introduction Censorship leaves us in the dark. It blinds us to programs. Their wish to shield themselves and uncomfortable topics, and leaves us stumbling their family from ideas they find offensive or while navigating new worlds. It pulls a cloak inappropriate is understandable, but shielding over our eyes, under the guise of protecting us everyone from diverse or alternative views only from what some deem harmful or threatening. spreads distrust, fear, and ignorance. While we always support a reader’s right to choose for Censorship takes many forms, including themselves and their families what to read, that removing materials, destroying pages, hiding right does not extend to determining what other resources, requiring permission forms to access community members can read. content, and burning books. Although the darkness of censorship affects Libraries are continually everyone, it tends to target “CHALLENGES” transforming to meet patron youth; the Top 11 Most needs and provide new are not just complaints Challenged Books of 2018 are platforms, programs, and all intended for an audience about books, but rather services to help make their of children or young adults. formal attempts to remove communities stronger. or restrict access to library With that comes additional But there are places where resources. Challenges can be censorship attempts. Learn the light of learning cannot a written complaint or form more about challenges to be extinguished. Libraries, submitted to a library, or a materials and services beyond schools, and bookstores keep call to action on social books on page 7. the light on and the intellectual media. freedom flame burning—a warm In this Field Report, we hope to glow that invites passersby who seek shine a light on censorship in all its knowledge, pages, and perspectives. forms, because censorship dissipates when exposed to the daylight. Each challenge and In recent years, the American Library incident listed is sourced from public, verified Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom reports from the year 2018, including news (OIF)—which has been tracking reports articles, meeting minutes, and entries from the of attempts to remove library materials Journal of Intellectual Freedom and Privacy and services in libraries and schools since (JIFP). the 1990s—has noticed a sharp spike in attempts to censor drag queen story These pages include success stories of those hours and LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, who shined a light on censorship, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/ rather than ignored it. Some Questioning, Intersex, Asexual/ voiced opposition at local Ally) programming. LGBTQIA+ A “BAN” is a board meetings, while others continues to be one of the most removal of materials. donated replacement copies cited reasons for challenging Sometimes the ban is of censored titles. There are content and resources, from a decision made by a many ways to ignite action drag queen story hours to committee, and other times an and dispel censorship. An A Day in the Life of Marlon administrator or staff member easy way to start: visit your Bundo, a children’s book removes books without library, find a comfortable about a boy bunny who lives following a library’s spot between the stacks, with Vice President Mike Pence’s policy. and open up a challenged family and marries another boy work, immersing yourself in bunny. perspectives that differ from your own. A few other reasons for challenging books emerged in 2018. The Skippyjon Jones series, Keep the light on, and the intellectual freedom which follows a Siamese cat who sees himself flame burning. as a Chihuahua, was challenged for depicting stereotypes of Mexican culture. In an Idaho public library, a patron unhappy with books seen as attacking President Donald Trump hid them among the shelves. The Hate U Give is again on the list of the most challenged books, with some claiming the book is “anti-cop.” The We thank speaker and author James LaRue, bestselling YA fiction title is about the aftermath the former director of the Office for Intellectual of a shooting of a young, unarmed black man Freedom, who compiled the entries for this by a white police officer. year’s Field Report. Many censors are motivated by their desire Learn more about banned and challenged books to protect their community. Their tactics at ala.org/bbooks. range from silently removing the materials they find offensive to leading boisterous public campaigns to ban books, services, or Books Banned or Challenged in 2018 Afanador, Ruven (Kansas) High School was library, and GoFundMe and Blume, Judy Sombra (2004) suspended for considering Facebook fundraisers raised Forever (1975) Removed after review by teaching this YA novel. thousands of dollars to replace A teacher at the East a public library director in Source: JIFP Fall-Winter 2018 lost and damaged materials. Knox Elementary School Oregon, Sombra is a collection All the titles have been (Howard, Ohio) gave a fifth- of artistic photographs Backman, Fredrik retained. The activist