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Banned Books Week: Banned Books Week 2020

Banned Books Week

Top 10 Challenged Books of 2019

George

Challenged, banned, restricted and hidden for LGBTQIA+ content and a transgender character.

Beyond Magenta

Challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and concerns it was sexually explicit and biased.

A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo

Challenged and vandalized for LGBTQIA+ content, political viewpoints and not including a content warning.

Sex Is a Funny Word

Challenged, banned and relocated for LGBTQIA+ content and concerns that the title and illustrations were "inappropriate."

Prince and Knight

Challenged and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content and conflicting with a religious viewpoint.

I Am Jazz

Challenged and relocated for LGBTQIA+ content.

The Handmaid's Tale

Banned and challenged for profanity and sexual content.

Drama

Challenged for LGBTQIA+ content.

Harry Potter (series)

Banned and forbidden for referring to magic and witchcraft.

And Tango Makes Three

Challenged and relocated for LGBTQIA+ content.

Books Banned or Challenged in 2019

The Truth about Alice

Challenged for containing "obscene and/or pornographic material."

Gabi, a Girl in Pieces

Purchased as an initiative to create diverse classroom libraries in Loudon County, VA.  Challenged because LGBTQIA+ books were included in the purchase.

Rani Patel in Full Effect

Purchased as an initiative to create diverse classroom libraries in Loudon County, VA.  Challenged because LGBTQIA+ books were included in the purchase.

The Witch Boy

Purchased as an initiative to create diverse classroom libraries in Loudon County, VA.  Challenged because LGBTQIA+ books were included in the purchase.

Heather Has Two Mommies

Challenged for LGTBQIA+ content.  Patron argued children's books containing LGBTQIA+ content should be labeled and relocated.

The Women of Brewster Place

Challenged for containing "obscene and/or pornographic material."

Kafka on the Shore

Challenged for violent and sexual content.

The Bluest Eye

Challenged for containing "obscene and/or pornographic material."

Angela's Ashes

Challenged for containing "obscene and/or pornographic material."

Families

Challenged for LGTBQIA+ content.  Patron argued children's books containing LGBTQIA+ content should be labeled and relocated.

Little White Duck

Challenged and relocated for depiction of violence against animals.

Ask My Mood Ring How I Feel

Purchased as an initiative to create diverse classroom libraries in Loudon County, VA.  Challenged because LGBTQIA+ books were included in the purchase.

Goldie Vance Vol. 1

Purchased as an initiative to create diverse classroom libraries in Loudon County, VA.  Challenged because LGBTQIA+ books were included in the purchase.

Almost Perfect

Challenged for containing "obscene and/or pornographic material."

All Titles by L. Ron Hubbard

Challenged due to concern that the library's collection of Scientology materials "gave the cult the appearance of legitimacy."

The Kite Runner

Challenged by a parent due to concerns that the book's rape scene could cause further trauma to students who have been sexually abused.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Challenged due to complaints of "foul language," "profane use of God's name," and a "negative portrayal of a character with autism or a similar disorder."

George

Challenged due to LGBTQIA+ content.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Challenged and removed for showing magic as "both good and evil" and containing "actual curses and spells."

The Giver

Graphic novel version of The Giver was challenged by library staff member for scene of infant euthanasia.  Reclassified from young adult to adult.

So Hard to Say

Purchased as an initiative to create diverse classroom libraries in Loudon County, VA.  Challenged because LGBTQIA+ books were included in the purchase.

It Gets Better

Challenged for profanity and "anti-religious" sentiments.

Jack (Not Jackie)

Challenged for addressing a "highly controversial subject."

Dear Martin

Challenged and removed from recommended reading list for English courses in Columbia County, GA due to "explicit" and "unacceptable" content.

Boot Camp

Challenged for the potential to do "irrevocable harm."

Can't Get There from Here

Challenged and relocated for the potential to do "irrevocable harm."

God Save Texas

Temporarily removed from Parr Library in Plano, Texas for being too political.

Regeneration

Challenged and removed from recommended reading list for English courses in Columbia County, GA due to "explicit" and "unacceptable" content.

The Kingdom

Removed from campus bookstore at Franciscan University of Steubenville, OH due to "scandalous" materials.

The Diary of a Young Girl

Challenged for "talk about the vagina, penis, and sex."

Red

Challenged when adopted as part of a gender identity curriculum in Oak Park, CA.

They Were Strong and Good

Challenged because slavery was mentioned without being condemned, and for stereotypical representations of Native Americans.

And Tango Makes Three

Challenged for LGTBQIA+ content.  Patron argued children's books containing LGBTQIA+ content should be labeled and relocated.

Mommy's Khimar

Purchased as an initiative to create diverse classroom libraries in Loudon County, VA.  Challenged because LGBTQIA+ books were included in the purchase.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Challenged for language and references to masturbation.

The God of Small Things

Challenged by a parent and removed from Gardendale High School (AL) summer reading list for sexual content.

Thirteen Reasons Why

Challenged and relocated for the potential to do "irrevocable harm."

The Handmaid's Tale

Challenged for sexual content, violence and language.

Fun Home

In two NJ high schools, circulation of the book was limited to students with parental permission due to a lesbian protagonist.

Neither

Challenged when adopted as part of a gender identity curriculum in Oak Park, CA.

It's Perfectly Normal

Challenged by Arizona Rep. Kelly Townsend for the false claim that the book "depicted minors having sexual intercourse."

Prince and Knight

Challenged for LGBTQIA+ content.

Worm Loves Worm

Challenged for LGTBQIA+ content.  Patron argued children's books containing LGBTQIA+ content should be labeled and relocated.

Zora and Me

Purchased as an initiative to create diverse classroom libraries in Loudon County, VA.  Challenged because LGBTQIA+ books were included in the purchase.

Chokehold

Banned from Arizona prisons for threatening to "disrupt the facility's ability to maintain security and order."

Weird Girl and What's His Name

Purchased as an initiative to create diverse classroom libraries in Loudon County, VA.  Challenged because LGBTQIA+ books were included in the purchase.

Hurricane Child

Purchased as an initiative to create diverse classroom libraries in Loudon County, VA.  Challenged because LGBTQIA+ books were included in the purchase.

The Awakening

Challenged for containing "obscene and/or pornographic material."

My Princess Boy

Challenged for LGTBQIA+ content.  Patron argued children's books containing LGBTQIA+ content should be labeled and relocated.

Sparkle Boy

Challenged when adopted as part of a gender identity curriculum in Oak Park, CA.

A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo

Defaced and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and "because science."

Want to Play Trucks?

Purchased as an initiative to create diverse classroom libraries in Loudon County, VA.  Challenged because LGBTQIA+ books were included in the purchase.

Gay and Lesbian History for Kids

Challenged for LGTBQIA+ content.  Patron argued children's books containing LGBTQIA+ content should be labeled and relocated.

Flowers from Mariko

Purchased as an initiative to create diverse classroom libraries in Loudon County, VA.  Challenged because LGBTQIA+ books were included in the purchase.

The Pants Project

Purchased as an initiative to create diverse classroom libraries in Loudon County, VA.  Challenged because LGBTQIA+ books were included in the purchase.

We March

Purchased as an initiative to create diverse classroom libraries in Loudon County, VA.  Challenged because LGBTQIA+ books were included in the purchase.

The Truth As Told by Mason Buttle

Purchased as an initiative to create diverse classroom libraries in Loudon County, VA.  Challenged because LGBTQIA+ books were included in the purchase.

Other Broken Things

Purchased as an initiative to create diverse classroom libraries in Loudon County, VA.  Challenged because LGBTQIA+ books were included in the purchase.

 

Silent Music

Purchased as an initiative to create diverse classroom libraries in Loudon County, VA.  Challenged because LGBTQIA+ books were included in the purchase.

It's Okay to Be Different

Challenged for LGTBQIA+ content.  Patron argued children's books containing LGBTQIA+ content should be labeled and relocated.

Who Are You?

Challenged for telling children that "adults are wrong about gender."

Stella Brings the Family

Challenged for LGTBQIA+ content.  Patron argued children's books containing LGBTQIA+ content should be labeled and relocated.

Killing Mr. Griffin

Challenged for containing "obscene and/or pornographic material."

Dragons in a Bag

Purchased as an initiative to create diverse classroom libraries in Loudon County, VA.  Challenged because LGBTQIA+ books were included in the purchase.

Dreaming in Cuban

Challenged due to "obscene and/or pornographic material."

Top 10 Most Challenged Video

Censorship by the numbers

Books about Censorship

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