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Reading Central : Banned Books and Censorship

This page contains links to reading activities, resources and links. Fun and Frivolous or serious, searching, and smart.

 

Banned Book Introduction and the Top 10 Most Challenged Books

Books unite us. Sharing stories important to us means sharing a part of ourselves. Books reach across boundaries and build connections between readers. Reading—especially books that extend beyond our own experiences—expands our worldview. Censorship, on the other hand, divides us and creates barriers.

  • Raise awareness of the Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2020 this National Library Week (April 4-10, 2021) with the below graphics and activities.
  • Gear up for Banned Books Week (September 26 - October 2, 2021)

About Book Bans and Challenges

Books are still being banned and challenged today. A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials.

While books have been and continue to be banned, part of the Banned Books Week celebration is the fact that, in a majority of cases, the books have remained available. This happens only thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, students, and community members who stand up and speak out for the freedom to read.

Challenge Yourself

How well do you know your banned books?  In honor of Banned Book Week 2019 New York Public Library presented this Banned Book Quiz.

Home - New York Public Library - LibGuides at New York Institute of  Technology

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Banned Books Week 2020 Trivia - FIRE

https://www.thefire.org › special-collections › banned-b...

 

Test your knowledge of banned and challenged books! Every book mentioned in this quiz has at some point made the American Library Association's yearly list .

15 trivia questions for Banned Books Week

by Abra Cole of the Spokane Valley Library

 

 

Banned Book Breakout 

 

Try out this Digital Banned Book Breakout from Chapin Library

Celebrate Banned Book Week - Stanislaus Library

Digital Escapes from Stanislaus Library

Banned Book Week

Hand holding a megaphone

Find out more about the history of banned books, current events, and how you can fight against censorship at ALA's Banned Book Week page.

History

The following is from the American Libraries Magazine article 50 Years of Intellectual Freedom, written by OIF staff celebrating the office’s anniversary.

Banned Books Week was launched in the 1980s, a time of increased challenges, organized protests, and the Island Trees School District v. Pico (1982) Supreme Court case, which ruled that school officials can’t ban books in libraries simply because of their content.

Banned books were showcased at the 1982 American Booksellers Association (ABA) BookExpo America trade show in Anaheim, California. At the entrance to the convention center towered large, padlocked metal cages, with some 500 challenged books stacked inside and a large overhead sign cautioning that some people considered these books are dangerous.

Censorship by the Numbers. Image showing an assortment of visual representations for book ban data for 2023 and the Banned Books Week 2024 theme (Freed Between the Lines). In 2023, the American Library Association documented the highest number of titles targeted for censorship since ALA began compiling data more than 20 years ago. 4,240 unique titles were challenged last year, up from 2,571 targeted in 2022. Learn more at ala.org/bbooks.

Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2023

Find more shareable statistics on the Free Downloads webpage.

The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 156 challenges to library, school, and university materials and services in 2020. Of the 273 books that were targeted, here are the most challenged, along with the reasons cited for censoring the books:

TOP 10 MOST CHALLENGED BOOKS OF 2023. FREED BETWEEN THE LINES

1. Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

Number of challenges: 106 ; Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit

2. All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson

Number of challenges: 82 ; Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit

3. This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson

Number of challenges: 71 ; Challenged for: depiction of sexual abuse, EDI content, claimed to be sexually explicit

4. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Number of challenges: 68 ; Challenged for: depiction of sexual abuse, LGBTQIA+ content, drug use, profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit

 

5. Flamer by Mike Curato

Number of challenges: 67 ; Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit

6. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Number of challenges: 62 ; Challenged for: depiction of sexual abuse, EDI content, claimed to be sexually explicit

7/8 (tie) Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Number of challenges: 56 ; Challenged for: profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit

7/8 (tie) Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

Number of challenges: 56 ; Challenged for: claimed to be sexually explicit, drugs, rape, LGBTQIA+ content

9. Let's Talk About it: The Teen's Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan

Number of challenges: 55 ; Challenged for: claimed to be sexually explicit, sex education, GBTQI!+ content

10.  Sold by Patricia McCormick

Number of challenges: 53 ; Challenged for: claimed to be sexually explicit, rape

Banned Book Week Themes

Each year there is an unique Banned Book Week theme: 

2024: The theme for Banned Books Week 2024 is "Freed Between the Lines".  This is a dangerous time for readers and the public servants who provide access to reading materials.  Readers, particularly students, are losing access to critical information, and librarians and teacher sare under attack for doing their jobs."

Banned books week, September 22-28, 2024 Freed Betweek the Lines logo

2023: The theme for Banned Books Week 2023 is "Let Freedom Read." When we ban books, we're closing off readers to people, places, and perspectives. 

“This is a dangerous time for readers and the public servants who provide access to reading materials. Readers, particularly students, are losing access to critical information, and librarians and teachers are under attack for doing their jobs.”
- Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom 

2022: This year's Banned Books Week, the ALA's annual celebration of the freedom to read, is set to run from September 18-24 under the theme "Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us."

On Eve of Banned Books Week 2022, ALA Says Challenges Are Rising

2021: "Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us."

Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us 2021 ALA Logo

2020: CENSORSHIP IS A DEAD END. FIND YOUR FREEDOM TO READ DURING BANNED BOOKS WEEK:

censorship is a dead end. find your freedom to read during banned books week logo

2019: Censorship Leaves us in the Dark. Keep the LIght On.

censorship leaves us in the dark. keep the light on logo

2018: Banning Books Silences Stories. Speak Out!

banning books silences stories. speak out logo

2017: Words Have Power. Read a Banned Book

words have power read a banned book logo

Check out these Websites for More About Banned Books

 

Banned Books Week

This site offers resources for celebrating Banned Books Week. Included are Banned Books Week news, events and materials.

Banned Books Online

The Online Books Page presents a brief look at book banning with links to online texts of books banned by legal authorities and schools.

National Coalition Against Censorship

The National Coalition Against Censorship, an alliance of fifty-two participating organizations, is dedicated to protecting free expression and access to information.

NCTE Intellectual Freedom Center

NCTE offers advice, helpful documents, and other support at no cost to teachers faced with challenges to literary works, films and videos, drama productions, or teaching methods.