It's Hard to Keep a Good Book Banned... Freedom to Read 2023Like this list

81 items

• The Travels of Babar

  Brunhoff, Jean de, 1899-1937

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  2016—In July, a patron of a public library in Ontario challenged this children’s story book. Objections—The patron described the illustrations in The Travels of Babar as racist and insensitive. The patron demanded the book’s removal from the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Three Day Road

  a Novel

  Boyden, Joseph, 1966-

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  2016—In September, a parent of a student in a grade school (K–12) in Alberta challenged this best-selling Canadian novel for adults. The student, however, was not reading the book. Two copies of Three Day Road were affected. Objection—The school…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Troop

  Cutter, Nick

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  2017—On October 16, a patron in a public library in British Columbia challenged this adult novel. Objections—The patron objected to portrayals of violence and sexually explicit depictions. The patron said that “obscene content [is] not appropriate…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Jumanji

  Van Allsburg, Chris

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  2017—In May, a patron of a public library in Ontario challenged this children’s picture book. Objections—The patron thought that the pictures were inappropriate and that the characters were being forced to do something that they did not want to do.…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Trouble Is a Friend of Mine

  Tromly, Stephanie

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  2017—On January 10, a public school teacher commented on this novel for young-adult readers in a school library in Ontario. The teacher objected to the novel’s inclusion on the Ontario Library Association’s list of Red Maple Award winners—that is,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Art's Supplies

  Tougas, Chris

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  2017—In March, a patron of a public library in Ontario challenged this children’s illustrated story book. Objection—The patron found a joke insensitive and thought it misrepresented the artist’s profession: “What’s the one thing an artist can't…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Bullied Kids Speak Out

  We Survived-- How You Can Too

  Blanco, Jodee, 1964-

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  2017—On August 30, a patron of a public library in Edmonton challenged this nonfiction book. Objection—The patron challenged the book’s location in the library. Intended for teen readers, Bullied Kids Speak Out was in this library’s children’s…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Debbie Doesn't Do It Anymore

  a Novel

  Mosley, Walter

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  2017—On February 28, a patron of a public library in Edmonton challenged this work of adult fiction. Objection—The patron described the novel as sexually explicit. The patron wanted the library to put a warning label on the book and to lend it only…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Rise to Greatness

  the History of Canada From the Vikings to the Present

  Black, Conrad

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  2017—On August 19, a patron of a public library in Ontario challenged this work of adult non-fiction. Objection—The patron described the book as racist and demanded its removal from all public libraries in Canada. Update—The library resolved the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Theban Plays

  Sophocles

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  2011 — In Saskatchewan, Chief Dwayne Antoine and members of the band council of the Poundmaker Cree Nation tried to ban a live performance of an adaptation of Antigone on their reserve. Objection — Antigone — which was originally written by…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• A Little Piece of Ground

  Laird, Elizabeth

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  2003—A Canadian bookseller wrote to the British publisher of this novel about a 12-year-old Palestinian boy living in an Israeli-occupied area and asked that the firm consider not releasing the book. Objection—The bookseller said the novel,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Freedom to Listen: a list of banned music, on Spotify

  View on spotify.com

  A playlist featuring Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, Oscar Peterson, and others

• Of Mice and Men

  Steinbeck, John, 1902-1968

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  In 1994, in Alberta’s legislature, Victor Doerksen called for the removal of profane, irreligious books from Alberta’s schools. He cited Steinbeck’s novel, which describes the hardships of migrant workers in California during the Great Depression,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Persepolis

  Satrapi, Marjane, 1969-

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  In 2013, Persepolis was removed from classrooms in Chicago Public Schools. Objections: Scenes of torture and Islamic content. In 2014, the book was challenged three more times: In Oregon, Illinois and Texas. Persepolis eventually landed at #2 on the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Bible

  King James Edition

  Random House (Firm),

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  1997-Three men complained to the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission after they saw an anti-gay advertisement published in Saskatoon’s StarPhoenix. The ads, paid for by Hugh Owens, cited four Biblical verses that condemn homosexual conduct and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Wild Fire

  a Novel

  DeMille, Nelson

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  2007—A patron of the Edmonton Public Library complained about this thriller. In the novel, which is set in 2002, a group of powerful Americans secretly plot to provoke a nuclear attack on the Middle East in retaliation for the terrorist attacks on…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Wars

  Findley, Timothy, 1930-2002

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  2011— The parent of an Ontario high school student complained to the Bluewater District School Board about the use of this novel in Grade 12 English literature classes. Objection — Speaking on behalf of a small delegation of parents, the parent…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

  Rowling, J. K.

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  In 2000, a religious parent in Corner Book, Nfld., complained about the presence of these popular fantasy novels in an elementary school. The parent objected to the depiction of wizardry and magic, and the school principal ordered the books’…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Who's in Maxine's Tree?

  Léger, Diane Carmel, 1957-

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  In 1992, an official of the woodworkers’ trade union asked for the removal of this children’s book from elementary school libraries in Sechelt, B.C. He said the book promoted an anti-logging viewpoint. The school board rejected his request. …Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Autobiography of Malcolm X

  X, Malcolm, 1925-1965

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  Objectors have called this seminal work a “how-to-manual” for crime and decried because of “anti-white statements” present in the book. The book presents the life story of Malcolm Little, also known as Malcolm X, who was a human rights activist and…Read moreRead more of this annotation