Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week (September 22-28, 2019) is an annual event that celebrates the freedom to read and calls attention to the attempts made to remove or restrict books in libraries, schools, and universities. In 2018 the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) reported 483 books that were challenged or banned in the United States. Listed below are this year’s Top 11 Most Challenged Books* along with links to the stories of the censorship they faced.

#1. George by Alex Gino

• 2 Oregon School Districts Leave Reading Competition Over Trans Character
• Author Donates Copies of Book After Wichita District Declines to Shelve It

#2. A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss

• John Oliver’s Bunny Book Triggers Teacher Investigation

#3. Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey

• ‘Captain Underpants’ banned from school book fair over gay character

#4. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

• Charleston-area police protest ‘The Hate U Give’ school assignment
• ‘The Hate U Give’ Returns to H.S. Shelves in Katy, TX

#5. Drama by Raina Telgemeier

• Drama Banned Again in Texas, ACLU Report Shows

#6. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

• Banned Spotlight: Thirteen Reasons Why

#7. This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki

• “This One Summer” Restored to Henning, MN, School District Library, with Restrictions

#8. Skippyjon Jones series by Judy Schachner

• Beyond Mirrors and Windows: A Critical Content Analysis of
  Latinx Children’s Books

#9. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

• Banned Spotlight: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

#10. and #11. This Day in June and Two Boys Kissing

• Community Rallies Around Iowa Library After Man Burns LGBTQ Books
• Religious activist convicted for burning LGBTQ library books

“Traditionally the ALA releases a Top Ten List within the State of America’s Libraries Report each April. This year 11 books were selected, since two titles were tied for the final position on the list, and both books were burned by a religious activist to protest a Pride event” (American Library Association).