The dark, feminist fairy tale “Damsel” by Elana K. Arnola is, as of this month, on the list of books banned from Utah public schools. The list now totals 15 books, with 14 of them written by women.
The story follows a young woman named Ama in a twisted damsel-saved-by-prince trope, except the prince is not so charming and the young damsel more fierce than the dragon he’s meant to slay. Amazon lists the reading age group as suitable for 14 to 17 year olds. But, sites like Goodreads and Storygraph warn of dark and graphic content that’s somewhat sexual in nature.
In short, reviewers say it’s not meant for young, teen readers. This month, three Utah school districts agreed.
A new law passed by the Utah Legislature last year went into effect July 1, requiring a book to be removed from all public schools in the state if at least three school districts categorize it as containing content that’s indecent or pornographic — otherwise known as “objective sensitive material.”
The term “banned books” has been the cause of some rebellion and can be seen in select local bookstores and libraries with curated shelves dedicated to selling or lending banned titles. In Weber County, a couple even created a “Little Banned Books Library.”
For Lara Rude at Ecker Hill Middle School in Park City, the point is moot. All 15 books on the list of banned titles are not those she would stock on her shelves anyway. Even down to one of her favorite authors growing up, Judy Blume, whose book “Forever” was retroactively added to the list of banned books after the Utah law went into effect.
“It’s a teenage love story, definitely high school,” Rude said. “I just remember it was all the buzz, but, you know, adults didn’t want us to read it either. Book banning was a thing in the ’80s, too.”
“Forever” is a love story and tale of sexual awakening, following 18-year-old Katherine’s relationship with Michael, her first love.
Most books on the list of banned titles, Rude said, are not really on the radar of middle school students. If a book does make it on the list, Rude said, she does the research and reads the title to understand exactly why it was challenged.
Educators have the option to “challenge” a book if they believe it is not suitable for young readers. And, according to Kirsta Albert, communications director for the Wasatch County School District, that is the kind of language they prefer: “challenged” versus “banned.”
“We went through a whole process and convened a committee of our librarians when we were required to put together a more formal challenge process,” Albert said.
Albert said that, especially in Wasatch County, which she classified as more “conservative” than Park City, challenged books are a sensitive topic. But, it’s more likely that challenged books will be more of an issue at Wasatch County High School rather than a middle school.
Once a challenge to a book is made, the title is reviewed in order to identify “sensitive material.” Utah State Board of Education guidelines say that the books should be discarded from school library circulation and disposed of, avoiding school dumpsters and garbage cans.
Rude said that, at Ecker Hill, banning books is somewhat unnecessary. When she’s looking to stock new books on her library shelves, she is sure to do her homework.
“For instance, the American Library Association just announced award winners this week … so I went through those lists and then I check the categories and check the age level and read about it, and if there’s anything that pops up, I usually check a couple other sources,” Rude said, adding that she often reads as much as she can. “I read all the professional reviews and attend webinars and make sure I’m getting the right things for my students.”
At Ecker Hill, when the list of banned materials was released, Rude said she did not need to remove any books from her shelf. They weren’t there to begin with.
Park City High School, meanwhile, has not had a traditional library for several years. Rude said that, since there are no plans to construct one, high school students will often head to Summit County Library, Dolly’s Bookstore, Barnes & Noble or a middle school library.
But, in terms of public schools, finding inappropriate content on library shelves is not common. Rude said that’s because of the education, training and wherewithal that media specialists and librarians in the state possess. The trouble, she said, comes when there’s a lack of trust.
“I do feel like there is an overall lack of trust with our education system right now. Does [banning books] interfere? Yes, but I also trust my judgment and am looking at professional resources, and I’m doing the right thing for the students in my school,” Rude said. “I hope parents and community members see that we can be trusted with our youth.”
Rude said that, as a media specialist at a middle school in particular, the challenge is not with barring banned books from her library. It’s with getting reluctant readers to pick up a book they’ll love.
Rude said she’ll often work with the student’s English teachers to find a topic that will pique their interest. “I think graphic novels are huge. They really love looking at pictures along with reading. And there’s so many great adaptations right now of books and novels that have now become graphic novels.”
For Rude, when she was her student’s age, it was all about classics like “Charlotte’s Web” and “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.” She said that, along with graphic novels, mysteries, thrillers, realistic fiction and fantasy novels are favorites at Ecker Hill.
“I just love getting books in the hands of kids and getting them excited about reading and trying to find the perfect book, even for that reluctant reader,” Rude said.
The following are the 15 banned books in Utah:
- “Damsel” by Elana K. Arnold
- “Blankets” by Craig Thompson
- “A Court of Frost and Starlight” by Sarah J. Maas
- “A Court of Mist and Fury” by Sarah J. Maas
- “A Court of Silver Flames” by Sarah J. Maas
- “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas
- “A Court of Wings and Ruin” by Sarah J. Maas
- “Empire of Storms” by Sarah J. Maas
- “Fallout” by Ellen Hopkins
- “Forever” by Judy Blume
- “Living Dead Girl” by Elizabeth Scott
- “Milk and Honey” by Rupi Kaur
- “Oryx & Crake” by Margaret Atwood
- “Tilt” by Ellen Hopkins
- “What Girls Are Made Of” by Elana K. Arnold