Special Collections
ALA's Most Frequently Challenged Books of the 21st Century
Description: Explore the list of American Library Association's Most Frequently Challenged Books. Some titles are challenged multiple years. To learn more about challenges to books, visit ALA's website: http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10 #teens
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
by J. K. RowlingHarry Potter has no idea how famous he is. That's because he's being raised by his miserable aunt and uncle who are terrified Harry will learn that he's really a wizard, just as his parents were. But everything changes when Harry is summoned to attend an infamous school for wizards, and he begins to discover some clues about his illustrious birthright. From the surprising way he is greeted by a lovable giant, to the unique curriculum and colorful faculty at his unusual school, Harry finds himself drawn deep inside a mystical world he never knew existed and closer to his own noble destiny.
I Am Jazz
by Jazz Jennings and Jessica HerthelFrom the time she was two years old, Jazz knew that she had a girl's brain in a boy's body. She loved pink and dressing up as a mermaid and didn't feel like herself in boys' clothing. This confused her family, until they took her to a doctor who said that Jazz was transgender and that she was born this way. Jazz's story is based on her real-life experience and she tells it in a simple, clear way that will be appreciated by picture book readers, their parents, and teachers. 'Jazz is a sensitive and courageous young woman. Her story is inspiring and important to read. By sharing her experiences and view she has added to our understanding and compassion for the transgender experience. ' Barbara Walters 'A terrific and timely book that explains to kids what it means to be transgender and - more importantly - that reminds kids our similarities are much more important than our differences. ' Jodi Picoult, New York Timesbestselling author of The Storytellerand Between the Lines 'I wish I had had a book like this when I was a kid struggling with gender identity questions. I found it deeply moving in its simplicity and honesty. ' Laverne Cox, acclaimed actress and transgender advocate 'All young people - regardless of difference - deserve the things Jazz shares in her lovely book: a loving family, supportive friends, and the freedom to be their true selves. A beautifully illustrated and accessible primer on one trans girl's journey of living her truth. ' Janet Mock, New York Timesbestselling author of Redefining Realness 'I Am Jazzis honest, inspiring, and beautiful - but its greatest strength is it never apologizes for being different. ' Brad Meltzer, New York Timesbestselling author of I am Amelia Earhart
And Tango Makes Three
by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson and Henry ColeIn the zoo there are all kinds of animal families. But Tango's family is not like any of the others.
Drama
by Raina TelgemeierThe bestselling, award-winning author of Smile brings us her next full-colour graphic novel! Callie loves theater. And while she would totally try out for her middle school's production of Moon Over Mississippi, she's a terrible singer. Instead she's the set designer for the stage crew, and this year she's determined to create a set worthy of Broadway on a middle-school budget. But how can she, when she doesn't know much about carpentry, ticket sales are down, and the crew members are having trouble working together? Not to mention the onstage AND offstage drama that comes once the actors are chosen, and when two cute brothers enter the picture, things get even crazier! Following the success of Smile, Raina Telgemeier brings us another graphic novel featuring a diverse set of characters that humorously explores friendship, crushes, and all-around drama!
Skippyjon Jones
by Judy SchachnerMy name is Skippito Friskito. I fear not a single bandito. My manners are mellow, I'm sweet like the Jell-O, I get the job done, yes indeed-o. Skippyjon Jones is no ordinary kitten. Oh, no ... . He's actually El Skippito, a great sword-fighter ready to battle banditos the world over! With a little imagination and a whole lot of fun, this frisky cat dons a mask and cape and takes on a bad bumble-beeto to save the day. And along the way, he'll be sure to steal young reader's hearts, yes indeed-o!
