Facade to the Miami-Dade County Public Library building with an art exhibition entrance located within the downtown 2nd Avenue community and touristic neighborhoods on June 26, 2019. Photo and Caption: Hernando Sorzano/Shutterstock.com
One of the best-selling books in the Arthur series for kids could be banned after a conservative claimant alleged it “damaged souls.”
The Arthur books, written by American author Marc Brown, depict the adventures of young Arthur, a fictional aardvark, and his friends and family. Of the approximately 50 books in the series, Arthur’s Birthday, which was released in 1989 and has sold more than 60 million copies in the U.S. alone, has generated controversy.
Because of the plot, which has Arthur receiving a glass bottle with the words “Francine’s Spin the Bottle Game” printed on children as a birthday present from Francine the monkey, the County School District community has filed a challenge against the book’s availability in schools.
The full complaint, which Friedman requested be blocked, was published by The Daily Beast with the caption “to protect children.”
Friedman asserts: “Talking about ‘spin the bottle’ with elementary school students is inappropriate. You can find this book in all or nearly all [district schools]! Spin the bottle is inappropriate for K–5-aged children.”
Friedman included the phrase “damaged souls” to describe the danger he believed would result if the book was still available.
The Daily Beast reports that the book is one of 45 works being considered for inclusion in school libraries.
In response to Friedman’s challenge to Arthur’s Birthday, the Florida Freedom to Read Project reportedly stated: “The entire book is about being inclusive of all friends and not only inviting boys or girls to your birthday party.”
The debate around the prohibition of books has grown recently. Judy Blume is a renowned novelist whose book, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, was recently brought to the big screen while another book, Forever, has been removed from reading lists in Martin County, Florida. Martin County officials informed the BBC that “banning books” has become politicized, making it “worse than it was in the 1980s.”
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Melissa’s career in writing started more than 20 years ago. Today, she lives in South Florida with her husband and two boys.
