Mum Plans to Burn Book her Son’s Library Book – Really

Remember all those banned book posts on Strollerderby a few weeks back? How medieval all those book burners sounded? Turns out she's alive and well and living in the USA.

Yup, an Oregon mum is threatening to burn a book her son checked out of his high school library.

The Book of Bunny Suicides is actually the first in a series of three graphic novels by British author/illustrator Andy Riley, a guy who's been dubbed the British Gary Larson. Subtitled "little fluffy rabbits who just don't want to live anymore," the book is black comedy at its best. Each page shows a hand-drawn bunny in a position that could very well end in his death  – although that's never actually seen, and often the means to an end aren't immediately apparent. Take page 1 – a line drawing of a bunny with a rope around its neck, and the other end tied to the minute hand on a giant clock tower.

So, no blood and guts. No sex. No drugs. No swearing. And it makes you have to think . . . bad for kids, definitely bad.

Taffey Anderson's now holding hostage the book her son borrowed from the Central Linn High School in Halsey, Oregon. She wants the issue reviewed by the school district, but she won't even hand the copy over for the principal to view. Instead, she says she's going to burn it. The school principal says that's too bad – the school will have to buy another copy and fine the family for the cost. If Anderson doesn't pay, her son will lose the privilege of taking books out of the library. His mother has already warned she'll burn the school's second copy.

Let's review the list of things she's teaching her son: Borrow things and don't give them back. Destroy that which isn't yours. Threaten and blackmail when you don't get your way.

And a book of cranky bunnies is going to warp this kid?