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Potter series tops list of most challenged books 
SEPTEMBER 25, 2006 at 2:08 PM
Posted by GERI
Source: ALA via Yahoo! News
As we enter into the 25th anniversary of Banned Books Week (September 23-30), the American Library Association (ALA) has published a list of the most challenged
books in the last five years and the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling is at the number one spot.
Rounding out the top 10 banned books:
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Witch
Points: 622
mount holyoke girl says:
I dont think any books should be banned. I am a liberal and I believe people should have the right to read whatever book they want to read. This banning books business is what puts America in danger of becoming a dictatorship. Like Hitler and Stalin burnt books they didnt like. I mean banning them is not as extreme as burning them but its the first step to it. It is very worrying.
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 3:41 PM EST
Student
Points: 292
Heartless says:
Oh my gosh! I've read of mice and men, and Captain Underpants (That book is NOT funny). I can see why they were... challenged was it?. Is that like people tried to ban it? Well I can also see why Harry Potter was... challenged. It's not really little kids book is it? Especially the last few. Oh and also the pope doesn't really fancy the HP books. Thats stupid though, because he thinks that it teaches people witchcraft. Yeah I know. he can be stupid somtimes. Did you hear how he insulted the muslim religion, I think it was muslim. Yeah. Stupid sometimes and I'm catholic!
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 3:42 PM EST
Witch
Points: 812
butterbeer9791 says:
It's unfortunate that people want to stop others from reading about certain things. It's not as if the Harry Potter books are tutorials on how to become satan worshipers. I know kids can be impressionable, but you'd have to be pretty twisted to find fault with Harry Potter.
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 3:46 PM EST
Witch
Points: 893
Divadancer4life says:
I have read of mice and men it can't be banned!
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 3:48 PM EST
Head Girl
Points: 453
sparkle_fairy92 says:
I knew the Harry Potter books in certain places, but not in enough spots to be #1!!! I feel so bad for the people who can't read them... in a way I hope they don't know what they are missing....
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 3:57 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2078
Nataly says:
THat is amazing!!! They deserve it!!
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 4:11 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1720
hpforever138 says:
Hm, well I'm proud to say I read and love the number one most challenged book!
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 4:13 PM EST
Little Morning Star
Points: 2830
Nellas Telrúnya-Took says:
God. Why do people even bother? Harry Potter is admired world wide, and nothing anybody says is going to change that. Get over it already.
I do think it's kind of funny, though.
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 4:16 PM EST
Hogwarts Psychologist
Points: 4236
Patronus Wiz says:
Seems so strange. It's hard to believe that this book is banned in so many places. It seems so innocuous. I just don't get it.
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 4:19 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1150
Witch_one_counts? says:
What does that mean? The most challenged? I think their wonderful books, and I think they are easy to read, though reading them more than once helps you to understand more things.
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 4:20 PM EST
Witch
Points: 692
~Remember Snape~ says:
Yeah number ONE. who doesn't like banned books they're totally the best ever.
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 4:21 PM EST
The Golden Snidget
Points: 3148
Mrs. Phineas Nigellus says:
Thank you thank you thank you to HPANA! Banned books week is one of my favorite causes and I want a special thank you to this site for recognizing it. As for the rest of the members: READ BANNED BOOKS! It's the only way to stop censorship in reading, a major issue as we are all Potter fans! Thanks so much to everyone!
*The MRS*
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 4:25 PM EST
The Golden Snidget
Points: 3148
Mrs. Phineas Nigellus says:
Witch_one_counts? 'challenged' is a term that means that the HP books are the books most 'challenged' (aka, complained about and tried to get rid of in certain places; if a person called and asked their library to remove HP from its shelves, that would be challenging it) and HP books are the most challenged!!! Isn't that terrible?
*The MRS*
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 4:28 PM EST
Witch
Points: 651
Ginny_Weasley_Potter says:
Good job. For reals this is the number one series in the whole world.
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 4:29 PM EST
Grillows Girl
Points: 2785
Miss Baltimore Crabs says:
Surprise, surprise, people want to ban Harry Potter... it's evil, etc etc. *sarcastic grin*
Harry Potter rocks people. It'll never be banned!
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 4:33 PM EST
Mrs. Draco Malfoy
Points: 25611
Arika Granger Malfoy says:
IT has been challenged a lot.
And it is for a stupid reason.
Oy,....haha
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 4:34 PM EST
rockstar
Points: 2856
Harry_J Potter says:
Thats very... Interesting.. I really don't know what to say about it though. Uh.. congrats??
And I just have to re post this that someone posted on the first page because its the funniest thing I have ever read:
i think captain underpants is "questionable" because it's directed toward yound children but it's about underwear and other things that are taboo for five year olds.
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 4:35 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2428
Hecate3fold says:
Good grief, was I suprised to see some of the names on that list. I remember when I was much younger the book "Candy" was being talked about as not being of good taste and should be banned, but it didn't even make the list. Blessings! Hecate3fold!
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 4:38 PM EST
The Usual Suspect
Points: 3418
Orchid says:
I can't say that I've read any of the other books or series, but it is always the popular books that get the worst criticism.
It's just a book about good vs evil, and I bet that if it didn't have anything to do with witches and wizards it wouldn't cause as much uproar.
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 4:48 PM EST
Prefect
Points: 320
whynotcuse says:
That is so cool but then again, Harry Potter books are very challenging! JK definatley gets the award for being the best author too! i can't think of a better book series than this! Well Done!!
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 4:54 PM EST
Healer in Training
Points: 2661
nubian_weasley01 says:
You can tell who came up with the banned list because they are a bunch of narrow-minded pricks. I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings is a very good book and The Harry Potter Series are great books.
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 5:35 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1675
lissir10 says:
Haha my english teacher was talking about banned books month last week in class!! haha She has a poster set up and it shows some of the books, and I was looking at them all of a sudden I see "harry Potter and the chamber of secrects" I turn to my friend and I was like oh my gosh!! haha.. I guess I see why its banned though... some of the other books look good... I haven't read them though..
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 5:40 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1075
Tao says:
It's sad that even in this day in age, we have people who want to take books out of the hands of people. It's disgraceful. :(
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 5:43 PM EST
Points: 7828
Rococoed says:
I can't say I wasn't expecting for this to happen; all of us were well aware before now that many blind and ignorant individuals, unwilling to open their eyes to a marvelous universe, are convinced that Harry Potter is harmful to children, something that is quite tragic. We should do well to ignore them and confine ourselves to our lovely little fandom, dismissing whatever eccentric claims they employ to persuade us that we have surrendered our souls to the temptation of witchcraft.
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 5:44 PM EST
Queen of the Yarn Ball
Points: 3705
red&gold says:
People ban books for the same reason women couldn't vote for ages!!! They are afraid of what they don't know...
I can't say I've read all the books, but I think if 1/2 of these people who want to ban Potter read at least the first book they would see they are over reacting...
I can't understand how people are afraid of reading... So many people FIGHT with their children to read... for once they want to and then they find a problem with it... You can bet a greater portion of those people are reading things that might not be for childrens eyes, and they could easily pick it up & take a peek.
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 5:52 PM EST
Head Girl
Points: 497
luna_moon says:
Well, these fundamentalist and whatnot people just don't know what they're missing. But I think one thing that they don't seem to get is that when you ban something, or bring to attention something "evil" or risque in it, [i]every man, woman, and child is going to look for the nearest copy of said book, movie, etc.[i] It is just doing the opposite of what they want to accomplish. Unless they are trying to do it just so they can say "Ha ha!", which unfortunantly, many do.
I would also like to put in a shameless plug for the Alice series (for girls only though :)), at second place, because they are really awesome books, but talk about the dreaded s-e-x word, so are automatically evil.
I have a dream where we are free to read, watch, do, and think whatever we like with out being attacked. Where people don't try to force their beliefs on you. Where people are tolerant of beliefs that they do not share. I am afraid though, that this might just be a dream. . .
Posted Sep 25, 2006 at 6:14 PM EST
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