It's important to know that books become targets for being banned when they become popular. It should come as no surprise that the most commonly banned books are the most popular books. Part of it is simple statistics; the more copies of a book there are, the more likely they are to be picked up by a fundamentalist. But part of it is the "wildfire" concept; when a housewife in the Midwest calls for Harry Potter-
the best selling book series of all time with 400 million units sold- to be pulled from school shelves, she creates a lot of shockwaves. Every student is in an uproar, their parents are upset and people start talking. The media catches on and covers her case, giving her more fuel for her fire. If she were to call for The Chronicles of Fairy: The Book of Dreams
(currently #808,858 on amazon.com) to be pulled, nobody would care. Most banned books are best sellers. Harry Potter, collectively, is the most banned set of books for the last decade.
Thankfully, many books that show up on this list are not actually "banned," though the process leading up to an official ban is just as scary. Here's how it goes:
Step 1: A "concerned party" files a challenge. They can challenge a book in a number of places. Most commonly, they go through the schools, though sometimes they poke at public libraries and bookstores as well. A challenge says "I don't like this book because I find all or some of it offensive in some way."
Step 2: This varies depending on who files and receives the challenge, but in essence a board or committee of some kind listens to the complainant as well as those who want the book to remain on the shelves/curriculum/reading list. Much yelling occurs. On both sides, I'm sure.
Step 3: This is where things can go in several different directions. Option 1- the book gets pulled and is officially a "banned book". Lawsuits are filed and there is much consternation. Option 2- the book gets restricted. It's pulled from required reading lists, or put in a restricted section of the library where you have to prove that you are over a certain age or have parental permission to read it. Option 3- nothing really happens. The books stays on the shelves/curriculum/reading list. Often, teachers will allow "alternate" assignments for students who do not want to read the book.
I'll tell you right now, I'm firmly in the "Option 3" camp. If you don't want your daughter to read Romeo and Juliet because it depicts an unhealthy romantic relationship, fine. She can read "The Organic Squirrel gets a Bike Helmet" or whatever it is you think is appropriate for her. Let my kids read Romeo and Juliet.
I'll be the boss of me and my house, you can be the boss of you and your house. Savvy?Step 4: Sales go through the roof. Kids will read it anyway, and in droves. (insert evil laugh here)
I want to be absolutely clear: There are books out there that no child should be reading. There are books out there that only mature, intelligent, responsible children should be reading.
Parents can and should be involved in what their children are reading. I like this blog: Books Your Mother Would Approve Of. The blogger reviews books and lets you know if there's objectionable material in them. Here's the best part: She's totally sane. She knows the difference between fantasy and real life, and understands that fantasy and magic and romance don't always have to be down-to-earth to be reasonable.
Read user reviews on Amazon.com, top sellers especially will have a lot of reviews and a lot of information about the content of a particular book.
Talk to other parents, talk to your child's teacher. Ask questions if you are concerned, they would love to have a reasonable conversation with you about the books they are asking your child to read. Be respectful of their opinions and make your decision based on what's best for you and your family.
Here's my warning though: Don't fall into the trap of thinking your child is a child forever.
They have to be ready for the big, bad world at some point. And allowing them to be exposed to new ideas- however different from yours they may be- is a big, important step in getting them ready for that world. Is reading about racism and sexual assault
in the deep south pleasant? Or the terror of waiting for the Nazis
to discover your hiding place? Or the battle between life and death
against tyranny? Of course not! But are there lessons to be learned? Absolutely. When we recognize that education is sometimes uncomfortable, we allow ourselves to find new ideas and really analyze the truth for ourselves. 
