It's back to school for most children, which means it's time to knuckle down and study hard. But one book hard-working kids at St Edward junior school in Nashville will not find in their library is JK Rowling's seemingly innocuous Harry Potter series.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling / Bloomsbury
The series was banned recently on the advice of alleged "exorcists" for containing "actual curses and spells, which when read by a human being risk conjuring evil spirits". It's not the first time the books have been removed from schools. It's actually the American Library Association's number one banned book between 2000-2009 for its witchcraft, dark and "scary" themes, religious viewpoint and for all round setting a bad example to young Muggles.
Here are five more children's stories that have been challenged or banned from school libraries:
The Witches
It might be hard to believe, but Roald Dahl's children's classic has been frequently banned for misogyny, encouraging disobedience, violence, animal cruelty, obscene language and supernatural themes, and comes in at number 22 in the ALA's list of banned books between 1990 and 1999. Dahl responded to complainers by branding them "parents without any sense of humour at all".
Where's Wally?
Known as Where's Waldo? in the US, this one really is mind-boggling. The original edition was banned in many US libraries for nudity because it featured a side view of a topless sunbather in the On the Beach scene and a man undressing in The Campsite scene. New editions see them a little more clothed, but it still comes in at number 87 on ALA's banned books. Did you ever spot them?
Twilight
The series has been challenged at a number of schools for being sexually explicit, unsuited to age group and promoting a religious viewpoint. Perhaps author Stephenie Meyer did weave a lot of her Mormon beliefs into the story, but we'd love to know what the ALA's definition of "sexually explicit" is because Twilight hardly comes under erotica.
The Lord of the Rings
Despite author JRR Tolkien being a devout Catholic, his epic fantasy series has been banned in many areas for supernatural themes among other things, such as being 'satanic', with one incident seeing the book being burned by a New Mexico church in 2001. If anything, you'd think the trilogy was a fine example of the nature of good and evil for young children, but apparently not everyone thinks so.
Goosebumps
RL Stine's Goosebumps might be considered "horror" by some, but it's hardly what you'd call scary. Still, it was listed at number 15 in the list of most frequently challenged books during 1990-1999 for its supernatural themes, violence and for "encouraging disobedience". Yup. Mildly menacing stories make kids naughty.
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