“It’s Perfectly Normal” tops ALA’s 2005 list of most challenged books
Here are the top challenged books this last year:
“It’s Perfectly Normal” for homosexuality, nudity, sex education, religious viewpoint, abortion and being unsuited to age group;
“Forever” by Judy Blume for sexual content and offensive language;
“The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger for sexual content, offensive language and being unsuited to age group;
“The Chocolate War” by Robert Cormier for sexual content and offensive language;
“Whale Talk” by Chris Crutcher for racism and offensive language;
“Detour for Emmy” by Marilyn Reynolds for sexual content;
“What My Mother Doesn’t Know” by Sonya Sones for sexual content and being unsuited to age group;
Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey for anti-family content, being unsuited to age group and violence;
“Crazy Lady!” by Jane Leslie Conly for offensive language; and
“It’s So Amazing! A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families” by Robie H. Harris for sex education and sexual content.
Boy, these folks need to read some new books! Some of these titles have been under attack for years and years. Let’s give them a break and find some new books to question.
Seriously, the good news is that some of the old guard have fallen off the list like Huckleberry Finn, Of Mice and Men, and the Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor.

Read*Write*Now! is the site for the American Initiative on Reading and Writing. The site offers information for parents and teachers on how to create fun reading activities for children. The website is filled with reading readiness activities and ideas.

Chicken Spaghetti is hosting the 2nd Carnival of Children’s Literature. If you are a blogger who blogs about children’s literature in any way, submit one of your favorite posts to the carnival. Submissions are due by this Friday, March 3rd. Join in, it’s a lot of fun, and you can get exposure for your blog!

The Miami Herald has an article on boys and reading entitled, These tips might make your son a reader. The tips are simple but powerful:
Find an “entry point.” Meaning look for reading materials that your son is interested in.
Look for books with male characters.
Think “outside the book.” There is plenty of reading materials not between book covers.
Start a book club.
Go to the bookstore and library.
Get involved in your child’s education.
Set the tone. Read in front of you children.
Start early. Read. Read. Read.
Music to my ears!

Alt Teen Services Blog is a blog run by two librarians who work professionally with teenagers. They have great ideas for working with teens, technology and teens, and programming.

ALA announces that YALSA releases new book on summer reading programs for young adults, entitled Sizzling Summer Reading Programs for Young Adults. The emphasis is on libraries of all sizes providing high quality teen-friendly programming.

Bookslut has a great article about Investing in the Children’s Section of public libraries. The author uses the new library in Eugene, Oregon, and explains what she and her son love about their library. Most of the things they love are attainable by any public library serviing children: put books on display so busy parents can reach out and grab, have puzzles and puppets and toys, and have art on display. Her love letter to her public library is not about the budget or the new library. It is about how her library makes her and her son feel.

Drop Everything And Read or D.E.A.R. Day is on April 12th. It is a program featuring beloved book character Ramona Quimby and celebrates reading as well as Beverly Cleary’s 90th birthday. On their site you can learn about the celebration, read the press release, and request free materials for your library.

Writing with a broken tusk is the blog of author, Uma Krishnaswami. The blog focuses on writing books for children. Wonderful insights and inspiritional ideas.