It's Your Freedom We're Talking About

The St. Charles Public Library DOES NOT BAN these books or any others.

Robert Cormier's "The Chocolate War" tops the list of most challenged books of 2004, according to the American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom.   The book drew complaints from parents and others concerned about the book's sexual content, offensive language, religious viewpoint and violence.

The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom received a total of 547 challenges last year. A challenge is defined as a formal, written complaint, filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness.

Ten Most Challenged Books of 2004

	"The Chocolate War" for sexual content, offensive language, religious viewpoint, being unsuited to age group and violence
	"Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers, for racism, offensive language and violence
	"Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture" by Michael A. Bellesiles, for inaccuracy and political viewpoint
	Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey, for offensive language and modeling bad behavior
	"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky, for homosexuality, sexual content and offensive language
	"What My Mother Doesn't Know" by Sonya Sones, for sexual content and offensive language
	"In the Night Kitchen" by Maurice Sendak, for nudity and offensive language
	"King & King" by Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland, for homosexuality
	"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou, for racism, homosexuality, sexual content, offensive language and unsuited to age group
	"Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck, for racism, offensive language and violence

See The Illinois Library Association's BOOKS CHALLENGED OR BANNED IN 2004–2005

It's Your Freedom We're Talking About

Created by the St. Charles Public Library 9/05