The American Library Association recently released its annual list (for 2011) of the most challenged books of the year, meaning the books most often targeted for removal from one public shelf or another. Nine of the top 10 are available locally from the collections of the , and libraries.
(Note: Though its materials are available through other branches, the Bala Cynwyd branch is closed all year for renovations)
1. ttyl; ttfn; l8r, g8r by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: Offensive language; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group
- ttyl: Bala Cynwyd: 2 (one missing, one unavailable)
- ttyl: Belmont Hills: 1 (in)
- ttfn: Bala Cynwyd: 1 (unavailable)
- l8r, g8r: 0
2. The Color of Earth by Kim Dong Hwa
Reasons: Nudity; sex education; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group
- None
3. The Hunger Games trilogy by Kathleen Collins
Reasons: Anti-ethnic; anti-family; insensitivity; offensive language; occult/satanic; violence
- The Hunger Games: Bala Cynwyd: 6 (one due 4/13, one due 4/23, two due 4/28, two transferred)
- The Hunger Games: Belmont Hills: 1 (due 4/26)
- The Hunger Games: Narberth: 1 (held)
- Catching Fire: Bala Cynwyd: 4 (one due 4/18, two transferred, one held)
- Catching Fire: Belmont Hills: 1 (transferred)
- Catching Fire: Narberth: 1 (due 4/25)
- Mockingjay: Bala Cynwyd: 2 (one due 4/19, one due 4/23)
- Mockingjay: Belmont Hills: 2 (one due 4/30, one held)
- Mockingjay: Narberth: 1 (due 4/17)
4. My Mom's Having a Baby! A Kid's Month-to-Month Guide to Pregnancy by Dori Hillestad Butler
Reasons: Nudity; sex education; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group
- Lower Merion: None
- Narberth: 1 (in)
5. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Reasons: Offensive language; racism; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group
- Bala Cynwyd: 2 (one in-transit, one due 3/28)
- Belmont Hills: 1 (in)
- Narberth: 1 (in)
6. Alice (series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Reasons: Nudity; offensive language; religious viewpoint
- The Agony of Alice: Belmont Hills: 1 (in)
- Narberth (several titles)
7. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Reasons: Insensitivity; nudity; racism; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit
- Narberth: 1 (in)
8. What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones
Reasons: Nudity; offensive language; sexually explicit
- Bala Cynwyd: 1 (in-transit)
- Narberth: 1 (lost)
9. Gossip Girl (series) by Cecily Von Ziegesar
Reasons: Drugs; offensive language; sexually explicit
- Bala Cynwyd: (several titles)
- Belmont Hills: (several titles)
10. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Reasons: Offensive language; racism
- Bala Cynwyd: 9 (two in, two in-transit, two lost, two unavailable, one due 2/13)
- Belmont Hills: 3 (two in, one due 4/14)
- Narberth: 1 (in)
