I was really surprised to see the variety of books on the banned lists and the reasons why they were banned. Some I can understand (but not agree with) and others … I was like, “What the heck?” I never thought of Tarzan and Jane even having “relations” until I saw the comment below. Pehaps my impressionable mind does need protecting. I am going to add Tarzan to my read list just to check. This list from the American Library Association is hilarious!
Ten most farfetched (silliest, irrational, illogical) reasons to ban a book.
- “Encourages children to break dishes so they won’t have to dry them.” (A Light in the Attic, by Shel Silverstien)
- “It caused a wave of rapes.” (Arabian Nights, or Thousand and One Nights, anonymous)
- “If there is a possibility that something might be controversial, then why not eliminate it?” (Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, by Dee Brown)
- “Tarzan was ‘living in sin’ with Jane.” (Tarzan, by Edgar Rice Burroughs)
- “It is a real ‘downer.’” (Diary of Anne Frank, by Anne Frank)
- “The basket carried by Little Red Riding Hood contained a bottle of wine, which condones the use of alcohol.” (Little Red Riding Hood, by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm K. Grimm)
- “One bunny is white and the other is black and this ‘brainwashes’ readers into accepting miscegenation.” (The Rabbit’s Wedding, by Garth Williams)
- “It is a religious book and public funds should not be used to purchase religious books.” (Evangelical Commentary on the Bible, by Walter A. Elwell, ed.)
- “A female dog is called a bitch.” (My Friend Flicka, by Mary O’Hara)
- “An unofficial version of the story of Noah’s Ark will confuse children.” ( Many Waters, by Madeleine C. L’Engle)
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