For 20 years, one book for kids has been among the most frequently banned in the U.S.


Banning books is nothing to celebrate, except when it's Banned Books Week. During the last full week of September, the American Library Association sponsors events around the U.S. to raise awareness of books that have been challenged and stress the need for readers to be able to make their own decisions about their reading materials.
The top three reasons for banning a book are violence, curse words, and sexual content, NPR reports. And one book has the honor of being challenged almost since the first day it appeared on shelves in 1994: It's Perfectly Normal.
It's Perfectly Normal, meant for children 10 and older, discusses emotional and sexual health, relationships, puberty, and more, all while featuring photos of nude people. Author Robie Harris told NPR that she knew the book might raise some eyebrows and was warned by several people not to write it, "but I really didn't care. To me it wasn't controversial. It's what every child has a right to know."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
It's Perfectly Normal is now in its fourth edition, having sold more than one million copies. For each new edition, Harris has experts fact-check the book to ensure that updates on topics like AIDS prevention tips are correct. Issues that wouldn't have crossed anyone's mind in 1994, like sexting and internet safety, are new topics in the latest edition.
Some of the parents who have called for restricted access to the book say they don't want to see it banned, per se, just hidden from children in a restricted section of the library. One parent told NPR he doesn't want his children seeing the illustrations without him — which, essentially, would block the book from kids because who wants to look at naked drawings with their dad? Predictably, the thought of having It's Perfectly Normal in a designated area doesn't sit well with Harris. "No child's going to go up to a librarian and say, 'You know, I'm going through puberty, I'm having these changes... could you recommend something to me?'" she said. "If a book is in a special section of the library, maybe the kids who need it the most are not going to get it." --Catherine Garcia
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
'"Andor" examines all sides of how empires operate'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
DHS chief Kristi Noem's purse stolen from eatery
Speed Read Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's purse was stolen while she dined with family at a restaurant in Washington, D.C.
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Harvard sues Trump over frozen grant money
Speed Read The Trump administration withheld $2.2 billion in federal grants and contracts after Harvard rejected its demands
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US