Banned Books That are Completely Ridiculous {banned book week}

Banned Book Week is almost over.  It's a week to remember that freedom of speech is important.  It's a time to make people aware that banning books is limiting freedom of speech.  It's a time to remind everyone that you can censor books for yourself and your children, but let others have that same choice to censor as well. 

If you missed these other Banned Book Trouble Maker lists, then check them out.  

• Banned Books that cause trouble with the religious crowds. 
• Banned Books that are too depressing, political, or just too much of one thing or another. 

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

I'm reading this book to my kids right now; clearly I'm a book reading rebel trying to raise book reading rebels.  

Dahl is a serious trouble maker; he's got two books on this list.  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was banned b/c it teaches a poor philosophy of life. 

What am I teaching my kids?!  

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Silverstein is another multiple book trouble maker on this list.  This book, which makes most people emotional, was banned b/c it depicts an unhealthy one-sided relationship, criminalizes the forest industry, and it is a sexist book.\

Ridiculous.   

A serious trouble maker with multiple offenses. Yet, I loved using The Giving Tree in the library for a read aloud and personification lesson.

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

This book was banned b/c Harriet spies.  Sure I know you may be thinking, that is ridiculous, the title of the book tells us she is a spy.  I'd say, yes you are correct; it is ridiculous.  

Those wishing to ban this book were also dissatisfied b/c Harriet lies, curses, and sets a bad example for kids.

Ridiculous.  

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

Another Dahl trouble maker here.  James and the Giant Peach was banned b/c the spider in the story licks his lips and that could be taken sexually.  I definitely don't think a sexual when a spider licks his or her lips.  Ridiculous. 

Little Red Riding Hood by Brothers Grimm

The Little Red-Cap version of this fairy tale was banned with Little Red was carrying wine in her basket.  Apparently a wolf eating grandma isn't a big deal; the wine is the troublemaker. 

Ridiculous. 

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

The Lorax is a great Earth Day book, but being appropriate for Earth Day can apparently lead you to be banned.  This book was banned b/c it was severe on the logging industry.

That is the whole point of the book. 

Ridiculous. 

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig

This Caldecott Award book was banned was banned b/c the police officers in the books are pigs.  Granted, the entire town is various farm animals.  His next door neighbor is a pig.  

Ridiculous. 

I understand how some are offended by the whole pig police officer thing, but is there a farm animal people wouldn't be offended with.  A donkey? No. A cow? I don't think so.  

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson

This book, based on a true story about two male penguins caring for a baby penguin in the NY Central Park Zoo was banned b/c it was misleading. This true story is misleading. How? 

Ridiculous. 

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

Another Silverstein troublemaker here.  This book, full of fun and silly poems, is one of the most loved poetry books of all time.  

This book was specifically banned b/c it encourages cannibalism and breaking dishes.  Apparently, the banners didn't think cannibalism was enough of a reason, so breaking dishes was their next best reason.    

Ridiculous. 

Anyone know of any cases of breaking dishes and cannibalism after reading this book. 

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Parents of young children, DO NOT READ THIS BOOK TO YOUR KIDS.  It was banned b/c it glorifies Max's tantrums.  

Ridiculous. 

Where's Waldo? by Martin Handford

Search and Find books are so fun, and Waldo books are known for the craziness on every page to make finding Waldo difficult.  I wasn't very good at these books, but they were fun.  Fun isn't enough though. 

Where's Waldo was banned b/c on one small area of one of these pages there was a side shot of a woman's breast when she was laying on the beach.  Just a little side in the craziness of it all caused so much trouble. 

Ridiculous.  

Don't worry,  Handford made a little adjustment to that page so you don't have to worry about it anymore.  

Are you a banned book reader? 

Happy Banned Book Week and Banned Book Reading! 

The Girl Who Drank the Moon gets 4.5 Stars {newbery medal, middle grade fiction, fantasy}

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill won the 2017 Newbery Medal.  That pretty much means this book is the best, most influential book, for kids.  