The Adventures of Captain Underpants
by Dav PilkeyMeet Captain Underpants, a superhero with a true identity that is SO secret, even HE doesn't know who he is! Now with a full-color bonus chapter! George and Harold have created the greatest superhero in the history of their elementary school -- and now they've accidentally brought him to life! Read the first book in this bestselling series about two creative kids and the zany misadventures that follow when Captain Underpants leaps off the page to save the day! Acclaimed author and Caldecott Honor artist Dav Pilkey takes readers on a wild ride in this outrageously funny, action-packed, easy-to-read chapter book. With illustrations on every page, it's great for both beginning and chapter-book readers, and sure to turn even the most reluctant of readers into lifelong fans. This updated ebook edition now includes a bonus chapter in full-color that reveals the true origins of Captain Underpants! The critics are CRAZY about UNDERPANTS! "Irresistible." -- Entertainment Weekly "Call Pilkey... the savior of the 'reluctant reader.'" -- USA Today "So appealing that youngsters won't notice that their vocabulary is stretching." -- School Library Journal "Pilkey's sharp humor shines, and is as much fun for parents as their young readers." -- Parents' Choice Foundation "Combines empowerment and empathy with age-appropriate humor and action." -- Booklist "Celebrates the triumph of the good-hearted." -- The Educational Book and Media Association
The Adventures of Captain Underpants
by Dav PilkeyGeorge and Harold have created the greatest superhero in the history of their elementary school - and now they're going to bring him to life! Meet Captain Underpants! His true identity is so secret, even he doesn't know who he is!
Two Boys Kissing
by David Levithan
In his follow-up to the New York Times bestselling Every Day, David Levithan, coauthor of bestsellers Will Grayson, Will Grayson and Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, crafts a novel that the Los Angeles Times calls "open, frank, and ultimately optimistic".
Based on true events--and narrated by a Greek Chorus of the generation of gay men lost to AIDS--Two Boys Kissing follows Harry and Craig, two seventeen-year-olds who are about to take part in a 32-hour marathon of kissing to set a new Guinness World Record.
While the two increasingly dehydrated and sleep-deprived boys are locking lips, they become a focal point in the lives of other teens dealing with universal questions of love, identity, and belonging.
With Levithan's trademark sharp-witted, warm-hearted tales of teenage love, Two Boys Kissing will appeal to fans of Levithan's breakthrough debut, Boy Meets Boy, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2013.
A 2014 Lambda Literary Award Winner.
A 2014 Stonewall Honor Book.
Named to the 2013 National Book Award Longlist.
Thirteen Reasons Why
by Jay AsherClay Jenkins returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers 13 cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker -- his classmate and crush -- who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list. Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.
A New York Times Bestseller
Need Help? Or Know Someone Who Does? Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)
The Kite Runner
by Khaled HosseiniThe #1 New York Times bestselling novel beloved by millions of readers the world over.&“A vivid and engaging story that reminds us how long his people [of Afghanistan] have been struggling to triumph over the forces of violence—forces that continue to threaten them even today." –New York Times Book Review The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father&’s servant, caught in the tragic sweep of history, The Kite Runner transports readers to Afghanistan at a tense and crucial moment of change and destruction. A powerful story of friendship, it is also about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their lies. Since its publication in 2003 Kite Runner has become a beloved, one-of-a-kind classic of contemporary literature, touching millions of readers, and launching the career of one of America's most treasured writers.
Eleanor & Park
by Rainbow Rowell#1 New York Times Best Seller! "Eleanor & Park reminded me not just what it's like to be young and in love with a girl, but also what it's like to be young and in love with a book. "-John Green, The New York Times Book Review Bono met his wife in high school, Park says. So did Jerry Lee Lewis, Eleanor answers. I'm not kidding, he says. You should be, she says, we're 16. What about Romeo and Juliet? Shallow, confused, then dead. I love you, Park says. Wherefore art thou, Eleanor answers. I'm not kidding, he says. You should be. Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits-smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you'll remember your own first love-and just how hard it pulled you under. A New York Times Best Seller! A 2014 Michael L. Printz Honor Book for Excellence in Young Adult Literature Eleanor & Park is the winner of the 2013 Boston Globe Horn Book Award for Best Fiction Book. A Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of 2013 A New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of 2013 A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of 2013 An NPR Best Book of 2013
Make Something Up
by Chuck PalahniukTwenty one stories and one novella from Chuck Palahniuk, literature's favorite transgressive author, Make Something Up is a compilation that disturbs and delights in equal measure. In "Expedition," fans will be thrilled to find to see a side of Tyler Durden never seen before in a precursor story to Fight Club. And in other stories, the absurdity of both life and death are on full display; in "Zombies," the best and brightest of a high school prep school become tragically addicted to the latest drug craze: electric shocks from cardiac defibrillators. In "Knock, Knock," a son hopes to tell one last off-color joke to a father in his final moments, while in "Tunnel of Love," a massage therapist runs the curious practice of providing 'relief' to dying clients. Funny, caustic, bizarre, poignant; these stories represent everything readers have come
The Meanest Thing to Say
by Bill CosbyThis is another book in the Little Bill Series.
