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Censorship has been all over the news lately, with multiple states proposing legislation to limit and ban books in schools and libraries (and even more challenges at smaller local levels). While this particular wave of challenges is larger and more notable than most, it’s far from the first. The American Library Association (ALA) has been cataloguing the 10 most challenged books in the United States (as determined by the Office for Intellectual Freedom) every year since 2001, with some data from 1990-2001 available as well (the most recent data available at the time of this article is for 2020).

The titles on these lists — and other titles currently being challenged — are often award winners and bestsellers that come highly recommended from reviewers, educators, and parents alike. So why are they being banned? People attempting to censor these titles will cite any number of reasons, but it’s worth noting that the vast majority of books being challenged are written by and about people from marginalized and discriminated-against communities.

We’ve compiled a list of some of the titles we see coming up time and again in the news these days. These are titles that readers — particularly young readers — can see themselves in, or see what others might experience in their world. One note: many people are (thankfully) buying these books (and often donating them to young readers who may not otherwise be able to access them), which has led to some stock issues. Any titles currently out of stock on this list should be available again in the near future; and while you’re waiting, there’s plenty of banned literature to go around.

On high school curriculums across America but banned in Russia, challenged in California, and banned by the Tennessee school board early this year (allegedly for profanity, violence, and depiction of nudity in cartoon mice), this classic historical fiction graphic novel about the Holocaust was first published in 1980 and has so far been the only graphic novel to win a Pulitzer Prize. Art Spiegelman renders Jewish people as mice, Germans as cats, Americans as dogs, and the British as fish in a charming yet devastating part-memoir that encompasses several genres. The depictions of animals as people lessens the intensity of this very dark time in human history.

Spiegelman never actually meant to write a book teaching the Holocaust to young adults but wanted to discover more about his family history, including chronicling history from his father, a Polish Jew and survivor, and discovering how some of his family members were killed in the Holocaust. What he accomplished is a powerful and emotional masterpiece beloved by many generations. If you’ve not read this true classic, now is the perfect time to celebrate the right to read. — Kim

Regularly banned and challenged since its 2015 release, this brilliant and important book about a transgender girl dealing with bullying and looking to play Charlotte in her school’s production of Charlotte’s Web has been the ALA’s most challenged title for three years running. While some attempts to censor the book directly cite the LGBTQIA+ content, others search for alternate justifications, be they vague handwavings of “community values” or specific callouts, like a throwaway mention in the book about the existence of pornographic magazines.

It’s worth noting that this title is being re-released this year with a new title: Melissa, the chosen name of its protagonist. On the subject, nonbinary author Alex Gino says: “The title of my book makes it seem as though it is ever okay to use an old name for a person when they have provided you with a different name that works better for them. I want to be clear — it isn’t.” — Madeline

One of Powell’s top-selling titles on sex education for children ages 7 and up and first published in 2015, Sex is a Funny Word is lauded for its inclusiveness of gender and sexual orientation with respectful, clear, and relatable messaging suitable for this age group. Cory Silverberg, a sex educator who develops and presents workshops addressing gender expression and identity, sexuality, and related topics, presents this comic-style “first sex-ed book” for kids and parents that also covers body acceptance, boundaries, and consent.

Late last year, due to complaints to the sheriff in Gillette, Wyoming, Campbell County prosecutors considered charges against library employees merely for stocking this title on their shelves, along with other sex education and LGBTQ-themed books. In October, the prosecutor for the case concluded there wasn’t evidence to charge these librarians and the case was thrown out. Gender, sexual orientation, and sexual education for the formative ages of 7 to 10 is extremely important and it’s unfortunate that those who disagree would consider charges against librarians for making this title available to families. — Kim

This brilliant collection of narrative nonfiction essays, self-described as “a memoir-manifesto” surrounding author/journalist George M. Johnson’s experiences growing up Black and queer, published in April 2020 to rave reviews. It’s back in the news now as the subject of attempted school book bans in 15+ states, with opponents of the book claiming its topics are too intense for teens. As Johnson eloquently stated in The Advocate, “If a topic that you deem as heavy can happen to a child, then it is not too heavy to discuss with that child.”

Johnson wrote this collection as a resource for queer youth — particularly Black queer youth — to know that they are not alone and their experiences are not solitary, citing the rates of suicide attempts among queer youth (the Trevor Project estimates that every 45 seconds in America, one or more LGBTQ youths aged 13–24 attempts suicide). This book and others like it are absolutely essential for helping queer teens find community and acceptance, and for teaching empathy to all young readers. — Madeline

If you or someone you know is in crisis, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in the US offers free, confidential help 24/7.

