There are plenty of things your kids wish they could ban. Broccoli for instance. Or bedtimes. But we’re guessing books wouldn’t make their list. Promote the power of “yes” by pulling these banned children’s books off the shelf and into your evening reading routine. You won’t be disappointed, and neither will the kids! Looking for other books for kids? Check out our collection of classic children’s books, our favorite bedtime stories, and books that feature diverse protagonists.


Hop on Pop is a children's banned books
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Hop on Pop

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When you read this book title as a directive, rather than as an innocent and undeniably catchy rhyme, it’s easy to see why a Toronto father’s rights advocate challenged the wildly popular Dr. Seuss book. But pulling it from library shelves because it “encouraged children to use violence against their fathers” was only the tip of the iceberg for his 2014 challenge. He also thought the library should fork over some cash to cover “damages resulting from the book.” Ages 3-7


Charlotte's Web has made the list of children's banned books at some point
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Charlotte's Web

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If you haven’t read this story about humble, radiant Wilbur (a.k.a. Some Pig) then you’re in for a treat. Although a group of concerned parents disagreed in 2006. They tried to have this book banned from classrooms because they found the book’s talking animals to be disrespectful to God. Ages: 8-12


Strega Nona was once a banned children's book
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Strega Nona

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Let’s be honest. This book is every parent’s fantasy. After all who doesn’t want a song-activated magic pot that cooks them dinner? The late Tomie dePaola’s classic tale of the Grandma Witch has been banned in several U.S. school libraries for promoting witchcraft. Ages: 4-8.


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Where's Waldo

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It seems a certain 1987 version of this book would have fared better in Europe than it did in the States, where it was banned in both Michigan and New York in the mid-1990s. Although the story behind finding the now-infamous “nude bather,” that caused the version to be pulled from the shelves, has since been lost, we’re guessing it had something to do with one reader’s relentless search for Waldo. Ages: 5-9


The Giver has made a children's banned book list.
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The Giver

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When it comes to dystopian novels, tweens, and teens just can't get enough of them. And Lois Lowry's Newbery Award-winning classic continues the trend. But parents in Blue Springs, Missouri grew concerned over "twisted" and "lewd" content in the book and tried to have it removed from an eighth-grade reading list in 2003. The good news is, the compelling story is continued on in three more books in the series. Ages: 12 & up


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Harriet the Spy

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Readers the world over love Harriet the Spy, because not only does she tells it like it is, she also rides a dumbwaiter, and who wouldn’t want to try that? Over the years, the book has been banned in school libraries because parents are concerned it teaches children to “lie, spy, talk back and curse.” Ages: 8-12


This Shel Silverstein books once was a banned children's book.
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Where the Sidewalk Ends

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Kids have loved the quirky drawings and odd poetry of Shel Silverstein for generations. But in 1986, the West Allis Milwaukee School District banned this particular poetry collection because of “drug reference, suicide, death and a disrespect for truth and authority.” Shortly after, a school district in Pennsylvania did the same. Ages: 6-8

Related: LeVar Burton Urges Kids to ‘Read Banned Books!’


The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has been on lists of children's banned books a few times.
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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

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Magical wardrobes, talking lions and evil queens: Narnia’s got dibs on some of the best fantasy elements ever written. But the first book in this popular series was first banned in 1990 because adults were concerned by its “graphic violence, mysticism and gore.” Then in 2005, a group focused on the separation of church and state tried banning the book from Florida’s public schools after then-Governor, Jeb Bush, promoted it in a statewide reading contest. Ages: 8 & up


I Am Jazz is a banned children's book
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I Am Jazz

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The 10th most challenged and banned book of 2017, I am Jazz is an autobiographical picture book chronicling the early years of transgender reality TV star, Jazz Jennings. It first appeared on the banned list when a group of Wisconsin parents objected to its reading at school. They were concerned about sex education, language and offensive viewpoints. Ages: 4-8


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Where the Wild Things Are

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You’ve read this one to your sidekick so many times, you’ve got it memorized. But when this classic hit the scene in 1963, it caused quite a stir. Banned in many southern states for depicting child abuse (the no-go supper for Max), it’s also been challenged for being “too dark” and showing supernatural elements. If you’re looking for more books to put on your nighttime reading list try one of these all-time faves. Ages: 4-8


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Hansel and Gretel

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The surprisingly dark tales spun by the Brothers Grimm have been challenged many times. But we bet the specifics behind this particularly gruesome classic will surprise you. Was it because of images of cannibalism? Or perhaps because it promoted unhealthy eating habits or tooth decay? Nope. In 1992 two witches challenged this book claiming it painted witches in a bad light. Ages: 5 & up


