Freedom to Read Week Feb 22-28Like this list

70 items

• Challenged Works Archive - Freedom to Read

  View on freedomtoread.ca

• A Clockwork Orange

  Burgess, Anthony, 1917-1993

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  Challenges in Canada: 1990 — One of several books challenged by a parent group in Essex County (ON). Update — None of the books were withdrawn from the high school reading list as a result of the protest.

• A Jest of God

  Laurence, Margaret

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  Challenges in Canada: In 1978, a school trustee in Etobicoke, Ont., tried but failed to remove this novel from high school English classes. The trustee objected to the portrayal of teachers “who had sexual intercourse time and time again, out of…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• A Little Piece of Ground

  Laird, Elizabeth,

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  Challenges in Canada: 2003—A Canadian bookseller wrote to the British publisher of this novel about a 12-year-old Palestinian boy living in an Israeli-occupied area and asked that the firm consider not releasing the book. Objection—The bookseller…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

  Twain, Mark, 1835-1910,

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  Challenges in Canada: 1991—With Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, this classic novel was targeted by a parent group for removal from recommended reading lists in the Saint John (NB) School District 20. Objection—Racism in characterization and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• And Tango Makes Three

  Richardson, Justin,

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  Challenges in Canada: 2006—A parent complained about this picture book for small children in the Calgary Catholic School District. The book tells the story of two male penguins raising a baby penguin in a zoo. Objection—On religious grounds, the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Theban Plays

  Sophocles

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  Antigone. Challenges in Canada: 2011 — In Saskatchewan, Chief Dwayne Antoine and members of the band council of the Poundmaker Cree Nation tried to ban a live performance of an adaptation of Antigone on their reserve. Objection — Antigone — which…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Bad Medicine

  a Judge's Struggle for Justice in a First Nations Community

  Reilly, John, 1946-

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  Challenges in Canada: 2010 — In Alberta, the Stoney Nakoda First Nation asked the Judicial Council of Alberta to ban Bad Medicine. David Bearspaw, a chief of the Stoney Nakodas, also filed a libel suit against the book’s author, a semi-retired judge…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Barometer Rising

  MacLennan, Hugh, 1907-1990

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  Challenges in Canada: At a convention in 1960, members of the Manitoba School Trustees Association voted unanimously to ask Manitoba’s department of education to remove this novel from the high school curriculum. “What the trustees objected to is…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Betty

  the Helen Betty Osborne Story

  Robertson, David, 1977-

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  Challenges in Canada: In 2018, Robertson learned that Alberta Education had put Betty on a list of books that were “not recommended” for use in classrooms. A ministry spokesperson said that “graphic representation of sensitive content” must be…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Big Guy

  Stevenson, Robin, 1968-

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  Challenges in Canada: International Challenges In October 2021, a Republican state lawmaker in Texas sent a letter to the Texas Education Agency urging the removal of 850 books from schools because they might make students feel “discomfort, guilt,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Black Looks

  Race and Representation

  hooks, bell, 1952-2021,

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  Challenges in Canada: 1993—hooks is a professor at Oberlin College (OH). She is a noted feminist and an antiracist activist. Her book was adopted for women’s studies courses at the University of Alberta, Simon Fraser University, York University,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Bridge to Terabithia

  Paterson, Katherine

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  Challenges in Canada: 2006—A parent challenged this children’s book used by the Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB). The book is a winner of the American Library Association’s Newbery Medal which is awarded annually to a distinguished children’s…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Carsick

  Waters, John, 1946-

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  Challenges in Canada: 2015: Challenged for being sexually explicit. One patron in Alberta: “I found this book in the travel section, which is my favourite, but feel this book does not belong here. The first 2/3 of the book is made up of the author’s…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Different Seasons

  King, Stephen, 1947-

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  Challenges in Canada: 1995—The Lanark County (ON) School Board refused to include this collection of four novellas chosen by teachers for senior students at Carleton Place High School. Objection—Board members, one of whom had not read the book,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Essex County

  Lemire, Jeff,

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  Challenges in Canada: This story was originally published by Top Shelf Productions in 2007. It was challenged in Ontario in 2011. A library patron reported that she was shocked by the offensive language in the book.

• Extraordinary Evil

  a Brief History of Genocide

  Coloroso, Barbara,

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  Challenges in Canada: 2007—The Council of Turkish Canadians objected to the inclusion of this book on a recommended reading list for a proposed Grade 11 history course on genocide in Toronto public schools. Objection—The book describes the deaths…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Foxfire

  Confessions of a Girl Gang

  Oates, Joyce Carol, 1938-

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  Challenges in Canada: 1996—A parent demanded the removal of this novel from the optional reading list for senior English students at a Milton (ON) high school. His 16-page flyer, distributed throughout the community, included excerpts from the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Gender Queer

  a Memoir

  Kobabe, Maia,

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  Challenges in Canada: Nov. 2, 2021 — A library patron challenged this teen graphic novel. First, the patron left an anonymous message on the voicemail of an information desk phone; then, the patron emailed a message and left a name. The patron…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Go Ask Alice

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  Challenges in Canada: In 1978, school boards in Richmond and Langley, B.C., removed this book from their high schools. In Richmond, students sent a petition to the school board to protest the ban, and the Richmond Teacher-Librarians’ Association…Read moreRead more of this annotation