Banned Books Week

Posted on

It’s Banned Books Week, September 18-24. The American Library Association tracked 729 challenges to library, school, and university materials and services in 2021. Of the 1,597 individual books that were challenged or banned in 2021, here are the top 10 most challenged:

 

  1. Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
    Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to have sexually explicit images.
    book | ebook (hoopla)
  2. Lawn Boyby Jonathan Evison
    Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to be sexually explicit.
    book | audiobook | ebook (Libby) | ebook (Axis360) | eaudiobook (Axis360)
  3. All Boys Aren’t Blueby George M. Johnson
    Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and profanity and because it was considered to be sexually explicit.
    book | ebook (Libby) | ebook (Axis360) | eaudiobook (Libby) | eaudiobook (Axis360)
  4. Out of Darknessby Ashley Hope Perez
    Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted for depictions of abuse and because it was considered to be sexually explicit.
    book | ebook (Libby) | ebook (Axis360) | eaudiobook (Libby) | eaudiobook (Axis360)
  5. The Hate U Giveby Angie Thomas
    Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity and violence and because it was thought to promote an anti-police message and indoctrination of a social agenda.
    book | ebook (Libby) | ebook (Axis360) | eaudiobook (Libby) | eaudiobook (Axis360)
  6. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indianby Sherman Alexie
    Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references, and use of a derogatory term.
    book | ebook (Libby) | eaudiobook (Libby)
  7. Me and Earl and the Dying Girlby Jesse Andrews
    Reasons: Banned and challenged because it was considered sexually explicit and degrading to women.
    book | ebook (Libby) | eaudiobook (Libby)
  8. The Bluest Eyeby Toni Morrison
    Reasons: Banned and challenged because it depicts child sexual abuse and was considered sexually explicit.
    book | ebook (Libby) | ebook (Axis360) | eaudiobook (Libby) | eaudiobook (Axis360)
  9. This Book is Gayby Juno Dawson
    Reasons: Banned, challenged, relocated, and restricted for providing sex education and LGBTQIA+ content.
    book | ebook (Libby) | eaudiobook (Libby) |
  10. Beyond Magentaby Susan Kuklin
    Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to be sexually explicit.
    book | ebook (Libby) | ebook (Axis360)