Legally Speaking
This amendment protects the freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.
The First Amendment
Most censorship attempts in 2023 took place in this institution.
Public libraries (54%)
This book, which is about book burning and censorship, has been banned/challenged multiple times.
Fahrenheit 451
This classic tale of friendship between a spider and a pig has been deemed "blasphemous" for its talking animals.
Charlotte's Web
These two teenagers find love, but we librarians found backlash when we featured them on our instagram. Season 3 comes out next week!
Heartstopper
This is the suppression or prohibition of any parts of books, film, news, etc. that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security.
Censorship
This group of people were most likely to initiate a challenge in 2023.
Patrons (28%)
Parents (24%)
Pressure groups (21%)
This book about Black, female mathematicians was banned/challenged for promoting "Marxist, critical race theory."
Hidden Figures
This beloved bear has found himself at #22 on the ALA's 100 Most Banned Classics list. Oh, bother.
Winnie the Pooh
Writing letters and not sending them is fine but our protagonist should have put a lock on that hatbox in this book.
To All The Boys I've Loved Before
True or False: If you don't want a book in the library, you can just vandalize it or check it out and not return it.
False. This is government property and we will bother you until you return or pay for the item(s).
1,247 censorship attempts were tracked in 2023, 76% of which targeted this main part of a library.
Books and graphic novels
They Called Themselves the KKK: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group
This picture book based on a true story features two male penguins taking care of an orphaned egg.
And Tango Makes Three
Tied for 7th place on the ALA's Top 10 this year, here's yet another book about a teenager with leukemia.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
This process involves speaking to librarians and filling out a request for reconsideration form.
Challenge
4,240 unique book titles were targeted for censorship in 2023, 47% of which contained titles that represent the voices and lives of these groups of people.
LGBTQ+ and BIPOC
This short memoir was banned/challenged for being "too explicit about the Holocaust."
Night
They may not be real animals but this book and its creatures were deemed "too scary" for some.
Where The Wild Things Are
This book was first published in 1999 and has a movie starring Emma Watson, but it's not Harry Potter.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
True or False: You will be forced to read books you don't like and there's nothing you can do about it.
Trick question! Yes and no. There are always going to be instances in life in which you are uncomfortable. This is part of growing up. When it comes to books, it's up to you if you want to continue reading or not.
True or False: the people we vote for impact the decisions made about libraries and the right to read.
True. Legislation all over the country have introduced bills that limit citizens' rights to read or even access libraries.
Based on the author's life, this graphic novel was challenged for "promoting critical race theory."
New Kid
This graphic memoir about surviving the Holocaust features only mice and cats, but was considered "sexually explicit."
Maus
This story about an overweight teenager competing in a beauty pagent was deemed "inappropriate."
Dumplin'