Banned Books Week
Celebrate Your Freedom to Read!
September 18th–24th is Banned Books Week, a time to call attention to titles that are challenged or banned in schools and libraries. In this collection, we highlight some of the most frequently challenged books from the last few years, as well as works about censorship.
Banned Book ClubIn this memoir, co-written by Ryan Estrada and illustrated by Ko Hyung-Jo, Kim Hyun Sook recounts her years as a student activist in South Korea.
Ban This BookWhen Amy Anne's favorite book is banned from her school library, she decides to fight against censorship.
PersepolisThe Story of a ChildhoodIn this memoir, presented in graphic form, Marjane Satrapi describes growing up during the Iranian revolution.
The Bluest EyeIn the Nobel Prize-winner's first novel, a young black girl yearns to conform to society's rigid standards of beauty.
The Handmaid's TaleIn this dystopian novel, America is a totalitarian theocracy in which young women are conscripted to serve the political elite.
StampedRacism, Antiracism, and YouThis bestselling book traces the history of racist ideas and racial injustice in the United States.
The Hate U GiveIn this best-selling novel, sixteen-year-old Starr's life is turned upside down when she witnesses the death of her friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer.
Looking For AlaskaTired of his life at home, Miles Halter leaves for boarding school where he meets (and falls in love with) the impulsive and unpredictable Alaska Young. But when tragedy strikes, Miles begins to question his relationship with Alaska.
DramaIn this popular graphic novel, Callie works on the stage crew of her school's spring musical while trying to navigate friendships and crushes.
The Hunger GamesKatniss Everdeen must fight for her life in a televised survival competition. Learn these words from the first book of Suzanne Collins's dystopian trilogy.
The Kite RunnerSet in Afghanistan during a time of political and social upheaval, this novel traces the decades-long friendship of two boys from different social classes.
GeorgeInside, George knows that she is a girl. When her class puts on a production of Charlotte's Web, she is not allowed to try out for the role of Charlotte — but with the help of her best friend, George is determined to show the world who she really is.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-TimeFifteen-year-old Christopher John Francis Boone, inspired by Sherlock Holmes, tries to make sense of his life in England in logical and mathematical ways.
The Perks of Being a WallflowerIn letters addressed to an unnamed friend, Charlie describes his experiences as a high school freshman.
Eleanor & ParkRainbow Rowell's best-selling novel chronicles an unlikely love story between two teens struggling to fit in.
To Kill a MockingbirdIn this classic coming-of-age story, Scout Finch recounts her childhood in Maycomb, Alabama. When Scout's father is appointed to defend a black man in a high-profile trial, racial tensions in the small town come to a head.
Thirteen Reasons WhyAfter Hannah Baker's death, classmate Clay Jenson receives a set of cassette tapes in which Hannah makes painful revelations.
The Color PurpleIn letters to God and each other, two sisters, Celie and Nettie, share the details of their trouble-filled lives in the American South and Africa.
Bless Me, UltimaAs he grows up and develops his own sense of identity, Tony is guided by Ultima, a curandera who heals with magic.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time IndianArnold Spirit, Jr., a young cartoonist who lives on the Spokane Indian reservation, decides to transfer to a school in which he will be the only American Indian student.
The Chocolate WarWhen Jerry refuses to sell chocolates for his school's annual fundraiser, his defiance is seen as a challenge to the school's powerful secret society.
Al Capone Does My ShirtsIn 1935, twelve-year-old Moose moves to Alcatraz Island with his parents and his autistic sister Natalie. With a little help from his new friend Piper, Moose learns to adapt to life at the notorious prison.
BelovedWinner of the Pulitzer Prize, Morrison's novel tells the story of Sethe, a formerly enslaved woman who is haunted by her past.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta LacksThis biography immortalizes a woman whose cancerous cells contributed to medical breakthroughs around the world.
The NamesakeBorn to Indian immigrants and legally named after a Russian writer, but familiarly called Nikhil, Gogol Ganguli grows up in Massachusetts struggling with his parents' choices and expectations.
All American BoysThis novel by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely tells the story of Rashad and Quinn, two teenagers whose lives are changed after an incident of police brutality divides their community.
SpeakAfter calling the police during an end-of-summer party, Melinda is an outcast at school. How can Melinda tell the truth about what really happened when she won't even speak?
