Book censorship has a long history in the United States; from Congress and school boards to local libraries, officials have found the content of certain books to be offensive in some way, shape or form and have limited the public’s consumption of these novels. Chances are, some of the most frequently-banned books were required reading in high school, and others are just so notorious that I can bet you’ve picked them up once or twice. Every year, the American Library Association publishes a list of the top 10 censored books of the year. How many of these banned novels have you or will you read?
Asher’s YA novel, though published over a decade ago, probably hopped into this year’s banned list because of Netflix’s series adapting the story. It’s been banned for its storyline regarding a high schooler’s suicide.
Though this novel won the National Book Award, it’s been frequently challenged since its publication for profanity and its “sexually-explicit” content.
School libraries banned this graphic novel for “confusing” storylines following LGBTQ characters.
“The Kite Runner” continues to show up on banned lists even after being adapted into an Oscar-nominated film for its storyline about the fall of Afghanistan’s monarchy and the rise of the Taliban.
Banned for including a transgender character, “George,” written for elementary-aged children, won the Lambda Literary Award.
Believe it or not, this is a children’s book written by a certified sex educator, banned because people don’t think children should be thinking about sex.
I think we can all agree that Lee’s iconic novel about Atticus Finch’s defense of an African-American man in the the 1930s can stop being put on the banned books list.
The movie based on this novel, starring Amandla Stenberg, is set to be released on Oct. 5 and follows a young girl whose friend is killed by police officers. It’s been banned for drug use and profanity, among other issues that fall under vulgarity.
This children’s book features two male penguins starting a family together. It's been banned simply for displaying a same-sex relationship.
Jazz Jennings, a transgender teenager, co-wrote this autobiographical book when she was 13 years old; she now has a show on TLC documenting her life. The book was banned for addressing gender identity.