About this book
Becoming a writer the hard way In the summer of 1971, Jack Gantos was an aspiring writer looking for adventure, cash for college tuition, and a way out of a dead-end job. For ten thousand dollars, he recklessly agreed to help sail a sixty-foot yacht loaded with a ton of hashish from the Virgin Islands to New York City, where he and his partners sold the drug until federal agents caught up with them. For his part in the conspiracy, Gantos was sentenced to serve up to six years in prison. In Hole in My Life, this prizewinning author of over thirty books for young people confronts the period of struggle and confinement that marked the end of his own youth. On the surface, the narrative tumbles from one crazed moment to the next as Gantos pieces together the story of his restless final year of high school, his short-lived career as a criminal, and his time in prison. But running just beneath the action is the story of how Gantos – once he was locked up in a small, yellow-walled cell – moved from wanting to be a writer to writing, and how dedicating himself more fully to the thing he most wanted to do helped him endure and ultimately overcome the worst experience of his life. This title has Common Core connections. Hole in My Life is a 2003 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Why it was banned
In 2024, "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos was banned at the school level in the United States due to its depiction of drugs and substance use, as well as themes of immorality. The banning authority cited concerns over the book's content as inappropriate for students. There are no documented legal challenges or public statements from the author regarding this ban.
Censorship history
In 2024, "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos was banned at the school level in several districts across the United States, primarily due to concerns over its depiction of drug use and criminal activity. Specific complaints were raised by parents and local advocacy groups, leading to school board votes that resulted in the book's removal from curricula and libraries. The ban reflects ongoing debates about age-appropriate content in educational settings, particularly regarding literature that addresses controversial themes.
Bans
| Country | Year | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 2024 | DrugsMoral |