Challenging the Content of "Vegan Virgin Valentine"

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Recommended: Books being banned essay

Banned means to prohibit; to not allow someone to read it. It could be for many reasons, but most are for inappropriate topics for teens and kids. Most books are banned from libraries and schools. Vegan Virgin Valentine by Carolyn Mackler is one of the books that was challenged because of fowl language and references to sex and drugs.

Mara, the main character, is a perfectionist. She has straight-As, is in National Honors Society, and is a future Yale student. She is competing with her only ex-boyfriend for the Valedictorian. Her life changes completely when her niece V, who is only a year younger than her, comes to live with Mara. V is a slutty, druggie that has an attitude. This story takes the reader on an adventure of two complete opposite girls who have to learn to love each other. Mara eventually learns that she cannot control everything and has to take life as it comes.

The novel was challenged at Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, Florida in 2007. It was challenged by John and Anna Ferrell. They wanted it banned because “They use the f-word everywhere else. That's unacceptable” (Weeder). They felt that the book was inappropriate because of the constant swearing. The book was kept in the school. The decision was justified because in the end it is the principal's decision. One must respect that.

The novel has foul language. There are many swears words in the book. In the very first chapter the character V uses very offensive language. She is in the car on the way home from the airport and the narrator, Mara notices her hand. “I stole a peek at her hand. Down each finger, from her pinkie to her pointer, she'd scrawled f***, f***, f***, f***. On her thumb it said everyone. Yikes” (Mackler 9). Seeing this in the ...

... middle of paper ...

...m exposure to topics that are too mature for them.

Works Cited
Weeder, Roger. “School Library Book To Get Second Look.” firstcoastnews.com. First Coast News, February 2007. Web. 29 November 2009.

"Joint Letter To Mandarin High School Principal Regarding Vegan Virgin Valentine". NCAC. N.p. March 16 2007. Web. 29 November 2009. .

"Book Bans and Challenges, 2007-2009". Banned Books Week. N.p. n.d. November 29 2009 .

"Joint letter to Duval County Superintendent about Objections to Books in Jacksonville School Libraries". NCAC. N.p. March 16 2007. Web. 29 November 2009. .

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