John Oliver’s popular children’s parody book, which imagined Vice President Mike Pence’s pet rabbit as gay, was the No. 2 title on the American Library Association’s “Most Challenged” books list for 2018, according to the organization.
Written by “Last Week Tonight” staffer Jill Twiss and illustrated by EG Keller, “A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo” — which followed the Pence family pet as he met a fellow male rabbit and fell in love — was the No. 1 bestseller on Amazon within 24 hours of its release. It outsold the book it lampoons, “Marlon Bundo’s A Day in the Life of the Vice President,” by Karen and Charlotte Pence.
But apparently not everyone liked it. The American Library Association, which catalogs “documented requests to remove materials from schools or libraries” reported that “A Day in The Life” was “banned and challenged for including LGBTQIA+ content, and for political and religious viewpoints,” making it the second-most challenged book in the United States. The only book that garnered more challenges was “George,” by Alex Gino, a story about a 10-year-old transgender child.
Pence is a frequent target of the LGBTQ communities for his critical views on homosexuality.
All proceeds from “A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo” went to LGBTQ youth and AIDS charities.