Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Visalia Crash Sends Car Into Marie Callender’s After Driver Runs Red Light

16 hours ago

Gifford Fire Expands to 83,933 Acres in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo Counties

17 hours ago

S&P 500 and Nasdaq Lifted by Earnings, Fed Hopes

18 hours ago

Israeli Military Chief Opposes Gaza War Expansion, Raising Pressure on Netanyahu

18 hours ago

Israel Considers Full Gaza Takeover as More Die of Hunger

2 days ago

US to Initially Impose ‘Small Tariff’ on Pharma Imports, Trump Says

2 days ago

Cruz Criticizes Hochul for Wearing Headscarf at Slain Officer’s Funeral

2 days ago

Trump Says Banks Discriminate Against His Supporters While White House Prepares Order

2 days ago
John Oliver's Parody Book Among Most 'Challenged' Works
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
April 8, 2019

Share

NEW YORK — Not everyone was amused by the John Oliver send-up of a picture book by the wife and daughter of Vice President Mike Pence.

Photo of cover image for "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver Presents A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo"
This cover image released by Chronicle Books shows “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver Presents A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo,” written by Marlon Bundo with Jill Twiss and illustrated by EG Keller. (Chronicle Books via AP)
“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver Presents A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo,” in which the Pence’s family bunny turns out to be gay, was among the books most objected to in 2018 at the country’s public libraries. The best-selling parody ranked No. 2 on the list of “challenged” books compiled by the American Library Association, with some complaining about its gay-themed content and political viewpoint.
Oliver’s book, credited to staff writer Jill Twiss, was a response to the Pences’ “A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo” and to the family’s conservative social viewpoint. The Pences themselves did not publicly object, and daughter Charlotte Pence has even said she purchased a copy of the “Last Week Tonight” book, noting that proceeds were going to charities for AIDS and suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth.
The library association announced Monday that Alex Gino’s “George,” a middle-grade novel about a transgender child, was No. 1 on its list. Others included Angie Thomas’ best-seller about a teen girl whose friend is shot by police, “The Hate U Give” (drug use, profanity, “anti-cop” bias); and Dav Pilkey’s “Captain Underpants” series (same-sex couple, “encouraging disruptive behavior”).
The report also includes Raina Telgemeier’s “Drama,” Jay Asher’s “Thirteen Reasons Why,” Sherman Alexie’s prize-winning “”The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,” Mariko and Jillian Tamaki’s “This One Summer” and Judy Schachner’s “Skippyjon Jones” series. Books included on the list in previous years range from “To Kill a Mockingbird” to the “Harry Potter” series.

Gay Content Reflected a ‘Pushback’

The ALA usually lists 10 books, but included 11 this year because two tied for 10th place: Gayle E. Pitman’s and Kristyna Litten’s “This Day in June,” and David Leviathan’s “Two Boys Kissing,” both cited for LGBTQIA+ content and both among those burned last October in Orange City, Iowa, by the director of a “pro-family” group called Rescue the Perishing.

The Pences themselves did not publicly object, and daughter Charlotte Pence has even said she purchased a copy of the “Last Week Tonight” book, noting that proceeds were going to charities for AIDS and suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth.
Deborah Caldwell Stone, interim director of the library association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, said the protests from parents and other local residents about gay content reflected a “pushback” as “writers work to be more inclusive of underrepresented or marginalized communities.”
The list is part of the association’s “State of America’s Libraries Report” and comes at the start of National Library Week, which begins Wednesday. The ALA defines a “challenge” as a “formal, written complaint filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness.” The list is based on news reports and on accounts submitted from libraries, although the ALA believes many challenges go unreported. The association tracked 347 challenges last year, compared to 356 in 2017.
“The number has been fairly steady over the past few years,” Stone said.
The ALA did not have a number for books actually pulled from library shelves or moved to an adult section.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Who Drugged and Sexually Abused Minors Sentenced to 53 Years to Life

DON'T MISS

Clovis Police Arrest Four in Narcotics Bust After Five-Month Investigation

DON'T MISS

Overturned Big Rig Backs Up Highway 99 Traffic in Fresno

DON'T MISS

California Reveals 5th State Prison to Close Because of Falling Inmate Population