New Kid, the 2020 winner of the Newbery and Coretta Scott King awards, along with the sequel, Class Act, was pulled from Texas libraries in October of 2021 following a white parent claiming that Craft’s books promote Marxism and critical race theory — a theory Craft wasn’t even aware of as he was writing this semi-autobiographical graphic novel.

Craft wanted to write a story for Black kids that dealt with everyday life along with the microaggressions from those around him, not to mention the over-earnest teachers trying to “fix” everything, and not with the trauma of being a Black child in America. He achieves the concept brilliantly in this graphic novel for ages 8 and up. New Kid explores what it’s like to be sent to an elite private academy as one of the only kids of color in seventh grade, how to fit in and when not to try, while exploring race and class issues of everyday life. Jerry Craft’s books are an excellent addition to any graphic novel collection for children or adults. — Kim

Toni Morrison’s many honors include the Nobel Prize in Literature, the Pulitzer Prize, a Presidential Medal of Freedom, and a National Humanities Medal. She’s remembered for bringing Black experiences (particularly in regards to racism and intersectional feminism) to the forefront of American literature, both as an author and as an editor uplifting other Black authors. Accordingly, her books are often included on high school reading lists and AP tests. She is also one of the most banned authors in America. Her most frequently challenged titles are Beloved, about the grief and guilt that haunt escaped slave Sethe for the actions she took to prevent her children’s enslavement, and The Bluest Eye, set in 1941 and centering around protagonist Pecola’s experiences of racism, colorism, and childhood sexual abuse by her father.

This last point is the one most commonly given as the reason to ban The Bluest Eye, but its nuanced look at Pecola’s sense of self-worth as a Black woman cannot be discounted as the trigger for the pushback. To address the given complaint, it’s worth noting that The Bluest Eye was a landmark title in discussing the horrifying culture of victim blaming. Child sexual abuse is an awful reality, and banning books that discuss it in an effort to pretend it does not happen does nothing to help survivors or prevent future atrocities. — Madeline

First published in 2012, Drama by Raina Telgemeier was listed as one of the Washington Post’s best books that year and is the winner of several prestigious awards. Middle schooler Callie loves theater and when her school’s drama department announces they’re producing Moon over Mississippi for the school play, she’s thrilled to try out and ends up as set designer with little carpentry experience and a small budget.

Currently banned in Florida and Texas for two male characters sharing an innocent kiss at the onstage production, Drama has almost consistently received a spot on the American Library Association's Top Ten 10 List of Banned Books from 2014 to 2019, and ultimately became the seventh-most banned book between 2010 and 2019. Telgemeier is by far one of the bestselling graphic novel authors for the age group, along with her other wonderful titles, Sisters, Smile, Guts, and Ghosts. This collection of titles all connect with their audience with warmth, relatability, and importance for adolescent development. Drama is no exception, and we’re ever grateful for all of Telgemeier’s work in this genre. — Kim

You’ve probably heard the buzzwords “critical race theory” (CRT) being thrown around in a lot of education restrictions and bans (including New Kid above). A framework for looking at race and law in the United States, CRT centers around the intersectionality of race and other marginalized identities (gender, class, ability, etc.) and emphasizes critical thinking around racial inequalities in American society. CRT rose to prominence in the news cycle with the publication of the New York Times’ The 1619 Project, a long-form piece of journalism reexamining US history with a focus on the lasting legacy of slavery and the ways Black Americans have shaped and improved our nation.

In calls for banning or challenging books and curricula, CRT has become a shorthand for ideas that challenge our white-centered worldview. Since The 1619 Project sparked a lot of that discussion, I unfortunately expect to see more schools proposing bans on this book edition — as well as on the companion children’s book, The 1619 Project: Born on the Water, a moving and thought-provoking first look for all children at the continuing impact of slavery on Black Americans today. — Madeline

First published in 1980, and a finalist for the National Book Award, Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States has been assigned to many high schools and colleges throughout the nation as a critical text for students, and is celebrated as the only volume to tell America’s history from the point of view of women, workers, minorities, immigrants, and the working class. For many years, this title has been challenged, banned, and on conservative organizations’ “do not buy or read” lists in one way or another for telling the truth of this country’s formation.

