I don't share the enthusiasm about this pretty average book, but I'm surprised anyone wanted to ban it. Who was it, the Jenny Craig Diet Fanatics Association?

You would have to be pretty anal to ban this one.

Are you kidding me? I'm not too surprised actually, after all, we're talking about clowns who burned Beatle albums over a careless, offhand remark. Burned Beatle albums but BOUGHT millions of Toby Keith records 40 years later. Must have been scared by that boat ride in the film- when Wilder spouted Jim Morrison- like lyrics in the dark on acid...

This is a wonderfully written children's story. I remember being so engrossed in it (I was 8 or 9) that I couldn't put it down. The film starring Gene Wilder was entertaining and well done but it did not compare with the book. Only the most censorial (I believe I just made that word up) of morons would engage in activities designed to keep this splendid literary contribution out of the hands of readers.

Another stupid example of trying to ban a book. the movie got critized as well. Ohh it may be upsetting to children. Gene Wilder even defended this movie and book. The only message here is that children need to have limits. they cannot be allowed to do as they wish.ah I can just see some of those anal retentive PTA parents out there who thought up this one to ban.

most of the books on this list are great and its baffling why people would want to ban them. if you don't like it dont read it.

Terrific book. One of my childhood classics. So it was banned because it espoused a poor philosophy of life. That is a completely meaningless statement, and therefore a pretty bad reason to ban anything. Does it mean the philosophy of poor people, because Charlie's family was so poor, or does it mean a way of looking at things that is a step above bad? This is not a facetious question - I am trying to puzzle out why people would have fundamental philosophical problems with CATCF. The only statement the book was trying to make along philosophical lines was that spoiled children who have it all grow into intolerable adults, and deserve bad but nonlethal things to happen to them while they're still young. The book was nowhere near as cynical as the movie was, and I don't remember the movie being deemed inappropriate for children. People are insane.

Have to completely agree with The Freak on this one. I had to add it because it was so completely ridiculous and just goes to prove that whatever you do in life there is ALWAYS going to be some dip out there waiting to tell you that you either should not have done it or that you did it incorrectly. This was a rather small incident that happened in Boulder, CO in 1988. Apparently the book had been removed from a reference collection because a librarian thought it espoused a poor philosophy of life. Say what?! This person only proved that s/he has no business being anywhere near books.

People trying to challenge htis book should be thrown in prison. It's a loveable, timeless, harmless classic that never did anything to anyone.