Intellectual Freedom/Censorship
In the 1982, Banned Book Week is promoted nationally to emphasize people’s right to do this.
B. Freedom to Choose What to Read
Her famous book, Are you there God, it's me Margaret, has made her the most banned book author in schools.
Judy Blume.
Just a few of Judy Blume’s other challenged books include Forever, Blubber, and Then Again…Maybe I Won’t
Banned mostly for it's focus on witchcraft and wizardry, this book has gone on to have 16 books and 11 movies.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
In 2010, this book, about two male penguins taking care of an egg until it hatches, received more requests for removal than any other book.
And Tango Makes Three
This TRUE story of two male penguins in the Central Park Zoo has topped the list of most challenged books more than once. The book is recommended for pre-schoolers to age 7.
In the U.S., this protects our freedom of speech and of the press. This means that the government cannot decide that there are certain books that are illegal to read.
The First Amendment (to the Constitution)
With his books "Where the Sidewalk Ends", 'A Light in the Attic', and 'The Giving Tree", this author knows a lot about banned books.
Shel Silverstein
This children’s book was challenged because it contains a few swear words. In it the parents of the main character are killed and he is sent to live with his two evil aunts. He meets life size insects and they go on adventures together.
James and The Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
This banned book is often quoted as being the number one bestseller.
The Bible
It has been banned many, many times over the centuries.
In 2020, 646 of these were challenged, but school officials refused to remove them.
Books
This famous American author wrote two related books about the adventures of two young boys. Despite being classics, both books have been banned in some schools. At first they were banned for being too “racially tolerant.” Today they are considered “too racist.”
Mark Twain.
The books are The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer.
The hero of this series by Dav Pilkey, which has been challenged for its “anti-family content?" Wicked Wedgie Woman -- Deputy Doo-Doo -- Bionic Booger Boy --
Captain Underpants --
Pilkey, who was diagnosed with learning disabilities as a child and had a hard time reading, designed the books to draw the attention of kids who may not like to read.
Banned in the USSR for being anti-communist and in the USA for being communist, this book has talking animals.
Animal Farm by George Orwell
This is the reason that most books are challenged.
Sexually Explicit M aterial - This includes having a character who is, or information about being about being LGBTQ
This autobiography about a young girl who hides from the Nazis, but eventually ends up dying in a concentration camp was banned for being
"too depressing"
The Diary of Anne Frank
This Dr Seuss book was banned because it was unkind to people in the logging industry.
The Lorax.
The main character of this often challenged and banned classic book is a teenager. He mourns the loss of his younger brother, hangs out with his younger sister, and in the end ends up in an institution.
Catcher in the Rye
swearing, adult themes
This is the place where most book challenges occur.
school classrooms.
followed closely by school libraries and then by public libraries. 1990-2010: School classes – 4,048, School libraries – 3,659, Public libraries – 2,679. Source: American Library Association
Harper Lee won the Pulitzer prize in 1961 for this novel, but it still got banned.
To Kill A Mockingbird.
She never wrote another novel.
This Shakespeare play was banned by some schools because it contains a girl dressing as a boy.
Twelfth Night.
Talk about irony!
This book about censorship and book burning was most often challenged in the 1950s, but still is today.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury