Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week there is a new topic for bloggers to choose and list their top ten. This week is Top Ten Genre Freebie (Pick a genre and build a list around it. It could a list of favorites, a to-read list, recommendations for people interested in reading books in that genre, “if you like this, try this”, etc.)
How is this the last Tuesday in February already?! I am so glad because I need Spring to get here asap! This week I’m going to talk about Banned/Challenged Books on my son’s bookshelves. I was inspired by my son’s READ ACROSS AMERICA theme this week. They are celebrating the importance of reading and get to do fun school day outfits. What is happening in Florida is not okay! Diversity is important and READING IS SO NECESSARY. I don’t want to get political.. I just think it’s important that we allow our children a variety of books! ❤ Please no nasty comments… this is not a political post!
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak is one of our favorites. It has been banned for promoting the occult. WHAT. My son’s whole room and baby shower theme was this book!! We love it so much and it’s so full of imagination.
Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry is such a wonderful book! I cannot believe this one made the list either.
Where’s Waldo by Martin Handford. I remember putting these out for Banned books week at the library and they flew out to door so fast. It was banned for a “nude” woman on the beach. lol
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. I think the reasoning is so dumb. I mean… most of the reasons are pretty dumb but because it criminalizes the foresting industry.
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstine. We have this one and it’s been a while since we’ve read it. It was banned for sexist reasons.
Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o. We love love love this book! I found it on a couple of lists but no reasoning why. Not sure if it’s challenged but regardless.
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. This one is banned because of the talking animals and its insult to God. It’s fiction… fiction.
I can’t wait to see what other topics I find today! Leave your link down below and let’s chat!!
Books Are The New Black 
I used to do Banned Books displays in my library and kids were always knocked over with a feather by Where’s Waldo being on the list.
My TTT list
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YES! I remember my first year working there, I was shocked! We had to look up the reason and it’s so dumb. lol
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Oh Where is Waldo is one of the favorite books in the kindergarten class that I take to the school library to pick books each week. Haha.
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haha!! Yes, we love them here too. My husband just got out his from when he was a kid. It’s so crazy how they are banned. lol
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I still can’t get my head around the fact of books being banned…..
My TTT: http://laurieisreading.com/2023/02/28/top-ten-tuesday-ya-books-with-multiple-pov-narration/
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I know and it’s getting worse! They are so important. I guess, history keeps repeating itself.
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I’m not sure, but I assume it’s less of an issue here than in the US or UK.
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Banning books is an outrage! And Where The Wild Things Are???! That was the first book I bought my daughter!
This was my list of favourite crime novels.
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YES! I completely agree. It’s getting so much worse, and it makes me sick. Where the Wild Things is a staple and my son’s favorite!! I was shocked when I found out it was on the list!
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Oh my goodness! I can’t believe that any of these books have been banned.
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Right!? It’s so crazy!!
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WHAT WHAT indeed for banning Where the Wild Things Are! I remember there was a similar movement for Harry Potter books too, long back :O
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YES! I remember being so shocked when I found out years ago! It’s always for the dumbest reasons too. Yeah, those are always on the list!
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It’s so funny to read the reasons why children’s books are banned! I loved this list.
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-xenofiction/
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Thank you!! I know, right?! They are for the dumbest reasons. haha
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I credit Charlotte’s Web for my lack of a fear of spiders and book bans are just crazy. I’ve never understood banning books. Just don’t read them if you find the premise offensive. Excellent post!
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Exactly!!! If you don’t like it or have a problem the don’t read it. Don’t let our views shape what my views should/shouldn’t be!! Everyone needs to mind their own business!! Especially, when it comes to books!! lol
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I cannot fathom a legitimate reason any of these would be banned, honestly. Banning books ever is just ridiculous to me. Reading outside your comfort zone is so important, especially to children.
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I know, it’s quite insane. I can’t believe that it’s getting worse. It’s so important to read all kinds of things, cultures, and genres!!
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I didn’t realize Where’s Waldo was a banned book lol!
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lol, yep!!! So stupid…haha!
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It blows my mind that these are banned books. So sad. We have many on our shelves still from when my daughter was little.
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They are such amazing books. Totally agree with you. Many of these were so shocking to me!
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The whole idea of books being banned just seems so completely odd to me, it’s not really a thing here in the UK which I am very grateful for! I did a Banned Books list last year and also had Charlotte’s Web on it and I was appalled at the reasoning why, it just seems so ridiculous to me, especially as Charlotte’s Web was one of my favourite books as a kid.
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2023/02/28/top-ten-tuesday-409/
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YES! You are so lucky. The reasoning for many/almost all banned books is absolutely ridiculous! They are labeled fiction for a reason!! LOL. Charlotte’s Web is so wholesome!
