James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl; illustrated by Quentin Blake
Alfred A. Knopf, 2002. 978-0-375-81424-2
Reason for challenge/ban: Magic/witchcraft, communism advocacy, racism, drug/alcohol references, offensive language
Synopsis: After his parents are killed in a terrible rhinoceros accident, James Henry Trotter goes to live with his two horrible aunts, Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker. The two women feel no affection for James and make him do most of their chores and sleep in a tiny room with a very small window.
Interesting to read the reasons for challenging/banning James and the Giant Peach.
Magic and witchcraft? As I recall, James dropped the bag and the things fell into the ground and made the peach really big. He wasn’t even DOING anything. He just dropped a bunch of green things into the soil and they happened to make the peach bigger. I thought it was merely a comment on how you can’t expect problems to be solved like magic- take matters into your own hands. I don’t think it REALLY had anything to do with witchcraft/magic. Some people are too literal and uptight. What next? Banning Go Ask Alice because it mentions drug use?