BANNED BOOK SUMMARY

Snow Falling on Cedars BY Guterson, David

The book has been frequently challenged, banned, or restricted in several school systems in the United States and Canada for profanity and sexual content; the American Library Association’s list of most-challenged books of 2000-2009 ranked it at #33.


2011
Retained in college-level classes at Richland (WA) high schools. Teachers said the book was selected for the curriculum 12 years ago because it deals with prejudice against Japanese-Americans in the Pacific Northwest during and shortly after World War II.

2008
Challenged in the Coeur d'Alene (ID) School District. Some parents say the book, along with five others, should require parental permission for students to read them.

2004
Challenged, but retained in the advanced English classes in Modesto (CA). The seven member Modesto City School Board said administrators should instead give parents more information about the books their children read, including annotations of each text.

2001
Restricted in South Kitsap (WA) after complaints regarding the book's sexual content and profanity.