Could Little Bill really find a way to play the name-calling game without any unkind words? Could he really play with just one little word on his lips and a big smile on his face? And what would his classmates think?
This book includes descriptions of the pictures, which adds to its fun.
Other books about Little Bill are available from Bookshare. This file should make an excellent embossed braille copy.
Looking for Alaska
by John GreenThe award-winning, genre-defining debut from #1 bestselling author of The Fault in Our Stars. Winner of the Michael L. Printz Award. Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist. New York Times bestseller.
Miles “Pudge” Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave “the Great Perhaps” even more (Francois Rabelais, poet).
He heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. Then. . . .After. Nothing is ever the same.
Nasreen's Secret School
by Jeanette WinterBased on a true story. After her parents are taken away by the Taliban, young Nasreen stops speaking. But as she spends time in a secret school, she slowly breaks out of her shell.
NIV, Holy Bible
by ZondervanRead the Bible on your device just as if you were reading a physical book. The Bible is the bestselling book in history, and the New International Version (NIV) Bible is the most popular modern English translation available. This bestselling Bible eBook is designed for an intuitive user experience. The fonts are crisp and clear, and the readability is great on both E-Ink® screens and color screens. With quick page turns and a numbered footnoting system that allows you to easily jump from Bible text to footnote and back again, this NIV Bible eBook is fast and robust. And with the &“How to Use This Bible&” feature included, navigating the Bible has never been easier. Features:Complete text of the accurate, readable, and clear New International Version (NIV)Easy navigation to individual books and chapters of the Bible from the table of contentsNumbered and hyperlinked footnote system that allows quick and easy access"How to Use This Bible" section that explains all you need to know to get the best user experience The New International Version (NIV) is the world&’s bestselling modern-English Bible translation—accurate, readable, and clear, yet rich with the detail found in the original languages. The NIV is the result of over 50 years of work by the Committee on Bible Translation, who oversee the efforts of many contributing scholars. Representing the spectrum of evangelicalism, the translators come from a wide range of denominations and various countries and continually review new research to ensure the NIV remains at the forefront of accessibility, relevance, and authority. Every NIV Bible that is purchased helps Biblica translate and give Bibles to people in need around the world.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
by Mark HaddonChristopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow.
This improbable story of Christopher's quest to investigate the suspicious death of a neighborhood dog makes for one of the most captivating, unusual, and widely heralded novels in recent years.
Fifty Shades Of Grey
by E L James"And in this quiet moment as I close my eyes, spent and sated, I think I'm in the eye of the storm. And in spite of all he's said, and what he hasn't said, I don't think I have ever been so happy."When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana's quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey's secrets and explores her own dark desires.An Instant #1 New York Times BestsellerMore than 165 Million Copies Sold WorldwideOne of 100 Great Reads in the Great American Read133 Weeks on the New York Times Bestseller ListThis book is intended for mature audiences.
A Stolen Life
by Jaycee DugardIn the summer of 1991 I was a normal kid. I did normal things. I had friends and a mother who loved me. I was just like you. Until the day my life was stolen. For eighteen years I was a prisoner. I was an object for someone to use and abuse. For eighteen years I was not allowed to speak my own name. I became a mother and was forced to be a sister. For eighteen years I survived an impossible situation.