A Wrinkle in Time has made the banned children's book list many times.
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A Wrinkle in Time

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This Newbery Award winner’s been challenged a few times for undermining religious beliefs, and in 1985 it was challenged at a Florida elementary school for promoting witchcraft, crystal balls and demons. Ages: 10-14


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And Tango Makes Three

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First came Roy. Then came Silo. Then came a baby and made their family complete. Based on the true story of two male penguins at New York’s Central Park Zoo, this ALA Notable Children’s Book made its way onto the banned book list for featuring a same-sex relationship. Ages: 2-5


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Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

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More a case of mistaken identity than concern over content, Bill Martin’s classic children’s book was banned by the Texas State Board of Education in 2010. It turns out that the children’s author didn’t also pen Ethical Marxism: The Categorical Imperative of Liberation. Oops! Ages: 2-5


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Drama

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If you think your house is filled with drama, you haven’t been to middle school lately. Get a refresher with this tween graphic novel that follows theater geek Callie as she strives to build a Broadway-worthy set and figure out … well, boys. But the real drama for this book came when it hit the banned children's book list in one school district and two school libraries in Texas because it features LGBTQ characters. Ages: 10-14


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The Giving Tree

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We dare you not to shed a tear over this touching story of a selfless tree who loves a boy. But it was a cynical interpretation of the tree’s selfless giving as “sexist content” that landed this Shel Silverstein classic on a Colorado library’s banned book list in 1988. Ages: 1-8


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Harry Potter Series

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J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series has been translated into 68 different languages, distributed in over 200 different territories worldwide, and has sold over 450 million copies at last count. And the number of challenges and bans on this series, usually for depicting witchcraft and wizardry and promoting anti-family themes, is also impressive. By 2000, it had been challenged about 650 different times. Ages: 8 & up

Related: Brooklyn Public Library Offers Free Ecards to Teens Nationwide Facing Book Bans


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Bridge to Terabithia

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Another Newbery Award-winner, this story of friendship and loss is a definite tearjerker. But it wasn’t the tragic death of a friend that led the New Brighton Area School District in Pennsylvania to remove it from their 5th-grade classrooms. They were concerned about the disrespect, foul language and confusion that could be created when kids read about Terabithia, the fantasy world dreamed up by BFFs Jesse and Leslie. Ages: 9 & up


The Witches is a banned children's book.
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The Witches

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Roald Dahl is no stranger to the banned book list. James and the Giant Peach is on there. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is too. But it’s his classic tale of a boy-turned-mouse and his cigar-smoking grandmother who fight against witches that continues to find its way onto the list again and again and again. It was challenged at least ten times in the late 1980s and early 1990s for things like “being too sophisticated” and “not teaching moral values.” Ages: 8-12


The Family Book has made it on a banned children's book list.
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The Family Book

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Families coming in all shapes, sizes and colors is the theme of this popular Todd Parr book. But concerns over depicting families that have two moms or two dads kept this bold and colorful paperback off the shelves in the Erie School District in Illinois in 2012. Ages: 5-6


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The Fighting Ground

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One of Avi’s lesser-known works, it’s the story of 13-year-old Jonathan, who wants to fight beside his brother and cousin, against the British, during the Revolutionary War. This ALA-notable book was banned at the Bay District school library in 2008 over parent concerns around the use of profanity. Ages: 9 & up


Captain Underpants is a banned children's book.
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Captain Underpants series

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If your kid has read the book, watched the movie and bought the T-shirt, then you’re not alone. But you might be surprised to find that this popular Dave Pilkey series was at one time the most banned book in the country. In the early books, concerns were raised over content that wasn’t suited for the age group and encouraging disobedience. The release of the 12th book caused new concerns over references to Harold being gay. Ages: 7-10


Anne Frank has made several banned children's book lists.
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Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

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The powerfully poignant diary of Anne Frank, who spent two years hiding from the Nazis, with her family in the cramped “Secret Annexe” of an office building, often shows up on the banned book list. Although concern over sexually explicit material is the reason usually cited, once in 1983 the Alabama State Textbook Committee tried to ban it because they thought the diary was “a real downer.” Ages: 10-13


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Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

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This story of a donkey who wishes himself into a rock set off alarm bells with the Illinois Police Association. In 1977 they challenged the book because the police are depicted as pigs in the story. In the aftermath, it was banned in many parts of the U.S. Ages: 3-7


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Junie B. Jones series

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If you cringe every time you read Junie B. Jones to your kids and she “runned speedy quick” or “did a shrug” or commits some other crime against grammar, you’re not alone. Most of the challenges to this series are about Junie’s speech patterns and the fact it might encourage young readers to follow suit. Ages: 6-9


Jacob's New Dress has made a list of banned children's books.
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Jacob's New Dress

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This book has been banned by a North Carolina school district claiming that the book taught children to be transgender. Jacob's New Dress is actually about acceptance and anti-bullying when Jacob wants to wear a dress to school. Ages: 4-7


Maus is a banned children's book
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Maus

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Maus has been banned in a Tennessee county for profanity, nudity, violence, and suicide, although it presents the argument of how to honestly portray the Holocaust without those things. Maus is a Pulitzer-prize-winning graphic novel that follows Spiegelman's parents' traumatic internment at Auschwitz. Ages: 11 & up


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New Kid

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'New Kid' was written by author Jerry Craft about his own life experiences, then a Texas school district banned it for "Critical Race Theory and Marxism." When Jordan Banks starts at a new private school, he was one of the only students of color, and he discovers this new struggle of fitting in when there is very little diversity. This banned children's book is the winner of the Newbery Medal, the Coretta Scott King Author Award, and the Kirkus Prize for Young Reader's Literature. Ages: 8-12


Sold is a children's book that has been banned in 2022 and 2023

Sold

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The story of 13-year-old Lakshmi, a Nepalese girl who is sold into sexual slavery is a powerful, but not easy, read. Banned in multiple states for depictions of violent sexual content, this book is not for the faint of heart. Still, it's an important topic about a very real subject that affects humans all over the world. Ages: 14+


The watsons go to birmingham is a banned childrens book

The Watsons Go to Birmingham

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Christopher Paul Curtis' iconic historical fiction book tells the tragic true story of the 1963 church bombing in Birmingham, AL, through the eyes of 10-year-old Kenny, on a trip to see his grandma. Although it is a Newbery and Coretta Scott King Medal winner, it was banned in Utah and challenged in other states for what was deemed "offensive language." Ages 10 & up.

 

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The soccer team huddled around one boy’s phone, leaning in to get a closer look. The image on the screen was of a 13-year old student’s breasts. The private photo, taken months earlier, had gone viral.

Yes, unfortunately, sexting happens in middle school. To start, let’s clarify the definition of sexting.

Sexting is defined as “the action of sending sexually explicit photos, videos or messages via mobile phone or the internet.” Middle school counselors and teachers are concerned about the behavior as it is becoming increasingly common.

Youth Sexting Statistics

According to a 2017 Study by JAMA Pediatrics, 14% of youth reported sending sexts, and 27% reported receiving sexts. Also, 1 in 8 youth reports either forwarding or having a sext forwarded without their consent.

Why are middle school students sexting?

According to KidsHealth, there are various reasons kids are sexting, such as peer pressure, getting attention, flirting, or as a joke or dare. The fact that tweens and teens’ prefrontal cortex is not fully formed, the part of the brain that manages impulse control, also contributes.

What problems result from sexting?

As illustrated in the opening story, private photos are often widely shared, negatively impacting reputations and mental health. In some states, sharing illicit photos and videos is a crime. Tweens and teens may face charges and legal consequences. Sharing or having a nude photo on your phone could result in a child pornography charge. One impulsive decision can affect a student’s life for years to come.

What can parents do? 

1. Regular family conversations about online behaviors build a foundation as tweens and teens navigate their lives online. 
Helping kids understand and avoid oversharing is an important step. Share real stories about teens that overshared online and how it impacted their life. Share stories of how colleges and employers look at social profiles before accepting or hiring students. Make sure kids understand the legal consequences of sexting.

Conversation starter: “I was watching the news and saw a story about some kids who got in trouble for sending nude pictures to friends. Did you hear about that?”

2. Regularly remind teens that nothing shared online is ever private.
Before posting anything, it’s essential for teens to consider how they would feel if a wider audience saw the image or message. (i.e. Grandma, school principal, coaches, other friends, other parents, your whole school, college admissions person). Remind them that once images are out there, they leave a digital footprint. They can’t “take it back.”

Conversation starter: “Can we talk about the types of things you and your friends share online? I want to make sure you’re taking care of yourself and looking out for your friends too.”

3. Keep the tone of conversations non-judgemental and informative.
This will help to keep the dialogue going instead of sounding like a lecture. Rather than leading the discussion, make sure you listen to your tween/teen. Discuss the pressures that teens often experience to send inappropriate photos.

Conversation starter: “Have you heard about sexting? Do you know anything about it?”

Bottom line, sexting is becoming increasingly common. Start conversations as soon as your child has a smartphone and revisit conversations regularly. Developing healthy online habits takes attention, discussion, and lots of practice. The road is full of bumps but luckily gets smoother as parents help kids navigate the potholes.

This post originally appeared on www.JessicaSpeer.com.

Jessica Speer is the author of BFF or NRF (Not Really Friends)? Girls Guide to Happy Friendships. Combining humor, the voices of kids, and research-based explanations, Jessica unpacks topics in ways that connect with tweens and teens. She’s the mother of two and has a Master’s Degree in Social Sciences.    

Call my naïve but I didn’t really expect teenage girls to be venturing into the online dating world. Turns out, I was wrong, and they are. Virtual connecting is becoming more popular in our digitally saturated lives but also more dangerous. Girls are often entering unknown territory, using apps they are not legally allowed to use, and navigating them alone.

When I asked teens about their dating world, some had celebrity infatuations, others had school crushes, and others had virtual connections. These girls were more than comfortable on, what they dubbed as “gateway” apps, such as Insta and Snapchat and more than familiar with popular dating apps like Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, and Grindr. I was impressed they had already considered what they loved about online dating such as a fun way to get to know different types of people and the pitfalls such as not always feeling they could trust online personas.

Given the fact that most of her online world is private and you are on the periphery of her circle, here’s what you need to know about your daughter and her possible dating experiences.

Number One: You must discuss the upsides and downsides of online dating. Now, she may not want to talk about it but you can talk in general terms. This makes it less personal and may feel more emotionally safe for her. You may talk about characters that date this way in her current Netflix series or ask if her friends are trying it out. If she doesn’t want to talk about it, here’s what girls told me: they loved how easy, casual, instant, and convenient the experience felt. They saw this as a starting point to practice social skills (it felt much less awkward) and a step toward more serious dating (eventually meeting in person), but much less intimidating. They really appreciated the opportunity to meet all kinds of people, all over the world and to figure out the “best fits” for her. Teen girls also enjoyed creating their “ideal” persona and putting their “best foot forward” but they admitted they sometimes lost themselves in their online idealized versions. The downsides they shared included: the superficiality and the games (one person always seemed more interested than the other). They knew it’s all too easy to lie about age, gender, and personality. They recognized that it’s very time consuming and they felt pressure to endlessly “shop” or “sort” through potential partners. In other words, it felt like work. They worried about miscommunication and misunderstandings and not feeling safe, with possible catfishers, weirdos, and creeps. This is what you can ask her about, or at least know.

Number Two: You can encourage her to think about her boundaries. Again, she may not want to talk about it but the vital question is this: what is she willing to share? Girls need to think about how personal they want to be and also what topics and pictures they are comfortable sending or posting. I tell parents all the time, girls must be as private as possible when it comes to details about themselves and they need to turn location settings off. People pleasing and vulnerable girls all too often cross their own boundaries and share way too much. Also, they can get stuck in conversations on “hot topics” they don’t want to discuss like dating or sex. I can’t tell you how many girls talk about the pressure they feel to “sext” or send sexually explicit messages or images. So often, they don’t want to but the fear of rejection is so great, they do. Her boundaries need to be hers and we can help her think about where to draw her line.

Number Three: You can help her create a support circle. Her online dating life is likely going to be kept private. She may come to you if things go awry. She may not. Girls do know they have options and they are practiced at: deleting, blocking, reporting, or “ghosting” people if they are feeling uncomfortable, scared, or violated. Nonetheless, they can still struggle to disappoint or reject others and they can feel alone. Let’s talk to them about creating a circle of people whom they trust and turn to, if need be. Let’s encourage them to set up these kinds of relationships beforehand. Her circle can include an older sibling, a family friend, a coach, a mentor, a counselor, or even you. A simple conversation can become her safety net and allow her to feel more protected and more empowered and allow her to approach her trusted source when she needs to talk about her dating experiences or doesn’t know how to respond to someone. If you, or someone else she is comfortable with, are part of her circle and she is open to it, I suggest research online dating together. She may be shocked to learn the facts such as: 70 percent of teens are online dating and most online dating users do so in private and without their parents’ knowledge or permission.

Your daughter may not be dating online (yet). Not all girls are into dating at all. She may have other priorities, or not be interested; she may feel too worried or scared. She may not be ready. Yet, after my recent conversations with adolescent girls, it is more likely that she is already hearing about it, thinking about it, or trying it out. Let’s help her, in the ways we can, from the periphery, and as involved as she’ll allow.

For more information and support for navigating life with teen girls, check out Growing Strong Girls: Practical Tools to Cultivate Connection in the Preteen Years and Rooted, Resilient, and Ready available on Amazon and Audible as well as the website Bold New Girls.

 

 

I am a girl advocate and girls champion; the founder of Bold New Girls, teaching and coaching for girls and their parents. As well, I am the author Growing Strong Girls and Rooted, Resilient, and Ready (available on Amazon and Audible). I am an international speaker and an instructor with Udemy.