There have always been Controversial Books and “Catcher in the Rye” is usually tops on the list. Come to think of it, so is “To Kill a Mockingbird.” It’s a great read and the film is every bit as good.

Some of these books made sense to be on a “banned books” list in the 50s and maybe 60s but times have changed. Most kids have access to way more Controversial content on their phones today than are contained in these literary works.

Personally, I think we should spend more time examining the style, quality, and literary merits of books more than the content, although clearly some content is just plain rubbish. Controversial material can be used as a teaching moment. Kids are pretty sharp today and they don’t want to waste their precious time reading something they don’t like.

On the other hand, if you specifically try to keep kids away from something because it is considered “bad” they will chase after it to see what all the fuss is about. This is true of most kids, today, as well as going decades back in time. It’s human nature.

Today’s Infographic illustrates the 10 Most Targeted Books of 2009 as sourced by the American Library Association. Some of these I’ve already read, and like a big kid, I’ll probably try to grab copies of the others. You know, just to see what all the fuss is about.

The Top 10 List of Most Controversial Books of 2009:

1. TTYL, TTFN, L8R, G8R
2. And Tango Makes Three
3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
4. To Kill a Mockingbird
5. Twilight
6. Catcher in the Rye
7. My Sister’s Keeper
8. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things
9. The Color Purple
10. The Chocolate War

This full-size infographic is available at Daily Infographic here:
dailyinfographic.com/most-targeted-books-infographic