This coming of age story with a strong female lead character, a cute dragon and swamp monster, and a loving adopted mother is well written and an all around beautifully complex story.  I loved how it all wound together and shared some really fantastic messages.  

Love is powerful; love is stronger than sorrow and pain. Love guides and comforts even if "Death is always sudden." (page 80).

"Luna's heart was pulled to her grandmother's heart. Was love a compass.

Luna's mind was pulled to her grandmother's mind. Was knowledge a magnet."

What do you think?  Is love a compass? Is knowledge a magnet?    

This medal winning book gets 4.5 out of 5 stars.  It's a great story, but I do think it was a little slow at times.  I wish there would've been a little more character development especially for Luna; I wish the coming of age was more powerful.  However, that would've come with if there was more character development.  All in all, I thought the fairy tale/fantasy story was unique, taught great lessons, and a fun story with a lot of depth.

Personally, I agree with the recommended age for the book.  The Girl Who Drank the Moon is best for 10 year olds and up.  It is a completely clean story, but there is some definite dark overtones that I think younger readers would struggle with.  However, this book may have written about death better than any other juvenile book I've ever read.  It describes it well enough you know what is happening, but doesn't scare the reader.  It's fantastic. 

Amazon has the following book review from School Library Journal.  It should give you a great outline of the story. 

"Once a year in the Protectorate there is a Day of Sacrifice. The youngest baby is taken by the Elders and left in the forest to die, thus appeasing the witch who threatens to destroy the village if not obeyed. Unbeknownst to the people, Xan, the witch of the forest, is kind and compassionate. When she discovers the first baby left as a sacrifice, she has no idea why it has been abandoned. She rescues the infants, feeds each one starlight, and delivers the shining infants to parents in the Outside Cities who love and care for them. On one occasion, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight along with starlight, filling her with glowing magic. Xan is smitten with the beautiful baby girl, who has a crescent moon birthmark on her forehead, and chooses to raise her as her own child. Twists and turns emerge as the identity of the true evil witch becomes apparent. The swiftly paced, highly imaginative plot draws a myriad of threads together to form a web of characters, magic, and integrated lives. Spiritual overtones encompass much of the storytelling with love as the glue that holds it all together. VERDICT An expertly woven and enchanting offering for readers who love classic fairy tales." 

Have you read this Newbery winner?  Any other favorites?

Happy Magical Newbery Winning Middle Grade Fiction Reading! 

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Best For: 10 to 14 year olds, 5th grade through 8th grade
Worth a Check Out: Yes!
Buy It or Not: It's beautifully written, but a little slow at times.  I say no, unless you LOVE it after checking it out.
Read Aloud: Could be a great classroom read aloud for 5th and up.  Such great messages to discuss.
Lesson Ideas: The power of love, and that love can multiply. coming of age, fairy tales.

Thumbelina gets 4 Stars {picture book}

Thumbelina by Hans Christian Andersen is a classic fairy tale, and the illustrations by Elsa Beskow make it even more of a classic.  Many people know a little about Hans Christian Andersen, but few people know that Elsa Beskow is a talented illustrator and author from Sweden who died in 1953.  She wrote and illustrated more than 40 books. 

Personally, I was excited to get my hands on this classic story with such beautiful pictures.  I really think Beskow's artwork is simple and beautiful; I'd like to say she used watercolor, but to be honest I have no idea.  I don't claim to have any artistic talent or knowledge.  

I gave Thumbelina 4 out of 5 stars.  The rating is more for the pictures; pictures and text combine to make a great picture book.  

I felt the subtle and simple pictures by Beskow fit the theme and writing style of the original fairytale.  However, I will say the first picture with the witch seemed a bit confusing and out of place.  I believe I understand why Beskow choose to include a dark black and white picture with the witch to help set the mood of the characters, but I don't think that first picture added anything to the story.  Instead, I think it took more away from the story than added to it.  
  
The publishers stated that this story is best geared towards 4 through 7 years old.  However, I think 6 through 10 years old would be a better age range from this longer picture book.

However, I wouldn't let that first picture push you away from reading this classic version and enjoying such beautiful pictures.  If you've been looking for a great version of Thumbelina, this one is my favorite.  

Goodreads has the following book description in case you have never come across this fairytale. 

"Elsa Beskow's charming illustrations bring to life this classic Hans Christian Andersen tale of a thumb-sized girl who has big adventures. Thumbelina is so small she sleeps in a walnut shell bed with a rose petal sheet. One day, a toad steals her away from her home and keeps her captive on a lilypad, until some fish set her free to go on adventures in the countryside. Will Thumbelina ever find a new home with people just like her? Available for in English for the first time in thirty years, this beautiful book will be a wonderful addition to the shelves of Elsa Beskow fans everywhere." 

Do you have a favorite version of Thumbelina? Please share. I'd love to check it out. 


Happy Classic Fairytale Reading! 


I received this book from Myrick Marketing in exchange for my review and honest opinion.  All of my thoughts, opinions, and words are my own.

The Three Little Pigs gets 4 Stars {picture book}

The Three Little Pigs by Mara Alperin is a pretty great fairy tale adaptation of a classic.   This adaptation is well done.  

  
I give this adaptation 4 out of 5 stars in my book review.  It really is a fun story, and would make a great read loud for toddlers and older.  

In this Three Little Pigs adaptation the illustrations are fantastic and colorful.  The story is fun to read aloud with phrases like, "Hip Hip Hey," "Tra-la-la" and "Tip tip tap," and the length of the story is great for preschoolers.  

The only reason I didn't give the highest rating for this book is b/c the writing wasn't quite polished enough for my tastes.  The story was too clunky with many "One day," Then one day," "Then," and "Until" are just a few examples to show the unpolished form of the text.   
  

However, I still feel this fairy tale adaption would make a great purchase if you were looking for a good version of this classic fairy tale. 

I normally give you an Amzon book description  of the book, but I felt we all know the  story line of this classic well enough. ;)

Enjoy and happy classic fairy tale reading! 

  
I received this book from Myrick Marketing in exchange for my review and honest opinion.  All of my thoughts, opinions, and words are my own.

Heartless gets 3.5 Stars {Fantasy, Fractured Fairy Tale} {YA Lit}

Heartless is the Wicked of Alice in Wonderland.  Heartless tells the story of how the Queen of Hearts becomes the cruel "heartless" Queen of Hearts.  

Personally, I love fractured fairy tales and fairy tale retellings.  I have reviewed a number of them on here, and given high marks.  To be honest, I had high hopes this book would be fantastic b/c a lot of the books I get from OwlCrate are great. However, a lot of people, especially YA lit fans, love Marissa Meyer.  I personally think her ideas are great, but she's never been an author that has really spoken to me. J.K Rowling, Sarah Dessen, John Green are a few authors that I really like.   

PS- The pictures of Heartless with the white covers are the ones from the November OwlCrate subscription boxes.  If you look at the book on Amazon it has a black cover.  I think it is really cool that the OwlCrate books are unique. The below quote and the letter from Marissa Meyer was also in the box.  It was a cool box, and I am still a fan of OwlCrate. 
     

Heartless by Marissa Meyer gets 3.5 out of 5 stars in my book review. 

Basically, I just thought Heartless was okay.  I like the story of how Catherine became the Queen of Hearts and how she became so brutal and "heartless."  I liked the connection and the background on many of the Wonderland characters we all know from Lewis Carroll's story.  I like the reason behind why the Queen of Hearts will have nothing to do with white roses.  All in all, I liked the book; it is an okay story of a cool concept.  However, it wasn't executed as well as I had hoped.

I did love that Catherine, was a baker.  At the beginning of the book she talked about baking a lemon tart and the need to make it look good.  Baking a treat that is delicious and looks amazing speaks to my baker food blogger's heart.  Rarely do I read a story about a character that feels so similar to baking as I do.    

One of my biggest qualms with Heartless was the fact that it was a plot driven love story more than a character driven story.  The concept of Heartless is how the Queen became the Queen, but yet it didn't dive into her mind and thoughts like a book of this concept should in my opinion.  

I also felt the book was drawn out and moved a bit too slow.  I struggle with drawn out slow reads; my ADD struggles with that.  All in all, it was just okay.  Nothing fantastic, but I've never been a huge Meyer fan so maybe that was expected.  

I'd love to hear what you think.  Did you read it?  What would you rate it?  According to Goodreads and Amazon I am in the minority in my thinking so I wouldn't be surprised if you felt differently. 

Just to give you a better idea of the story line I've copied Amazon's book description. 

"Long before she was the terror of Wonderland, she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love. Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.

Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

In her first stand-alone teen novel, the New York Times-bestselling author dazzles us with a prequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."

Happy Fractured Wonderland Fairy Tale reading! 

Vassa in the Night gets 3.5 Stars {YA Lit} {Fantasy/Fairytale}

October's Once Upon a Dream fairy tale OwlCrate subscription box book was Vassa in the Night by Sarah Porter. This book was just published in October.  

I just finished this Young Adult (YA) fantasy/fairy tale retelling of a Russian folktale.  At times I was intrigued, surprised, sad, and confused.  The retelling of this bizarre folktale is modernized and set in Brooklyn; however, there is still plenty of magic and an overall dark feel.

The different kind of narrator at the beginning of the book reminded me of The Book Thief, and the night time focus with magic reminded of The Night Circus.  Though, the story line from Vassa in the Night was completely unique.    

Vassa in the Night earned 3.5 out of 5 stars in my book review.  I thought the modernized retelling of this Russian folktale was fun and unique.  It was so bizarre I couldn't predict the story.  Most of the magic in the story was completely understandable.  However, the end of the book got a little funky with the magic; the end of the book seemed almost too random.  The writing in those super magical moments, incredibly bizarre, and weird parts of the story were often confusing.  

All in all, the story was good and unique, but it was really weird.  I honestly was not anticipating the bizarre.  I really do like fairy tale retellings, and I was excited for a Russian one.  I had never read a Russian folk tale retelling.  However, I struggled with Vassa in the Night a bit b/c of the bizarre and confusing.  Though, to be fair, a lot of Russian folklore and folktales are bizarre, so if you go into reading knowing that you may fair better.

As far as content is concerned, there is action, very little romance (Vassa has a crush, but that is the extent), and a little language.  I would say readers who love urban fantasy books, especially girls, will enjoy this novel.

Plus, for the Harry Potter fans... Babs, the evil witch in the story, reminded me of Umbridge.  I hate Umbridge, and I definitely hated Babs Yagg.  

Amazon has the following book review from School Library Journal: 

"Gr 9 Up—Sixteen-year-old Vassa Lisa Lowenstein's mother is dead, and her father is gone. She has a stepmother and two stepsisters. It's an odd living arrangement but no more peculiar than a lot of things in her working-class Brooklyn neighborhood. The nights have been especially strange, growing longer and longer. When her stepsister sends Vassa out in the middle of the night for lightbulbs, the only store that's still open is the local BY's. Everyone knows about BY's, and its owner Babs Yagg, but people do tend to remember a store that dances around on chicken legs and has a habit of decapitating shoplifters. When things don't go as planned in BY's, it will take all of Vassa's wits and her enchanted wooden doll Erg's cunning to escape the store alive and maybe even break whatever curse has been placed on Brooklyn's nights. This stand-alone urban fantasy is inspired by the Russian fairy tale "Vasilisa the Beautiful." Although Vassa is described as incredibly pale, the rest of the book is populated with characters who are realistically diverse for its urban location. Evocative settings and imagery help bring this bizarre corner of Brooklyn to life. Vassa is a cynical, no-nonsense character who is quick to make jokes and take risks with the delightfully sharp-tongued Erg at her side. A deliberate lack of romantic tension makes this a refreshing read, and elements of traditional horror blend well with high-concept fantasy in this surprising and engaging tale. VERDICT A must-have for YA urban fantasy collections."


What do you think?  Are you going to check Vassa in the Night out? 

Happy YA/Teen Fairy Tale Retelling Reading!

OwlCrate's October Once Upon a Dream Fairy Tales Box {YA Lit Subscription Box Review}

I'm still paying every month for an OwlCrate subscription box, and I'm still enjoying the contents of every box.  Of course, it'd be nice if OwlCrate wants to make me a permanent rep for them, but why would they when I am happily paying.  Oh, such a conundrum.

Until I become an incredibly famous book and recipe blogger I guess I'll have to keep paying $35 dollars a month.  Though, really, if you are looking for a fun gift for a reader or bookworm you should consider an OwlCrate box.  They are fun.

Happy mail and book mail are the best kinds of things to get in the mail.  OwlCrate is both!

I'd rate this month's box 4 out of 5 stars. Really good.

October's theme was "Once Upon a Dream" aka fairy tales. This month there was a Russian fairy tale/folk lore, Wizard of OZ, Sleeping Beauty, and Peter Pan represented.

I love that I get all this stuff for $35. If you priced it out separately it would be much more.  Score!

I absolutely LOVE this sleeping beauty bracelet.  I'm not one to buy a lot of jewelry, but I love having jewelry with a book touch sent to me.  These are so cute!

The Geeky Cauldron made this exclusively for the OwlCrate; which things like that make getting an OwlCrate so much more awesome.

A few months ago, The Geeky Cauldron had some Patronus Chapstick in an OwlCrate box.  I still love to use that chapstick and smile every time b/c of the Harry Potter connection.

The past couple of boxes have included these "Passports." The passport is more like a little notebook, which is fun for my kids to write all of their secrets in.

This Wizard of Oz passport is made by The Unemployed Philosopher's Guild, and they did a fantastic job with the details.

Inside the back cover of the book are 5 Traveler Tips.  I loved the creativity in these tips, connecting them to the Wizard of Oz story.  I took a sweet picture of these tips, but I swear the camera gods didn't approve of this cool detail being shared b/c I can't find that picture anywhere anymore.  Sadness.

Though, I will probably curse myself more with those camera/photo gods by sharing a few with you, but they are too cute not to share.

1. FOLLOW the yellow brick road.
2. Throwing liquids MAY be beneficial.
3. Always look BEHIND the curtain.

The other two are just as cute, but I feel I can't give it all away.  You 'll just have to comment to hear the other two, or grab one of these on your own.

Below, you'll see another cute detail of these passports.

I think this picture of my son wearing the Peter Pan Neverland Beanie from Whosits and Whatsits is adorable.  Sure, I'm partial to the kid, but his expression seems just perfect for this loose beanie style.

He often grabs this hat from my room and wears it even in warm and sunny Arizona.  I'm not sure it'll be used in any cold weather, but if it keeps him from growing up and staying my little boy forever I will take it.

Stay little sweet boy!

The only aspect of this month's box that I didn't love was the bookmark from My Heart My Tribe; it's the big paper clip with the button on it.  I actually think it is super cute, but I don't do bookmarks that stick out of my books.  It makes it harder for the book to be in my purse.  I'm weird, I know.

To be honest, I could be ridiculous and not know how to use the cool bookmark, but really it was the only downer in the box for me.  However, if you are reading this, and would like the bookmark, I will ship it to you.  First one to comment gets it.

The last thing in this month's OwlCrate box was Vassa in the Night by Sarah Porter. It is based on a Russian Folklore, and so far it is a different kind of story.  The different kind of narrator reminds me of The Book Thief.  I'll be reviewing it in my next book post (probably next week).

Every month now the book comes with a letter from the author (which Sarah Porter's handwriting was a tad challenging to read, reminded me of my mom's handwriting- love you Mom!) and a sticker with the author's signature on it to stick in the book.  It's fun to have.

Oh, I almost forgot, that a pin comes with every box too.  I always place the pins on my work badge so the nerdy in librarian is proudly evident. ;)

Yay for my monthly OwlCrate Subscription Box! Do you do any subscription boxes?

Happy reading!