The Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2002

"Banned Books Week emphasizes the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one's opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them."

The American Library Association

The following books were the most frequently challenged in 2002:

1. Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling, for its focus on wizardry and magic.
2. Alice series, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, for being sexually explicit, using offensive language and being unsuited to age group.
3. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier (the "Most Challenged" book of 1998), for using offensive language and being unsuited to age group.
4. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, for sexual content, racism, offensive language, violence and being unsuited to age group.
5. Taming the Star Runner by S.E. Hinton, for offensive language.
6. Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey, for insensitivity and being unsuited to age group, as well as encouraging children to disobey authority.
7. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, for racism, insensitivity and offensive language.
8. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, for offensive language, sexual content and Occult/Satanism.
9. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor, for insensitivity, racism and offensive language.
10. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George, for sexual content, offensive language, violence and being unsuited to age group.

As compiled by the Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association. The Office for Intellectual Freedom does not claim comprehensiveness in recording challenges. Research suggests that for each challenge reported there are as many as four or five which go unreported.