In 2018, a defeated bill in Arkansas would’ve banned all of Zinn’s works published after 1959 in all publicly funded schools’ curriculum. In response to the bill, the Zinn Education Project sent 700 free copies of The People’s History of the United States to librarians and teachers across the state. The adult and young adult version, for ages 10 and up, of Howard Zinn’s comprehensive and complete work of US history is a must for every classroom, library, and home bookshelf. — Kim

Laurie Halse Anderson’s 1999 novel Speak centers around protagonist Melinda’s depression and silence after she is raped at a party just before her freshman year of high school. The book won a number of awards and honors, including the Golden Kite Award and a Printz Honor, and was a National Book Award Finalist. Generally regarded as a realistic and important portrayal of teen sexual violence, Speak has faced a great deal of censorship since its publication. The ALA says bans, challenges, and restrictions claimed it “contain[ed] a political viewpoint” and was “biased against male students,” and cited the novel’s “inclusion of rape and profanity.”

Now available as a graphic novel as well, Speak has long been a resource for important classroom conversations about assault and consent. As Anderson says in the 2006 edition, “Censoring books that deal with difficult, adolescent issues does not protect anybody. Quite the opposite. It leaves kids in the darkness and makes them vulnerable. Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance. Our children cannot afford to have the truth of the world withheld from them.” — Madeline

When I first saw this book in 2018, I was thrilled! An LGBTQ fairy tale romance in a picture book is not something I see every day, and presented with such a charming and sweet approach. Thanks to Daniel Haack and illustrator Stevie Lewis, we’ve consistently had this bestselling title on our shelves since 2018 and are thrilled to carry the board book version published in 2020.

In West Virginia in 2019, after a local church minister called Prince & Knight a “deliberate attempt to indoctrinate young children into the LBGTQA lifestyle,” the book was pulled from the West Virginia’s Upshur County public library. The Pastor declared that putting the book on library shelves was “an intentional leading of children to sin.” Please support LGBTQ+ picture books and consider buying this book or other wonderful titles (Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman, King & King by Linda De Haan, Maiden & Princess by Daniel Haack, and Julián is a Mermaid by Jessica Love, just to name a few) and keep demand in the book industry on this topic thriving to counteract those who wish to suppress it. — Kim

Published in 2017, The Hate U Give was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and tells a story that remains painfully and horrifyingly realistic: the aftermath of a police officer fatally shooting unarmed Black teen Khalil, told through the lens of his childhood best friend — and witness to the shooting — Starr. The Hate U Give was an instant bestseller, immediately garnered a place in the YA canon, received a bevy of awards (including the Printz, the Morris, and Carnegie and King honors), and also rocketed onto the list of most-banned books in America.

Some censorship attempts have claimed The Hate U Give to be anti-police, but like many titles on this list, opponents to the book have also gone looking for alternate reasons to challenge the book — likely to avoid appearing racist for suggesting the removal of one of the most lauded contemporary YA titles by a Black author. — Madeline

Rose goes to the small beach town of Awago every summer with her family and meets her friend Windy to enjoy the long summer — the sand, the shells, the ocean, and the people she connects with every year. This year, Rose observes her own feelings and the feelings of those around her, including family and friend dynamics and their emotional issues. Her parents aren’t getting along and the other teenagers Rose and Windy meet are transitioning to real adult problems.

Canadian cousins Jillian and Mariko Tamaki craft a gorgeous graphic novel, both narratively and artistically, which earned the Printz and Caldecott honor awards in 2015. Banned for its inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters, drug use, and profanity, This One Summer is beloved because it’s a true and genuine look at teenage life, presented honestly and profoundly. What better way for preteens and young adults to learn about older teen themes than in the quiet, controlled, and gentle form of a book, and who better to do this with than the Tamaki cousins. — Kim

Last year, Carnegie Medal-winner Jason Reynolds began a historic third term as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, continuing his excellent work sparking the imaginations of young people and encouraging them to share their stories. He was also the co-author of the second- and third-most challenged books in the ALA’s most recent report: the Walter Dean Myers Award-winning All American Boys, a work of young adult fiction co-written with Brendan Kiely; and Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You, his young readers’ adaptation of Ibram X. Kendi’s National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning.

In all its versions, Stamped is a history of racist ideology, particularly anti-Black racism, in America. It’s upsettingly unsurprising that, like most any book that teaches its readers to combat racism, it has faced a great deal of censorship. Reynolds’ excellent young readers’ edition is particularly geared towards teaching young adults how to recognize and discredit racist ideology, and is well suited for individuals, book clubs, and classrooms alike. — Madeline