On August 26, 2009, I took my name back. My name is Jaycee Lee Dugard. I don't think of myself as a victim. I survived.
A Stolen Life is my story--in my own words, in my own way, exactly as I remember it.---The pine cone is a symbol that represents the seed of a new beginning for me. To help facilitate new beginnings, with the support of animal-assisted therapy, the J A Y C Foundation provides support and services for the timely treatment of families recovering from abduction and the aftermath of traumatic experiences--families like my own who need to learn how to heal. In addition, the J A Y C Foundation hopes to facilitate awareness in schools about the important need to care for one another.
Our motto is "Just Ask Yourself to . . . Care!"A portion of my proceeds from this memoir will be donated to The J A Y C Foundation Inc.www.thejaycfoundation.org
A New York Times Bestseller
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
by Stephen ChboskyCharlie is a freshman. And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it.
Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.
But Charlie can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up
It's Perfectly Normal
by Robie H. HarrisFrom the Book Jacket: Celebrating 10 YEARS as the definitive book about puberty and sexual health for today's kids and teens! Questions, questions, questions. Children ask a lot of questions. But sometimes the questions are difficult to ask. And sometimes the answers are difficult to understand or even find. When children wonder about sex, where will they go for the answers? Providing accurate, lucid, unbiased answers to nearly every conceivable question children may have about sexuality, It's Perfectly Normal is here to help. From conception and puberty to birth control and AIDS, it is a refreshingly open and thorough presentation of the facts of sex-both biological and psychological-that children need now more than ever. Throughout, two cartoon characters, a curious bird and a squeamish bee, reflect the diverse feelings children often have about sex. Packed with warm, age-appropriate illustrations, often humorous but always scientifically correct, It's Perfectly Normal offers children the reassurance that the changes and emotions they experience while growing up are perfectly normal.
Bless Me, Ultima
by Rudolfo AnayaThis coming-of-age classic from "one of the nation's foremost Chicano literary artists" follows a young boy as he questions his faith and beliefs after a curandera woman introduces herbs and magic into his life (Denver Post). Antonio Marez is six years old when Ultima comes to stay with his family in New Mexico. She is a curandera, one who cures with herbs and magic. Under her wise wing, Tony will probe the family ties that bind and rend him, and he will discover himself in the magical secrets of the pagan past--a mythic legacy as palpable as the Catholicism of Latin America. And at each life turn there is Ultima, who delivered Tony into the world... and will nurture the birth of his soul.
A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl
by Tanya Lee StoneJosie, Nicolette, and Aviva all get mixed up with a senior boy–a cool, slick, sexy boy who can talk them into doing almost anything he wants. In a blur of high school hormones and personal doubt, each girl struggles with how much to give up and what ultimately to keep for herself. How do girls handle themselves? How much can a boy get away with? And in the end, who comes out on top? A bad boy may always be a bad boy. But this bad boy is about to meet three girls who won’t back down. From the Hardcover edition.
The Hunger Games
by Suzanne CollinsThe book no one can stop talking about . . .
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Collins delivers equal parts suspense and philosophy, adventure and romance, in this searing novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present.
Winner of Pacific Northwest Library Association’s Young Reader’s Choice Senior Award
Beloved
by Toni MorrisonStaring unflinchingly into the abyss of slavery, this spellbinding novel transforms history into a story as powerful as Exodus and as intimate as a lullaby.
Sethe, its protagonist, was born a slave and escaped to Ohio, but eighteen years later she is still not free.
She has too many memories of Sweet Home, the beautiful farm where so many hideous things happened.
And Sethe's new home is haunted by the ghost of her baby, who died nameless and whose tombstone is engraved with a single word: Beloved.
Filled with bitter poetry and suspense as taut as a rope, Beloved is a towering achievement.
A New York Times Bestseller