The Chocolate Wars by Robert Cormier (Banned Book Review and a CHOCOLATE GIVEAWAY!)

 

Do I dare disturb the universe?

 

Jerry Renault ponders this question from the Private Catholic School he newly attends.  Each year the school partakes in a chocolate sale which help funds programming.  While the sale is said to be optional for students to participate in , they are strongly, STRONGLY encouraged to do so.This year the students are encouraged to sell double what they did last year,   and the cost has doubled as well.

A group of bad-boy “secret society” types called the Vigils find Jerry to be a target for their latest prank and tell him that he is not to sell the chocolates for the first 11 days.  Each week as the students are tallied for the number of boxes they have sold, Jerry announces he has sold none.  The head master is furious much to the Vigils delight, but after day eleven, Jerry decides to take a stand and not sell the chocolates as all, thus making the head of the Vigils a laughing stock amongst his peers, and this does not go over well.  Jerry’s stand turns into a war witht he Vigils, with some of the students, and with  the school.

As Jerry’s fellow students admire Jerry for his courage, the headmaster as well as the head of the Vigils have other plans for making Jerry comply…

 

The Chocolate Wars is also a movie

Why did I want to read this book?  It is a banned book and looked like one I wanted to give a try to.

Wowza.  Can  say we have a winner?  The Chocolate War is the portrayal of a dystopian type world where you just need to fall in line with what you are told to do… (think Pink Floyd, The Wall video).  When Jerry comes on the scene and at first is bullied into not selling the chocolates like everyone else and then decided to not sell at all.. things get pretty crazy in this book.

Bullying is a strong theme throughout the book, and not just the physical kind – and not just from the students….  really the book is powerful and sad but really made an impact on me.  I am so glad I read it.

The audio is a 5 1/2 hours and was perfect with my current crazy schedule.  Narrated by Frank Muller the book read well and kept me engaged.  Recommended!

 

Why Was The Chocolate War Banned?

2010

Challenged and/or banned for nudity, offensive language, being sexually explicit and unsuited for age group.

2008

Initially removed from Harford County (MD) High School curriculum due to vulgar language overshadowing anti-bullying message, but in November 2007, the school superintendent reversed the ban to allow the use of the book in classes dealing with harassment for which all parents have signed permission slips. Challenged as optional reading in a bullying unit at the Lake Oswego (OR) Junior High School because the novel is “peppered with profanities, ranging from derogatory slang terms to sexual encounters and violence.” Challenged in the Coeur d’Alene (ID) School district where parents say the book, along with 5 other, should require parental permission for students to read them. Challenged as required reading for 7th-grade students at the John H. Kinzie Elementary School in Chicago (IL). Challenged at the Northridge School District in Johnstown (OH) because “if these books were a movie, they would be rated R, why should we encourage them to read these books.”

2007

Challenged, but retained in the West Hartford (CN) schools. Parents of a King Philip Middle School eighth grader thought the language, sexual content, and violence made the book PG-13. Challenged in the Wake County (NC) schools because the book has “vulgar and sexually explicit language.” Parents are getting help from Called2Action, a Christian group that says its mission is to “promote and defend our shared family and social values.”

2006

Challenged for sexual content and offensive language.

2005

Challenged for sexual content, offensive language, religious viewpoint, being unsuited to age group and violence.

2003

Challenged in Fairfax (VA) school libraries by a group called Parents Against Bad Books in Schools for “profanity and descriptions of drug abuse, sexually explicit conduct and torture”.

2002

Challenged for profanity, scenes of masturbation and sexual fantasy along with segments denigrating to girls.

2001

Challenged in York County (VA) for sexually explicit language. Retained as optional reading for eighth graders in Girard (PA) despite a grandmother finding the book offensive and not wanting her grand-daughter reading it. Challenged for being on the eighth grade reading list of Lancaster (MA) school district for language and content. Challenged at a Lisbon (OH) board of education meeting as a “pornographic” book that should be removed from high school English classes.

 

So… you want some chocolates?

My friend Florinda at The 3 T’s Blog  also wrote a post on the Chocolate Wars today (book version) and we thought it would be fun to a little “sweetness” to our reviews.  I will be giving away Ghiradelli chocolates to one of the lucky commenters using both out blog posts to enter.  Just leave a comment on either my or Florindas post for an entry – comment on both and you will get three entries because math… is not my strength . 

 

Banned Book Week Day Five – 10+ Giveaways and posts

Day five!  I hope you have been enjoying these posts and finding them informative.  I am having a blast working with all these awesome bloggers who have put forth their thoughts on banned books and many with giveaways too!  Before I list today’s participants remember at the bottom this post I am listing the four previous days participants as well and these are DNM (Do Not Miss) posts!  There has been a lot of great banned book reviews and I have entered some of the awesome giveaways as well! 

