Banned Books Week is October 1 – October 7 this year. Books are banned, removed, and restricted in libraries and schools because of their content, ideas, or themes. The goal of Banned Books Week is to draw attention and bring awareness to the harms of censorship. It also highlights the value of free and open access to information. Recently, more and more books have been banned. In 2020, 223 unique titles were challenged. In 2021, that number jumped to 1,858. In 2022, there were 1,269 demands to censor 2,571 different books and resources. Books are often banned because of offensive language, sexually explicit material, violence, religious or political views, and controversial themes like racism, LGBTQIA+ issues, and mental health. Specifically in Ohio, there were 34 attempts to restrict access to 79 unique titles. The most challenged book was It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris.
Support local libraries by checking out a challenged book!
Top 13 Most Challenged Books of 2022
- Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
- Number of challenges: 151
- Challenged for: LQBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit
- All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
- Number of challenges: 86
- Challenged for: LQBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit
- The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
- Number of challenges: 62
- Challenged for: LQBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit
- Flamer by Michael Curato
- Number of challenges: 62
- Challenged for: LQBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit
- Looking for Alaska by John Green
- Number of challenges: 55
- Challenged for: LQBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
- Number of challenges: 55
- Challenged for: depiction of sexual abuse, LGBTQIA+ content, drug use, profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit
- Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison
- Number of challenges: 55
- Challenged for: LQBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit
- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
- Number of challenges: 52
- Challenged for: profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit
- Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez
- Number of challenges: 50
- Challenged for: depiction of abuse, claimed to be sexually explicit
- A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
- Number of challenges: 48
- Challenged for: claimed to be sexually explicit
- Crank by Ellen Hopkins
- Number of challenges: 48
- Challenged for: drug use, claimed to be sexually explicit
- Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
- Number of challenges: 48
- Challenged for: profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit
- This Book is Gay
- Number of challenges: 48
- Challenged for: LQBTQIA+ content, providing sexual education, claimed to be sexually explicit
For more information on banned and challenged books check out the following websites:
Top 13 Most Challenged Books of 2022 | Advocacy, Legislation & Issues (ala.org)Censorship by the Numbers | Advocacy, Legislation & Issues (ala.org)
Banned Books Week (October 1 – 7, 2023) | Advocacy, Legislation & Issues (ala.org)
Author: Nicole Contenza, Class of 2025 and Reference Student Assistant