From the ALA -- Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in libraries, bookstores, and schools. By focusing on efforts to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship. Typically (but not always) held during the last week of September, the annual event highlights the value of free and open access to information and brings together the entire book community — librarians, educators, authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas.
In a time of intense political polarization, library staff in every state are facing an unprecedented number of attempts to ban books. ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom documented 1,247 demands to censor library books and resources in 2023. The number of titles targeted for censorship surged 65% in 2023 compared to 2022, reaching the highest levels ever documented by OIF in more than 20 years of tracking: 4,240 unique book titles were targeted for removal from schools and libraries. This tops the previous high from 2022, when 2,571 unique titles were targeted for censorship. Titles representing the voices and lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals made up 47% of those targeted in censorship attempts.
Challenged For: Depictions of abuse, claimed to be sexually explicit.
#9 Challenged Book '22
Challenged For: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit.
Challenged For: Author’s public statements, claims of Marxist ideologies, anti-American viewpoints, and promotion of Critical Race Theory.
Challenged For: Profanity, drug use, claimed to promote anti-police views.
Challenged For: Sexual violence, profanity, viewpoints thought to create negative bias towards male students.
Challenged For: Sexual themes and references, claimed to be explicit.
Challenged For: LGBTQIA+ content, drug use, explicit language, graphic depiction of domestic and sexual violence.
Challenged For: Graphic sexual content, claimed to be explicit.
#10 (tie) Challenged Book '22
Challenged For: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit.
#2 Challenged Book '22
Challenged For: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit.
Challenged For: Profanity, underage drinking/drug use, themes of domestic violence and abuse.
Challenged For: Offensive language and reference to sexual assault.
Challenged For: Profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit.
#10 (tie) Challenged Book '22
Challenged For: LGBTQIA+ content, providing sexual education, claimed to be sexually explicit.
#10 (tie) Challenged Book '22
Challenged For: LGBTQIA+ content, violence, substance use, claimed to be sexually explicit.
Challenged For: Offensive language, violence, sexual and racial themes claimed to be too mature for suggested reading age.
Challenged For: Offensive language, sexual violence, claimed to promote Islam and terrorism.
Challenged For: Violence, religious viewpoints, and claimed to be sexually explicit.
Challenged For: Depiction of sexual abuse, EDI content, claimed to be sexually explicit.
#3 Challenged Book '22
Challenged For: Violence and imagery claimed to be sexually explicit.
Challenged For: Offensive language, claimed to be sexually explicit.
Challenged For: LGBTQIA+ content, sexual references; claimed to conflict with a religious viewpoints and traditional family structure.
Challenged For: Profanity, sexual violence, themes claimed to be anti-Christian.
Challenged For: Offensive language, drug use, views claimed to be anti-police.
Challenged For: Violence, offensive language, themes claimed to be unethical.
Challenged For: Profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit.
#8 Challenged Book '22
Challenged For: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit.
#5 (tie) Challenged Book '22
Challenged For: Depiction of sexual abuse, LGBTQIA+ content, drug use, profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit.
#5 (tie) Challenged Book '22
Challenged For: Gambling, offensive language, political viewpoints, depictions of violence.
Challenged For: LGBTQIA+ content, drug use, profanity, and sexual references.
Challenged For: Offensive language, racism, and reference to sexual violence.
Challenged For: LGBTQIA+ content, imagery claimed to be sexually explicit.
#1 Challenged Book '22
