The American Library Association has just released its list of most frequently challenged books of 2009. Lauren Myracle’s ttyl, which is written instant message format, topped the list for its supposed “unsuitability to age group” claim. Suddenly we found ourselves wondering about the books that made the list before emoticons lost their novelty — or even existed, for that matter. Check out a roundup of some of the most surprisingly “controversial” books from the original list, which debuted 20 years ago, after the jump.
In the Night Kitchen, by Maurice Sendak (1970)
James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl (1961)
A Light in the Attic, by Shel Silverstein (1981)
The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy, by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice) (1983, 1984, 1985)
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle (1962)
The Great Gilly Hopkins, by Katherine Paterson (1987)
What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters, by Lynda Madaras (1987)
Mommy Laid An Egg, by Babette Cole (1996)
Halloween ABC, by Eve Merriam (1995)
The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett (1989)