Burn Baby Burn! (Book Burning Inferno!)

Ok, I'm putting reviews on hold to talk about MORE banned books. I know. But seriously? Buy these books and read them. Fight intolerance and ignorance with knowledge! Please!

So, probably first off is the fact that the ALA announced the top ten banned books for 2005.

They are:

It's Perfectly Normal : Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Healthby Robie H. Harris (sex! homos! abortion!)

Foreverby Judy Blume (sex! pregnancy! a penis named Ralph!)

The Catcher in the Ryeby J. D. Saligner (Because apparently, the language is still offensive and it is "unsuited to age group". Please!)

The Chocolate Warby Robert Cormier (sex! language!)

Whale Talkby Chris Cuther (racism! language!)

Detour for Emmyby Marilyn Renoylds (because, apparently, books about teenage pregancy have SEX in them! Cautionary tales about why not to do it, containg some "doing it"! Who would've known?!)

What My Mother Doesn't Knowby Sonya Sones (sex!)

Captain Underpantsby Dav Pilkey (apparently, books about super-hero principals have "anti-family content")

Crazy Lady!by Jane Leslie Conly (language!)

It's So Amazing! A Book About Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Familiesby Robie H. Harris (sex ed!)

AND! As if that weren't enough! The Wilsona School district in California recently line item vetoed the following books off the library's selection list (put together by parents and teachers and librarians). I love people who ban books that haven't even been published yet!!

Clifford's Bathtime (clifford Y La Hora Del Bano)Norman Bridwell

Clifford's Opposites (clifford Y Los Opuestos)Norman Bridwell

Clifford's Animal Sounds (clifford Y Los Sonidos De Los Animales)Norman Bridwell

I mean, really! What's wrong with bi-lingual Clifford?!

The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl, Book 3)Eoin Colfer

The Opal Deception (Artemis Fowl, Book 4)Eoin Colfer

But the other Artemis Fowl books are ok?!

The Burning (Guardians of Ga'hoole, Book 6)Kathryn Lasky

But Ga'hoole 1-5 are ok...

The Real Slam DunkCharisse Richardson

The Real Lucky CharmCharisse Richardson

Peter and the StarcatchersDave Barry

Zoo Day Disaster (SpongeBob SquarePants)David Lewman

Clifford AND Spongebob?!

The Eye of the WarlockP. W. Catanese

The Thief and the BeanstalkP. W. Catanese

Season of the Sandstorms (Magic Tree House #34)Mary Pope Osborne

I really, really don't understand only banning one book in a series. Especially Magic Tree House, which is educational. Gah.

Bionicle Adventures #9: Web Of Shadows : Web Of Shadows (Bionicle Adventures)Greg Farshtay

Princess School #5: Princess Charming : Princess CharmingJane Mason

Princess School : Beauty Is A BeastJane Mason

See? With the series thing? It doesn't make sense! Plus what on earth is wrong with Princess School?!

Twice Upon A Time: Rapunzel, the One With All The HairWendy Mass

This book hasn't even been published yet!!!!

Charlie Bone And The Castle Of MirrorsJenny Nimmo

Tales from the Odyssey: The One-Eyed Giant - Book #1Mary Pope Osbourne

Oh my! Not the Homer! The horror of classic literature! Ahhhhhh!

Becoming Naomi LeonPam Munoz Ryan

OK. I just read this this weekend and it is beautiful. AND! It just one a Pura Belpre author honor book! (The Pura Belpre award is given out every other year to honor a "Latino writer whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience.)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)J. K. Rowling

OK, I can understand how maybe this isn't appropriate for elementary school. My library has this and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5)in the YA section, but Wilsona still hasHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5) and it's really much darker and creepier and less age appropriate than Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)

Disney's Christmas Storybook Collection

Seriously? Disney?!

California (Welcome to the U.S.A.)Ann Heinrichs

OH, and

The Kite RunnerKhaled Hosseini has been challenged in Lawrence Township, IN.