Most Challenged Books of 2009

Just in time for National Library Week: The American Library Association (ALA) has released their list of "Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2009," and two new titles have made the list this year - Twilight (series) by Stephanie Meyer and My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. You can view the whole release on the ALA's website here.

Challenged books have been tracked by the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom for close to twenty years. A challenge is defined as a formal, written complaint to a library or school because of content or appropriateness. However, the ALA does estimate that the majority of challenges go undocumented, and that the following list most likely represents only about 20 to 25 percent of challenges that actually occur. 

So with these numbers in mind, what does this list really mean? Everything and nothing it seems, depending on who you ask. The important thing is that this list represents your individual right to free access of library materials, and the community discussion that these materials can help foster. That being said, you can find any of these books at your local Richmond Public Library branch.

Top Ten Most Challenged Books of 2009

1. ttyl, ttfn, l8r, g8r (series) by Lauren Myracle

2. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson

3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Steven Chbosky

4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

5. Twilight (series) by Stephanie Meyer

6. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

7. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

8. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

9. The Color Purple by Alice Walker

10.The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier