Though the practice of banning books is becoming less prominent, there are still a number of books from all different genres that continue to get censored.
The PEN Ten: Banned Books Edition with Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson – PEN America
There are various reasons as to why each book is banned, but regardless, it seems to intrigue readers and prompt many to grab a copy.
Join the Fight and Read a Banned Book! – Library News (missouri.edu)
In fact, it can even inspire those less inclined to read to scour the pages to see what all the fuss is about.
It’s quite fascinating to look at all the reasons why certain books got banned.
Ever wonder why instant classics like Catcher in the Rye become repeat offenders?
The Catcher in the Rye – J. D. Salinger – Anna’s Archive (annas-archive.org)
This visual on banned books from Invaluable gathers data from the American Library Association to show all the reasons why your favorites may have gotten the boot.
15 Banned Books and the Reasons for Their Censorship – Invaluable
Many fall into the categories of:
- offensive language
- unsuitable content
- anti-religious sentiment
It’s super interesting seeing which authors and genres top the list.
Before a book is banned, it must first be challenged.
This is when someone raises objections about the book & attempts to have it removed.
According to the American Library Association, only 10% of the books that are challenged are actually banned.
Top Reasons Books are Banned in Schools
- Sexual Content
- Offensive Language
- Unsuitable for Age Group
The vast majorities of these challenges are issued by parents.
The Zombie-Like Lives of Sheeple from Birth to Death – Library of Rickandria
Nearly half of all challenges are in a public or school library.
The Controlled Global Education – Library of Rickandria
Who Gets Challenged the Most?
Since the American Library Association began in 1990, the following authors have had the most books challenged or banned.
Toni Morrison:
Stephen King:
[Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. Called the “King of Horror”, his books have sold more than 350 million copies as of 2006, and many have been adapted into films, television series, miniseries, and comic books. He has also written approximately 200 short stories, most of which have been published in book collections. His debut, Carrie, was published in 1974, and was followed by ‘Salem’s Lot, The Shining, The Stand and The Dead Zone. Different Seasons, a collection of four novellas, was his first major departure from the horror genre. The novellas provided the basis for the films Stand by Me, The Shawshank Redemption and Apt Pupil. Among the films adapted from King’s novels are Carrie, Christine, The Shining, The Dead Zone, Misery, Dolores Claiborne, The Green Mile and It. He has published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman and has co-written works with other authors, notably his friend Peter Straub and sons Joe Hill and Owen King. He has also written nonfiction, notably On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft.]
Cujo
Carrie
The Dead Zone
Christine
Judy Blume:
Top 10 Banned Books by Genre
Children’s
Children’s picture or chapter books are often banned for sexual content or offensive language:
In the Night Kitchen
by Maurice Sendak:
[Maurice Bernard Sendak (/ˈsɛndæk/; June 10, 1928 – May 8, 2012) was an American author and illustrator of children’s books. He became most widely known for his book Where the Wild Things Are, first published in 1963. Born to Polish-Jewish parents, his childhood was affected by the death of many of his family members during the Holocaust. Sendak also wrote works such as In the Night Kitchen, Outside Over There, and illustrated many works by other authors including the Little Bear books by Else Holmelund Minarik.]
Censored for:
- nudity
- offensive language
The illustration of a nude toddler, swimming in milk, upset some parents.
Bridge to Terabithia
by Katherine Paterson:
Censored for:
Schools banned this for swear words & witchcraft.
And Tango Makes Three
by Justin Richardson:
Censored for:
- unsuited for age group
- LGBTQ content
- religious viewpoint
This book about 2 male penguins raising a baby, is based on a true story.
Young-Adult:
YA literature is typically banned for being unsuited for the age group.
Often this means discussions of sexuality or use of expletives.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
by Stephen Chbosky:
Censored for:
- Sexual content, drugs & alcohol
- Unsuited for age group
This book has ranked in the top 10 banned books, seven times.
Lucky Number Seven – Library of Rickandria
Looking for Alaska
by John Green:
Censored for:
- Offensive language
- Sexual content
- Unsuited for age group
A Kentucky resident complained that the book used a swear word, 27 times.
The Chocolate War
by Robert Cormier:
[Robert Edmund Cormier (January 17, 1925 – November 2, 2000) was an American writer and journalist, known for his deeply pessimistic novels, many of which were written for young adults. Recurring themes include abuse, mental illness, violence, revenge, betrayal, and conspiracy. In most of his novels, the protagonists do not win. Cormier’s more popular works include I Am the Cheese, After the First Death, We All Fall Down, and The Chocolate War, all of which have won awards. The Chocolate War has been challenged in multiple libraries.]
Censored for:
- Offensive language
- Sexual content
- Unsuited for age group
- Violence
Once school said this book would be rated R, if it were a movie.
Fantasy:
Fantasy books are often banned for representation of magic, because witchcraft goes against many religious texts.
Harry Potter
by J. K. Rowling:
[Joanne Rowling CH OBE FRSL (/ˈroʊlɪŋ/ “rolling”;[1] born 31 July 1965), better known by her pen name J. K. Rowling, is a British author and philanthropist. She wrote Harry Potter, a seven-volume fantasy series published from 1997 to 2007. The series has sold over 600 million copies, been translated into 84 languages, and spawned a global media franchise including films and video games. The Casual Vacancy (2012) was her first novel for adults. She writes Cormoran Strike, an ongoing crime fiction series, under the alias Robert Galbraith.]
Censored for:
Christian Schools banned this for witchcraft & sorcery.
Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland
by Lewis Carroll:
Censored for:
- Drugs
- Alcohol
A hookah & a mind altering mushroom were cause for outrage in the 1960’s.
The Golden Compass
by Philip Pullman:
Censored for:
- Occult
- Satanism
The negative portrayal of the Church made Catholics believe it was anti-religious.
Science Fiction:
Science fiction is rarely banned for occult reasons, though it is often banned for religious viewpoints.
Sexual content is one of the top reasons for banning.
Brave New World
by Aldous Huxley:
Censored for:
- Offensive languages
- Sexual content
- anti-family
FAMILY – Library of Rickandria
This sci-fi novel continues to be banned & challenged after 80 years.
The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins:
Censored for:
- religious viewpoint
- unsuited for age group
- anti-family
This book was singled out as religious, yet no religion is mentioned.
Jennifer Lawrence on ‘trauma’ of having her nude photos leaked (yahoo.com)
New, illustrated edition of ‘Hunger Games’ to come out Oct. 1 | AP News
Scholastic to Publish Illustrated Edition of Suzanne Collins’ Worldwide Bestseller The Hunger Games | Scholastic Media Room
Slaughterhouse-Five
by Kurt Vonnegut:
Censored for:
- Violence
- Offensive language
- Sexual content
The phrase “magic fingers” was listed as a reason to ban this novel.
Sexual Energy – Library of Rickandria
Literary Classics:
Literary classics have been banned for every reason & are therefore hard to generalize into one specific pattern.
As the world evolves, so do the reasons for banning many of these classics.
Catcher in the Rye
by J. D. Salinger:
Censored for:
- offensive language
- sexual content
- unsuitable content
One school banned the book to avoid “polarization.”
Of Mice & Men
by John Steinbeck
Censored for:
- Offensive language
- Racism
- Violence
This book was challenged in one school for its “depressing themes”.
Is Depression Actually Good for You? – Library of Rickandria
Ulysses
by James Joyce:
Censored for:
sexual content.
The U.S. & England both banned & burned this book in the early 1900’s.
- A Brief History of Book Burning, From the Printing Press to Internet Archives | History| Smithsonian Magazine
- List of book-burning incidents – Wikipedia
- Burning the Books: A History of the Deliberate Destruction of Knowledge, reviewed. (slate.com)
- Book Burning: From the Past to the Present | Art&Seek | Arts, Music, Culture for North Texas (artandseek.org)
- The History of Book Banning – The Independent (gbsindependent.org)
- Brief History: Book Burnings – TIME
This data was collected by compiling & sorting ALA’s records from 1990 to 2016.
Data before this time is limited to classics, with no lists regarding frequently challenged books or authors.
All top books & authors are by no means the only top books or authors per genre, but notable works, frequently banned throughout history.
A Study of History by Miles Mathis – Library of Rickandria
LINKS:
Banned Books Week 2020 | Lake Forest Library
The 50 Most Banned Books in America 2024: How Many Have You Read? (rd.com)
Top 8 Banned Books I Want My Kids to Read – Audhd Asset (sarahssageadvice.com)
CONTINUE:
List of books banned by governments – Wikipedia
Sauce:
