Banned or Challenged Books 2013-2014

 The following list and excerpts are from the 2013-2014 Books Challenged or Banned by Robert P. Doyle published by the American Library Association.

He states "Sex, profanity, and racism remain the primary categories of objections, and most occur in schools and school libraries. Frequently, challenges are motivated by the desire to protect children. While the intent is commendable, this method of protection contains hazards far greater than exposure to the "evil" against which it is leveled. U. S. Supreme Court Justice William Brennan, in Texas v. Johnson, said "If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the Government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable." Individuals may restrict what they themselves or their children read, but they must not call on governmental or public agencies to prevent others from reading or viewing that
material."

Doyle continues "It should be noted that this bibliography is incomplete because many prohibitions against free speech and expression remain undocumented. Surveys indicate up to 85 percent of actual challenges to library materials receive no media attention and remain unreported. Moreover, this list is limited to books and does not include challenges to magazines, newspapers, films, broadcasts, plays, performances, electronic publications, or exhibits. "

Books that the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Libraries owns are indicated by the Have in parentheses after the title. Also noted are those that we do not own or which are long overdue. If you wish to read one of those titles, please call  (304 267 8933) and we will get them from another library for you.

Alexie, Sherman
     The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Have)

Allende, Isabel
     The  House of the Spirits (Have)

Anaya, Rodolfo
     Bless Me, Ultima (Have)

Atwood, Margaret
     The Handmaid's Tale (Have)

Aylisli, Akram
     Stone Dreams ( Do not own)

Chbosky, Stephen
     The Perks of Being a Wallflower  (Long overdue)

Ellis, Elisabeth Gaynor, and Anthony Esler
     World History (textbook--do not own)

Ellison, Ralph
     Invisible Man (Have)

Erlbach, Arlene
     The Middle School Survival Guide (Do not own)

Follett, Ken
     The Pillars of the Earth (Have)

Frank, Anne
     The Diary of a Young Girl (Have)

Gaiman, Neil
     Neverwhere (Have)

Green, John
     Looking for Alaska (Have)

Ignatow, Amy
     The Popularity Papers (Have)

Lyga, Barry
     I Hunt Killers (Have)

Morrison, Toni
     Bluest Eye (Have)

Myers, Walter Dean
     Fallen Angels (Have)

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds
     Intensely Alice (Do not own)

Othman, Norani, ed.
     Muslim Women and the Challenges of Islamic Extremism (Do not own)

Rivera, Tomas
     And the Earth Did Not Devour Him (Do not own)

Rosen, Lucy
     I Am Bane (Do not own)

Rowell, Rainbow
     Eleanor & Park (Have)

St. Stephen's Community House
     The Little Black Book for Girlz: a Book on Healthy Sexuality (Have)

Satrapi, Marjane
     Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (Have)

Stone, Tanya Lee
     A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl (Long overdue)

Walker, Alice
     Color Purple (Have)

Winter, Jeanette
     Nasreen's Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan (Have)

Winter, Jeanette
     The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq (Have)