Banned Books Week is an annual event that celebrates the freedom to read and draws attention to the harms of censorship. Book bans occur when books are removed from libraries and schools in order to limit public access because a person or group objects to the content. Book challenges are attempts to remove books from libraries and schools; some are successful and result in a ban, while others are unsuccessful.
Book challenges and book bans in the United States have seen a dramatic increase since 2021, nowadays often targeting books that feature LGBTQIA+ themes. Check out the official Banned Books Week website for more information.
The books featured on this page are among the most frequently targeted books for challenges, restriction, and/or removal. Happy reading!
Line graph shows a relatively flat line from 2014 to 2021, with a steep increase in book challenges after 2021.
Censorship on the Rise: The record-breaking number of unique titles targeted in 2023 marked a 65% increase over 2022. Prior to 2021, the average number of unique titles targeted per year was 273.
Public library collections came under increased scrutiny in 2023. A significant factor in the increase was that groups who had previously targeted materials in school libraries began bringing challenges to the same titles at their public library.
Statistics based on 1,247 cases with known locations.
In 2023, organized pressure groups used their power to try to empty library shelves of all books they deem inappropriate.
By Angie Thomas
Challenged for: profanity, violence, and because it was thought to promote an anti-police message and indoctrination of a social agenda
By Sherman Alexie
Challenged for: profanity and because it was claimed to be sexually explicit
By Stephen Chbosky
Challenged for: claimed to be sexually explicit, LGBTQIA+ content, rape, drugs, profanity
By Toni Morrison
Challenged for: depiction of sexual abuse, EDI content, and because it was claimed to be sexually explicit
By John Green
Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content and because it was claimed to be sexually explicit
By Alex Gino
Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, conflicting with a religious viewpoint, and not reflecting “the values of our community”
By Susan Kuklin
Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to be sexually explicit
By Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds
Challenged for: claims that the book contains “selective storytelling incidents” and does not encompass racism against all people
Bye Laurie Halse Anderson
Challenged for: claimed to be biased against male students and contain a political viewpoint, and for the novel’s inclusion of rape and profanity
By Margaret Atwood
Challenged for: profanity and for “vulgarity and sexual overtones”
By Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Jillian Tamaki
Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, profanity, sexual references
By Khaled Hosseini
Challenged for: sexual violence and was thought to “lead to terrorism” and “promote Islam”
By Mark Haddon
Challenged for: offensive language, religious viewpoint, unsuited for age group, and “profanity and atheism”
By Marjane Satrapi
Challenged for: gambling, offensive language, political viewpoint, and considered “politically, racially, and socially offensive”
By Rudolfo Anaya
Challenged for: occult/Satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit
By Suzanne Collins
Challenged for: anti-ethnic, anti-family, insensitivity, offensive language, occult/satanic, violence
By Aldous Huxley
Challenged for: insensitivity, nudity, racism, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit
By Alice Walker
Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
By J. D. Salinger
Challenged for: sexual content, offensive language, unsuited to age group
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