An award-winning book on human trafficking, written by a Rosemont College alum, was one of the most targeted books to be banned in U.S. libraries in 2024.
Patricia McCormick's novel "Sold" landed on the top 10 of the American Library Association's annual list. It tied for eighth with "Crank" by Ellen Hopkins, a story about a teen girl's struggles with substance abuse.
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"Sold," originally published in 2006, centers on a 13-year-old Nepalese girl sold into sexual slavery. It was a National Book Award finalist and Gustav-Heinemann Peace Prize winner following its debut, and was later adapted into a movie. "Sold" was also the 10th-most challenged book in the United States in 2023, the first year it made the ALA ranking.
"To ban this book is to erase the young people around the world who are currently enslaved," McCormick said in an author statement. "To ban this book is a disservice to the women who shared their stories with me so the world could know about their plight. And to ban this book is disrespectful to the young readers who want to know about the world as it is – so they can make a difference.
"But, perhaps most important, to ban this book is to take away a lifeline for readers who are experiencing abuse. These kids know what adults often don’t. Books aren’t the problem; they are part of the solution."
McCormick grew up in central Pennsylvania and attended Rosemont College, the Montgomery County school that recently announced a merger with Villanova University, before moving to New York City. There, she studied journalism at Columbia University and later obtained a master's degree from the New School.
McCormick is also the author of "Never Fall Down," "Cut" and "The Plot to Kill Hitler." She co-wrote the young readers' edition of "I Am Malala," the memoir of Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai.
The ALA recorded 821 attempts to censor books at libraries, schools and universities in 2024. That's a decrease from the previous year, when the nonprofit reported 1,247. The majority of challenges are coming from organized campaigns, the ALA said.
The other most challenged books in 2024 were "Flamer" by Mike Curato, "Me, Earl and the Dying Girl" by Jesse Andrews, "Looking for Alaska" by John Green, "Crank" and "Tricks" by Hopkins, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky, "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison, "Gender Queer" by Maia Kobabe, and "All Boys Aren't Blue" by George M. Johnson.
McCormick isn't the first author with local ties to make the ALA ranking. Susan Kuklin's "Beyond Magenta," which features interviews with six transgender teens, was listed in 2015, 2019 and 2021. Kuklin was born and raised in Philly.
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