When Stephen Chbosky’s, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” was released on Feb. 1, 1999, the coming-of-age novel received mixed reviews. Most critics praised Chbosky for having infused the book with comedy, reality and a cast of characters that stay with readers forever. On the other hand, many school administrators banned the book from their libraries because the story dealt with homosexuality, drug-use amongst teenagers, suicide, sexually explicit scenes and “offensive language.”

“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” acts as a bildungsroman, a coming of age story, told from the perspective of a presumed wallflower named Charlie. The story follows Charlie as he goes through his freshman year in high school having lost both his Aunt Helen, who died in a car accident when he was younger, and his best friend, who committed suicide just the year before. The novel is written in letter form and is addressed to an anonymous stranger. Throughout the story, Charlie deals with his introvertedness, his first crush, being in his first relationship, confronting his past and many other things.

“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” has received much praise over the years not only because it covers a wide-range of topics, but because Charlie is so likable and relatable. Chbosky makes several references to other literary works and films including, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “To Kill A Mockingbird,” and “The Great Gatsby.” 

According to Sally Lodge’s article  “New Data on the Impact of YA franchises to Be Unveiled at Nielsen Summit” on Publisher’s Weekly, once the film adaptation of the coming-of-age novel was released in theatres across the country on Sept. 21, 2012, book sales increased from 88,847 copies in 2011 to 425,933 in 2012. But school committees were still banning the book, until now.   

Eric Vo wrote in an April 24 article for Record Journal that after a long battle between school administrators, teachers and parents, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” has been returned to the freshman English curriculums of both Lyman Hall High School and Sheehan High School in Wallingford, Connecticut.   

Vo also wrote that Chbosky was said to be “glad to hear the book would return to the curriculum and students would have the opportunity to read it and discuss it in classrooms.” Hopefully now, school districts across the country that are still deciding to ban “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” will follow in the footsteps of the Wallingford School District.