But first…

 

 

Ok lets see who is up today and what they have to say…

 

The AWESOME Natalie from Coffee and a Book Chick is sharing today about The Chocolate War and hosting a book giveaway! 

 

Sweet Florinda from The 3 R’s Blog  (and I as well!) will be reviewing The Chocolate War, she read it and I listened to it on audio.  Check out my post later because oh yes, there will be chocolate!

 

 

The amazing Cass from Bonjour Cass will be sharing her thoughts about banning children’s books  and she will host a book giveaway as well!

 

 

**  so I am going to break in here to share a fun fact about these 3 above bloggers.  I have all three of them in person in New York.  I had dinner with Natalie and Florinda and I have went to the broadway play, Mary Poppins with Cass.

 

 

Kendal from Kinx Book Nook is sharing thoughts on The Color Of The Earth, a fantastic looking book! 

 

Shannon from I Run, Teach, Read is posting about an old favorite of mine, Little House On The Prairie.  Yup. A banned book.  Check out her post to find out why it was banned.  She is also hosting a giveaway.

 

 

Tara at Finding Wonderland is reviewing Catcher In The Rye with a book giveaway!

 

 

Johnathon Of The Rogue Scholar has taken on Brave New World along with a book giveaway.  (Oh and I am loving his style for his giveaway… just saying )

 

 

Kai from A Fiction State Of Mind is reviewing LUSH and having a gift card giveaway!

 

Michelle from The True Book Addict is sharing thoughts on The Girl With The Pearl Earring!

 

 

Tracy at Uncharted Parent is posting on The Color Of The Earth (I must get this book!)

 

Wendy at Musings Of A Bookish Kitty is going to talk about a book called Blankets.  I love the cover of this one and I want to know more about it.

 

 

Katie from Book Addict Katie is chatting up To Kill A Mockingbird and offering a book giveaway!

 

 

Stacy from A Novel Source is reviewing The Dead Zone and having a book giveaway (I never get tired of book giveaways… just saying )

 

 

And do not forget the posts earlier this week with great info and tons of active giveaways!

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

 

Dont forget I am offering up a Banned Book Package with a gift card!  By commenting on any (or all) of the posts on banned books I have linked this week – including my own, you are entered… that means one entry per comment so go, learn about these great books – and have some fun!

 

SO that’s todays offerings.    I am working today but an going ot the library to help with their E Book launch this morning which may be fun.    I know I have a banned book ot two to pick up as well, so double duty.     Out weather has turned MUCH COOLER this week which is not making me too thrilled as I have a 50 mile bike ride this coming Sunday in Mankato, MN.

What book are you reading today?

Sad Desk Salad by Jessica Grose

 

Alex Lyons loves her job as a writer for Chick Habit ‘s website.  After all who wouldn’t love a job where you get to sit at home on your couch scouring the web for hours looking for the next big story.  Celebrity mishaps is Alex’s bread and butter, and she knows she is only as good as her last story. 

When a juicy tip comes in about a squeaky clean Ivy League daughter, Alex in on that like white on rice.  This tip is too hot and way to good to pass on… but will Alex’s “tell all” be worth the pain and destruction it will cause in the girl’s life?  And what will it do to Alex’s own life?

Why did I want to read this book?  Helloooooo… look at that fun title!  Right away I was curious about this and had to (had to!) know more!

Sad Desk Salad is a fun read for anyone who enjoys on-line blog reading (like me!)  Alex is witty and clever, and hey – so is author Jessica Grose who sprinkled the magic dust that made Alex come to life in this “snort out loud” tale of the blogging world from a tabloid like atmosphere.  (And really – why not?  As author Jessica Grosse happens to be editor of a site called Jezebel and Slate. )

The title refers to the fact that the fictional Chick Habit’s website in the book gets the most hits over the work day lunch hour when the women are at their desks eating their sad salads and scanning the internet for their favorite gossip. 

While Alex is not always awesome – clearly her “work from home” hygiene habits need some literal “cleaning up”, she was surrounded by enough secondary characters that leveled her out so I was able to take her faults in stride.    Mostly I enjoyed the way the book held my attention and whenever I had to sit it down (darn life stuff like work and errands!) I found myself thinking about how it would all play out.

A good debut novel about online blogging and where to draw a line when it comes to privacy in today’s highly social networking world.  Worthy of taking a look at and maybe enjoying this lite read over a few or your own lunch breaks.