Banned and Challenged Picture Books

Yes, picture books get challenged too! These kids' books (listed in no particular order) have been challenged (and in some cases, banned) for a variety of reasons. There are lots of reasons that books can be challenged or event banned. Often the reasons are political, legal, religious or moral. Sometimes books are challenged when a person reads only a small portion or relies on reviews they have read or heard to determine suitability. Public libraries usually follow intellectual freedom policies that guide their decisions when a member of the public challenges a book or other item. Intellectual freedom means that each person has the right to decide what they want to read, watch, or listen to (within the limits of the law). If a person objects to a book, they are free not to read it, but they do not have the right to prevent others from reading it. Parents and guardians can choose what their children read, watch or listen to, but cannot make that decision for other children. Most libraries have a form to fill out to voice concerns about specific items, and sometimes actions will be taken like moving a book from the children's to the teen section or (more rarely) removing it from the library (for instance, if it contains outdated information). Often books that present a different viewpoint or a new situation are an excellent opportunity for parents to have a discussion with their children. Public libraries have a mandate to provide a variety of materials from a variety of points of view to their customers, but other libraries have different mandates. For instance, a school library must support curriculum. The Edmonton Public Library's Intellectual Freedom Policy is based on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. For more information about intellectual freedom see the resources at the bottom of the list. Updated February 2018