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Most Challenged Books Include 'Beloved' and 'The Chocolate War'

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Monday, March 24, 2008; Page B02

Each year, hundreds of people complain to libraries and schools about specific books and ask that they be restricted or removed because of their content. Here are the American Library Association's 10 most challenged books in 2006, the latest year for which information is available:

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"And Tango Makes Three" by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell. Complaints: homosexuality, anti-family, unsuited to age group.

"Gossip Girl" series by Cecily Von Ziegesar. Complaints: homosexuality, sexual content, drugs, unsuited to age group, offensive language.

"Alice" series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Complaints: sexual content, offensive language.

"The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things" by Carolyn Mackler. Complaints: sexual content, anti-family, offensive language, unsuited to age group.

"The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison. Complaints: sexual content, offensive language, unsuited to age group.

"Scary Stories" series by Alvin Schwartz. Complaints: occult/Satanism, unsuited to age group, violence, insensitivity.

"Athletic Shorts" by Chris Crutcher. Complaints: homosexuality, offensive language.

"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky. Complaints: homosexuality, sexually explicit, offensive language, unsuited to age group.

"Beloved" by Toni Morrison. Complaints: offensive language, sexual content, unsuited to age group

"The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier. Complaints: sexual content, offensive language, violence.


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