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It makes no sense to me either, fiction is just such a weird thing to be outraged by? Yes it really is 🙂
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I remember making a display for Banned Books Week at the library I used to work at. It’s ridiculous what people will ban
my post: https://teaandcatsandbooks.wordpress.com/2023/02/28/top-ten-tuesday/
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Yeah, there were always so many great convos during this display! People were always surprised at so many of the books!
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Oh wow, I was shocked to hear these are banned books. Great post though!
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Thank you! Yes, there’s always so many that I’m shocked to learn about too!
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There is an Academy Award-winning animated short that goes along with Hair Love, and it’s so freaking cute! And relatable as my youngest daughter’s hair is a lot like this little girl’s. My local school board recently had a parent challenge Bluest Eyes by Toni Morrison. While I haven’t read it, I want to see what I’ve missed.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/favorite-historical-fiction-the-1920s-1930s/
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Where’s Waldo was really popular when I was a kid. I laughed to see it on this list! Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
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Same!! My husband just brought out his from when he was a kid. Ollie loved them! haha
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I can’t believe some of these are banned! I love Charlotte’s Web, and Where The Wild Things Are! Some books are banned for such silly reasons. I love the topic you picked! Also, your ttt design is soo pretty!
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Right?! It’s absurd how many of these are banned and the reasoning!! Thank you so much!! I just changed it up a couple of days ago! 😊
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Love to support banned/challenged books. Some of the “reasoning” behind it is SO ridiculous!
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I thought so too. There’s lists and lists of books and they are all dumb reasons. Lol
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These are some of my favorite children’s books! And I didn’t know Lupita Nyong’o had a book, she’s amazing. Thanks for sharing these.
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Same, they were ours and now my son’s favorites!! Yeah, it’s such a sweet book! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
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I will never understand the banning of books and the narrow mindedness of those who call for books to be banned.
Also, Hair Love is such a great book!
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Absolutely agree!!! It’s very infuriating!
Yes!! It’s so good! 😊
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I don’t understand it either. I love Dr Seuss…
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I know, so do we!!
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I absolutely love your list. These books are fantastic!!!
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Thank you!!! 😊
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The reasoning on these are absolutely ridiculous XD Great books though!
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Yes! I’m so glad everyone else thinks so too!
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What the heck?! How are any of these banned? I’m so confused 😂😭
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Right?! It’s crazy!! The list goes on and on… haha
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This is such a great topic! The fact that books are being banned makes me so mad, especially when I see the reasons why. They don’t make any sense – it makes me think that maybe if the people doing the banning spent more time reading books, they’d be banning less of them. And I love that you encourage reading in your house, especially of these amazing books.
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Yes!!! People that ban them are obviously very ignorant. The reasons are so beyond stupid. Reading is so important!! My husband and I are both big readers. So we instilled it very early & my lil one has his one bookshelf in his room. Currently putting another together for #2! ❤️
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Good job! That’s a parenting win!
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Thank you!! 🙂
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Banning books is so ridiculous, I can’t imagine my kids never having a chance to read Where the Wild Things Are or their favorite, The Lorax. My daughter just made trufulla trees in her Kinder class since it is Dr. Seuss week – but yeah, my mind is always blown when I see what books they try and ban. The Giving Tree was my favorite as a kid and still as an adult. Great TTT topic!
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Absolutely, totally agree! It’s ridiculous how much they try to censor and for the dumbest reasons. Most of Dr. Seuss books are banned, which is crazy! I can’t imagine my kids not knowing these stories. The Giving Tree is a good one!!
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I love this post and find the reasoning behind some of them completely ridiculous. Thank you for sharing!!
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Thank you! Haha, I know. I was reading these and had to put the reasons in because they are just so dumb!
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Can’t believe Charlotte’s Web is banned! It’s such an important book, especially for children. Love this topic!
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Thank you! Yeah, a lot of these are so surprising and for really stupid reasons. lol
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Honestly not convinced there’s ever a good one, haha.
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You are absolutely right!
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Great list! It’s crazy what books they ban, makes no sense.
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Thank you! Totally agree.
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I am also shocked that some of these (ANY OF THESE) made the list! People ban/challenge books for the most ridiculous reasons.
Thanks for bringing these to my attention. This is a great idea for a freebie topic!
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Yes, I totally agree!! It’s all so ridiculous but the reasoning just make you roll your eyes!!
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Yes, yes yes!! Great topic choice. My kids are no longer small so I feel out of touch with children’s books nowadays, but I did read almost all of these with my kids. And being down here in Texas where so many of the bans have been happening, I’m appalled. I homeschooled my kids, and one of the reasons was so I could read them whatever I wanted to. And teach them the correct history. 😃
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Thank you!! Honestly, I would do the same thing if I lived in Texas or Florida. Ohio is probably shortly behind bc it’s a huge red state. I would be doing the same because the correct history AND all books are important!!!
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Absolutely!!
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Banning books is shocking. Can’t understand it. It’s so absurd!
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Totally agree!!!
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