DON'T MISS

Fresno Police Search for Robbery Suspect Near Blackstone Avenue

DON'T MISS

Trump Says US Will Charge Tariff of About 100% on Semiconductor Imports

DON'T MISS

Trump Weighs Getting Involved in New York City Mayor Race

DON'T MISS

Apple Commits Additional $100 Billion to US Investments

DON'T MISS

Fresno Taken Off Federal Sanctuary City List After DHS Reversal

DON'T MISS

Trita Parsi Shares Ex-Green Beret’s Account of Deadly Gaza Aid Sites

UP NEXT

Trump Weighs Getting Involved in New York City Mayor Race

UP NEXT

Apple Commits Additional $100 Billion to US Investments

UP NEXT

US Army Sergeant Suspected of Shooting, Wounding Five Fellow Soldiers at Fort Stewart in Georgia

UP NEXT

Switzerland Facing 39% US Tariff as President Leaves Washington Empty-Handed

UP NEXT

Five US Soldiers Shot at Georgia Base, Shooter in Custody

UP NEXT

VP Vance to Host Dinner to Discuss Jeffrey Epstein Fallout

UP NEXT

Trump Order Imposes Additional 25% Tariff on Goods From India

UP NEXT

Trump Suggests Vance Is His Likely Heir Apparent in 2028

UP NEXT

Trump to Host Armenia, Azerbaijan Leaders for Peace Talks on Friday, US Official Says

UP NEXT

Trump Declines to Say if He Supports or Opposes Potential Gaza Takeover by Israel

California Reveals 5th State Prison to Close Because of Falling Inmate Population

11 hours ago

Fresno Police Search for Robbery Suspect Near Blackstone Avenue

11 hours ago

Trump Says US Will Charge Tariff of About 100% on Semiconductor Imports

11 hours ago

Trump Weighs Getting Involved in New York City Mayor Race

11 hours ago

Apple Commits Additional $100 Billion to US Investments

12 hours ago

Fresno Taken Off Federal Sanctuary City List After DHS Reversal

12 hours ago

Trita Parsi Shares Ex-Green Beret’s Account of Deadly Gaza Aid Sites

12 hours ago

First Date Turns Into DUI High-Speed Pursuit on Highway 99, CHP Fresno Says

12 hours ago

Tulare Co. Sends 86 to Drug Treatment Under Prop 36. Fresno Sends Only 3

12 hours ago

US Army Sergeant Suspected of Shooting, Wounding Five Fellow Soldiers at Fort Stewart in Georgia

12 hours ago

Fresno Man Who Drugged and Sexually Abused Minors Sentenced to 53 Years to Life

A Fresno man was sentenced Wednesday to 53 years to life in state prison for committing lewd acts involving three minors over a six-year spa...

9 hours ago

9 hours ago

Fresno Man Who Drugged and Sexually Abused Minors Sentenced to 53 Years to Life

Clovis Police arrested Jeremiah Gonzalez (top left), 25, Jonathan Simmavong (bottom left), 27, both of Clovis, Gursimran Mahal (top right), 25, and Zackary Torres, 26, both of Fresno, in a narcotics investigation that led to the seizure of drugs, a firearm, and illegal vape products. (Clovis PD)
10 hours ago

Clovis Police Arrest Four in Narcotics Bust After Five-Month Investigation

An overturned big rig on Highway 99 at Clinton Avenue caused major traffic backups in both directions Wednesday, August 6, 2025, afternoon in Fresno. (Fresno County SO)
10 hours ago

Overturned Big Rig Backs Up Highway 99 Traffic in Fresno

11 hours ago

California Reveals 5th State Prison to Close Because of Falling Inmate Population

Fresno police are searching for a suspect who robbed a person near Blackstone and Garland avenues and fled in a white Chevrolet sedan. (Fresno PD)
11 hours ago

Fresno Police Search for Robbery Suspect Near Blackstone Avenue

Semiconductor chips are seen on a circuit board of a computer in this illustration picture taken February 25, 2022. (Reuters File)
11 hours ago

Trump Says US Will Charge Tariff of About 100% on Semiconductor Imports

President Donald Trump takes questions from reporters at the White House in Washington, July 30, 2025. The conversation between President Trump and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo came at a time when Cuomo was publicly pushing Mayor Eric Adams and other rivals to drop out of the race in hopes of consolidating the support of voters who oppose the frontrunner, Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. (Eric Lee/The New York Times)
11 hours ago

Trump Weighs Getting Involved in New York City Mayor Race

12 hours ago

Apple Commits Additional $100 Billion to US Investments

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend