuality and sexually explicit
  10. Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer. Reasons: religious viewpoint and violence

The ALA's Office of Intellectual Freedom say about challenges to books:

"Most challenges to library materials and services come from well-meaning individuals, often parents, who find something offensive or objectionable in their local school library. Although such challenges can be difficult and stressful, library staff can rely on their library’s selection and review policies to respond to the complaint. In these cases, essential preparations the library has taken before the challenge will greatly increase the likelihood of retaining the materials or protecting library services.

"Sometimes, however, challenges are more organized and demand a specific and strategic response. In these circumstances the library will benefit greatly from being prepared and should follow its review policy and procedures exactly."
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