Banned Books I Enjoyed #4

As part of Banned Books week, I will be doing a series of posts promoting books that I enjoyed but were challenged and/or banned. You may recognise them.

Title: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Author: Stephen Chbosky
Publisher: Pocket Book
Read In: September 2012

Standing on the fringes of life... offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.
This haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion marks the stunning debut of a provocative new voice in contemporary fiction: The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
This is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.
Through Charlie, Stephen Chbosky has created a deeply affecting coming-of-age story, a powerful novel that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up.

This book has been banned many times for a large variety of reasons; drug abuse, sexual content, references to masturbation and bestiality. While I believe that this is a great book and teenagers in high school should be able to freely read and discuss the topics, these are common reasons for books to be banned. While I think these themes are exceptable in high schools, younger children may still have an issue.

My main problem that I have with some of the bans is the fact that this book was banned because of homsexuality. While discussing sex at a 10-14 might still be considered a little young however homosexuality... If it is not ok to dicuss topics of homosexuality then it is not ok to discuss topics of hetrosexuality. To me they are on the same level. I don't see homosexuality as something that should be discussed until the child is older. If a child can handle a straight couple why not a gay couple too. Especially at the age of 15-18.

Becky