A slice of life: 'Charlotte's Web' banned (2024)

FAQs

A slice of life: 'Charlotte's Web' banned? ›

Some school districts aimed to ban the book from schools because they believed the book has unsuitable topics for children to read about. One major complaints was that the story portrayed talking animals that can communicate and act just like humans.

From the time of its publication in 1947 until 1972, the book was "banned" by the New York Public Library due to the then-head children's librarian Anne Carroll Moore's hatred of the book.

Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham. Beginning in 1965, it was forbidden to read Green Eggs and Ham in Maoist China because of its “portrayal of early Marxism,” and the ban was not lifted until author Theodor Seuss Geisl's death in 1991.

James and the Giant Peach

The novel promoted mysticism had the word ass in it. There were references to tobacco and alcohol.

The Lorax by Dr.

Seuss' environmental kid's book was banned in 1989 in a California school because it was believed to portray logging in a poor light and would turn children against the foresting industry.

In 2010, the book was briefly banned from Texas' third grade curriculum due to a confusion between author of children's books Bill Martin Jr, and author of Ethical Marxism: The Categorical Imperative of Liberation (Creative Marxism) philosopher Bill Martin. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

Reason for Challenge/Banning: Dear Martin has been banned for a variety of reasons, including language, sexuality, as well as “racial tendencies as a negative attribute of society."

“The Cat in the Hat,” one of Seuss' most popular books, has received criticism, too, but will continue to be published for now. Dr. Seuss Enterprises, however, said it is “committed to listening and learning and will continue to review our entire portfolio.”

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Roald Dahl

This book was originally banned due to the fact that the depiction of the oompa loompas was seen as racist. Roald Dahl was taken aback by this and changed the description of the oompa loompas in a revised version.

Why is Matilda banned? ›

Challenged in many schools & libraries due to its message which encourages children to disobey their parents and other authority figures. Banned & challenged from several school libraries due to its "obscene" content including sexual situations, profanity, and encouragement of disrespectful behavior.

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. Reason: This book was banned largely in the south, and psychologists called it “too dark”. Due to Max being sent to bed without dinner, it was seen as promoting child abuse, as well as witchcraft and supernatural events.

There were concerns over the violence and increasingly dark tone of the later books but most of the censorship attempts were for religious reasons. It was also banned in some Christian schools in the UK.

Controversial because of profanity and theme of rebellion, the book was first banned in 1986 in many libraries and schools. A 30th Anniversary Edition of the book appeared in 2004, and two audio editions (1983 and 2000) are also available.

You probably wouldn't think that a book by well-known children's author Shel Silverstein would make a banned books list, but a Colorado library found the book to be "sexist." The Giving Tree was banned in 1988 by the library, quoting a selfish relationship between the boy and the tree as the reasoning.

Did you know that Goodnight Moon was essentially banned from the New York Public Library from 1947 to 1972?

As a matter of fact, the New York City Library refused to carry the book for that very reason, calling it "an unbearably sentimental piece of work." The library didn't reverse its decision until 1973, 26 years after Goodnight Moon was first published.

But for what it's worth, I think it's there for a simple reason: to reassure children that there is nobody else in the room, nobody else to fear.

Goodnight Moon's repetitive wordplay exemplifies Brown's rejection of traditional narrative structure. This writing device, which may seem off-putting to older readers, is incredibly stimulating for young children because it helps them become familiar with new vocabulary.