Banned Books
The June 1929 edition of Scribner’s Magazine, which published the book, was banned in Boston, MA. Read more
In 1985 this book was challenged at a WI elementary school for encourag[ing] children to break dishes so they won’t have to dry them. Read more
In 2010, this book was removed from the Pelham, MA school district’s suggested reading list. Read more
Months after the book’s release, it was banned by librarians in Concord, MA for being not suitable for trash. Read more
Gloria Steinem urged people to boycott this book. Years later, her step-son Christian Bale starred in the movie adaptation of the book. Read more
In 2009, a middle school in WI required students get written permission from their parents to read this book. Read more
In 1987, 44 students and teachers sued the Bay County School Board for banning 64 books, including Animal Farm. The ban was subsequently lifted. Read more
Blume once said, “Having the freedom to read and the freedom to choose is one of the best gifts my parents ever gave me.” Read more
Graves County School District in Mayfield, KY lifted the ban on this book after one week due to pressure from the ACLU. Read more
In response to learning about calls for the series to be banned, Smith said, “The point is that they are trying to take away someone else’s ability to choose what they want to read, and you can’t do that.” Read more
Parents in Corona-Norco, CA attempted to get this book banned because it centered around negative activity. Read more
In 2005, AL Rep. Gerald Allen proposed legislation that would have banned the use of public funds to purchase books such as this one that recognize or promote homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle. Read more
In 1974, a WI school district official justified a ban on this book by saying, If there’s a possibility that something might be controversial, then why not eliminate it. Read more
According to the ALA, this was the most challenged book in 2013 and 2012. It also appears on their top 10 lists for 2002, 2004, and 2005. Read more
In response to his books being banned in 1992, King told kids to “hustle down to your public library, where these frightened people’s reach must fall short in a democracy, or to your local bookstore, and get a copy of what has been banned. Read it carefully and discover what it is your elders don’t... Read more Read more
In Minarcini v. Strongsville City School District (1976) a US district court overruled a school boards decision to remove this book from school libraries. Read more
In 1992, a middle school in Irvine, CA only provided a version of this book which redacted words such as hell and damn. Read more
In 2013, this book was removed from a Kathy, TX School District’s required reading list after parent complaints. Read more
In 1981, this book was banned from an AK high school because it described the sex act in explicit four-letter terms. Read more
This book was challenged in Prince William County, VA in 1988 and Hudson Falls, NY in 1994. Read more
In response to calls for this series to be banned Stine said, “It is a badge of honor to have people try to ban your books from schools and school libraries, only because it means your books have become popular and are being noticed. Unpopular books seldom get banned.” Read more
According to Newman, the book was banned, burned, and defecated on by library patrons in Ohio. Read more
In response to the ALA listing his series as the second most challenged book in, 2008 Pullman said he was very glad to be back in the top 10 banned books. Read more
In 1957, US Customs seized 520 copies of this book. Later that same year, this book was declared not obscene in a court decision. Read more
In response to her books being banned, Angelou once said, “Many times I’ve been called the most banned. And many times my books are banned by people who never read two sentences.” Read more
In 2012, parents in CA unsuccessfully attempted to bar a teacher from assigning this book. Read more
In 1986, a WI town banned this book because religious groups thought a scene featuring a spider licking her lips could be taken in two ways, including sexual. Read more
Park once said, “The first negative letter was from a grandmother in Minnesota who was annoyed that Junie B. had acted out and that she wasn’t using the Queen’s English.” Read more
The Yale University president in 1870 equated Whitman’s writing of this poem to walking naked through the streets. Read more
According to the ALA, this book was the most challenged book in 2012. It also appears on their top 10 lists for 2013 and 2016. Read more
In 1981, the book was challenged in NC because it implies man is little more than an animal. Read more
In 1966, the State Supreme Court of MA reversed a Superior Court decision which found this book obscene. Read more
In 1981, this book was challenged in Jackson County, FL for being pro-communist ironically. Read more
In 1989, those who challenged the book in Chattanooga, TN cited Steinbeck’s anti-business attitude and questionable patriotism. Read more
In 1978, the book was banned from an ID high school and a teacher was fired for assigning it. Read more
The uncensored version of this book was published for the first time by Harvard University Press in 2011. Read more
In 1976, high school students in Aroostook County, ME had to receive parental permission to borrow this book from school libraries. Read more
In 2013, due to a misinterpretation of Apple’s policy on part of the comic book subscription service ComiXology, the 12th book of this series was temporarily unavailable in the Apple App Store due to sexual content. Read more
According to the ALA, this book was the most challenged book in the 1990s and the 7th most challenged of the 2000s. Read more
In 2009, a high school in Shelby, MI lifted its ban on this book, but for it to be assigned parents had to be informed in writing and in person about the book’s content. Read more
In 2002, calls for this book’s censorship due to sexual content failed at CA’s La Mirada High School. Read more
According to the ALA, this book was the most challenged book in 2014. It also appears on their top 10 lists from 2010 to 2013. Read more
In 2000, Powell called for his book to no longer be published, but did not hold the copyright needed to stop its publication. Read more
In 1994, a Jacksonville, FL library required permission slips for teens who wanted to check this book out. Read more
In 1963, this book was challenged by parents in Columbus, Ohio for being anti-white and obscene. Read more
According to the ALA, this book was the 3rd most challenged book of the 1990s and 4th most challenged in the 2000s. Read more
According to the ALA, this book was the 17th most challenged book in both the 1990s and 2000s. Read more
In 2009, this book was banned from a Panama City, FL school library due to the soldiers’ use of profanity. Read more
In 2012, parents in Guilford County, NC tried to have this book banned because it denigrate[s] Christianity. Read more
In 1986, this book was challenged in Milwaukee, WI partially because virtually all the characters are from broken homes. Read more
Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for the death of Rushdie for publishing this book. Read more
In 1930, this book was banned in Boston, MA. In 1960, it was banned in Riverside and San Jose, CA. Read more
This book was challenged in a TX school district in 2016 for being complete garbage trash. Read more
A 1997 challenge based on the book’s sexual content failed at Brentsville, VA’s Stonewall Jackson High School. Read more
After the release of the Netflix show based off this book and 7 teen suicides, it was temporarily pulled from a CO school district’s libraries. Read more
In 1977, this book was temporarily banned in Eden Vally, MN for profanity such as damn and whore lady. Read more
This book was banned by US Customs in 1934. In Grove Press v. Gerstein (1964) the Supreme Court of the US found that the book was not obscene. Read more
When asked about those who want to ban her books Myracle once said, “They want to keep their kids safe. But parents aren’t always realistic. One said to me, ‘I can’t believe you introduced my 13-year-old daughter to thong underwear.’ I’m pretty sure she knows about them already.” Read more
This book was burned throughout the south after its release due to its abolitionist message. Read more
A Long Island school in the 1990s banned this book due to an illustration of a woman sunbathing topless. Read more
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