was grader Judy Blume’s book composed largely of male Beartown (2017) charged with misdemeanor about a high school senior, nudes. The patron complaint This Amazon bestseller criminal mischief. which addresses (among stated, “I’m in favor of and School Library Journal- Source: JIFP Fall-Winter 2018 other things) issues of teen artistic nudes, but perhaps recommended title focuses sexuality. After a verbal in an art appreciation class on a high stakes junior Bechdel, Alison parental complaint, the and not accessible to the hockey contest in rural Fun Home: A Family teacher was put on more than impressionable minds of Sweden. When a sports Tragicomic (2006) two weeks’ paid leave while children.” The director hero is accused of rape, At a public meeting, two the school investigated. The consulted reviews and what will the town do? parents expressed their teacher returned, agreeing circulation statistics (the book The book was assigned to a shock about sexually explicit that the book—which had never been checked out), tenth-grade honors English illustrations in this coming- was part of her private and learned through online class by a new teacher at of-age graphic novel. They collection—was inappropriate catalogs that only academic the McMichael High School asked that the book be for a fifth-grader. and research libraries owned (Rockingham County, removed from the Watchung Source: JIFP Fall-Winter 2018 it. The director decided North Carolina). A parent, Hills (New Jersey) twelfth- that the book was a good concerned about the vulgar grade curriculum. After Browne, Anthony candidate for weeding, language and explicit scenes, a public hearing in which Willy the Champ (2008) according to the library’s contacted four churches to strong support was voiced for This children’s book is about usual criteria. protest what one pastor then the book, the school board a chimp who struggles with Source: 2018 Annual Report, told his congregation was voted to retain the title, sports, then accidentally State Library of Oregon “some of the most repulsive but only as one of several defeats a bully and becomes reading that you’ll ever be alternatives. a hero. A patron complained Alexie, Sherman exposed to.” Withdrawn. Source: JIFP Fall-Winter 2018 to an Oregon public library The Absolutely True Diary of Source: JIFP Fall-Winter 2018 that “Violence [was] used to a Part-Time Indian (2007) Benioff, David solve problems with bullies Retained, but restricted to Baldacchino, Christine City of Thieves (2008) for early readers. Violence extracurricular book club- Morris Micklewhite and the This New York Times celebrated.” Retained. use only, this popular YA Tangerine Dress (2014) bestseller was one of eight Source: 2018 Annual Report, State Library of novel was challenged by This was one of four books options randomly assigned Oregon parents who objected to its challenged by public petition to students in a pre- being required reading for in Orange City, Iowa’s International Baccalaureate Chbosky, Stephen ninth-graders at the Midland public library. The concern English class. A parent The Perks of Being a (Michigan) Public Schools. articulated by a coalition of objected to vulgar and Wallflower (1999) The concern was content conservative and evangelical sexually violent language At the Beaverton (Oregon) regarding alcohol, bullying, community members was that in this coming-of-age story, School District, a parent violence, sexual references, the library was distributing set in WWII Leningrad. challenged the book, deeming profanity, and slurs. The LGBTQIA+ materials to Lee County (Florida) School it a “trash novel,” with book did go through a review pre-K kids using tax dollars. District officials banned the characters that were bad process, and was allegedly They requested that the book, and vowed to “tighten role models for teenagers, read by all school board books be shelved separately, up the processes for selecting drug use, smoking, underage members. segregated from other library books for this kind of class.” sex, drinking, and attempts Source: JIFP Spring 2018 materials. One local religious Source: JIFP Fall-Winter 2018 to be “sexual and arousing activist checked out the four in its graphic descriptions.” Right before the start of books, then burned them live Following its policies, a Banned Books Week, an on Facebook. Since then, over review committee found the English teacher at Waverly 200 books were donated to the title to be consistent with the Field Report 2018: Banned & Challenged Books 1 district’s general education Gino, Alex the proposal. News reports reject any ban on George and goals, and recommended its George (2015) indicate that the school other books that provide retention, which was upheld Citing “sexual content,” planned to hold a meeting visibility and support for by the deputy superintendent. issues of bullying, rebelling with staff and parents to LGBTQIA+ individuals. The Source: Beaverton School District Board against police, and refusing review the book, then decide OBOB executive committee documents, March 12, 2018.