Speak: The Graphic NovelIn this illustrated version of Laurie Halse Anderson's acclaimed novel, a teenage girl suffers trauma and attempts to reclaim her voice.
Of Mice and MenSet during the Great Depression, Steinbeck's classic novel tells the story of shrewd, scheming George and loyal, childlike Lennie. The two farm workers dream of owning their own land but must struggle merely to survive.
Out of DarknessIn this novel, a romance between a Mexican-American girl and an African-American boy in a segregated Texas town is set against the backdrop of a real historical event: the New London School explosion, which killed around 300 people in 1937.
The Harry Potter CollectionJ.K. Rowling's beloved series follows Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley as they complete their magical education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and battle an evil wizard named Voldemort.
All Boys Aren't BlueA Memoir-ManifestoIn this unflinching memoir, George M. Johnson interweaves personal history with reflections on systemic oppression.
The Glass CastleIn this memoir Jeannette Walls recounts a turbulent childhood with her eccentric and dysfunctional family.
Brave New WorldIn the futuristic World State, the genetically altered citizens are happy and free of pain—but they cannot exercise free will. Learn these words from Huxley's influential dystopian novel, first published in 1932.
Nickel and DimedOn (Not) Getting By in AmericaIn this exposé, the journalist goes undercover to learn about the struggles of low-wage workers in the United States.
TwilightBella Swan moves to Forks, Washington, where she meets the enigmatic Edward Cullen, a classmate with a dark secret.
The Catcher in the RyeIn J.D. Salinger's classic novel, Holden Caulfield leaves his prep school and experiences disillusionment and alienation while wandering around New York City.
My Sister's KeeperAnna sues her parents in order to prevent them from using her as a bone marrow donor for her older sister, Kate.
His Dark MaterialsIn this fantasy series, Lyra Belacqua and Will Parry travel between parallel worlds as they investigate a mysterious substance called Dust.
The Hunger Games TrilogyIn this trilogy of dystopian novels, children from the twelve districts of Panem must fight to the death in a televised spectacle.
The Golden CompassThis first book of His Dark Materials trilogy starts off at Oxford's Jordan College, where eleven-year-old Lyra Belacqua and her dæmon Pantalaimon are given a device called an alethiometer that Lyra learns to interpret in order to discover truths, especially in connection to the kidnapping of children.
The Adventures of Huckleberry FinnThis American classic chronicles the exploits of Huck and Jim: one is running away from an abusive father and the other is fleeing enslavement. Read the full text here.
I Know Why the Caged Bird SingsIn this classic autobiography, the accomplished poet and writer recounts her childhood and teenage years.
The Things They CarriedA series of linked stories explores the lifelong effects of trauma on a platoon of soldiers during and after the Vietnam War.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly CloseOskar Schell is a nine-year old with a quest: to find a key left behind by his father, who was killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center.
The GiverTwelve-year-old Jonas lives in a regimented community that is free from pain and suffering — but also free from joy, independence, and even color. When he is appointed the community's Receiver of Memory, Jonas begins to question everything he has been taught.
The Diary of a Young GirlWhile in hiding with her family in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, 13-year-old Anne Frank kept a diary of her experiences. Published after Anne's death in a Nazi concentration camp, the diary remains a powerful testament to the everyday horrors of the Holocaust.
Dreaming in CubanSet against the backdrop of political revolution in Cuba, this novel tells the stories of three generations of visionary women in the del Pino family.
FeedThis satirical novel imagines a dystopian future in which people have computers implanted in their heads to control their perceptions of reality.
The House of the SpiritsThis novel, which incorporates magical realism, follows several generations of one family as they experience personal and political turmoil in Chile.
MonsterTold in the form of journal entries and a screenplay, this novel tells the story of a teenager on trial for murder. 1999 HarperCollins edition.
1984Published in 1949, this dystopian classic imagines a future of perpetual war, militaristic propaganda, and total government surveillance.
A Clockwork OrangeIn this dystopian novel, written using a form of Russian-influenced slang invented by Burgess, a teenager and his friends go on a spree of unrestrained violence.
Ender's GameEnder Wiggin is a brilliant but lonely young strategist in a world where children are trained to defend humankind against alien attacks.
So Far from the Bamboo GroveThis semi-autobiographical novel recounts the story of a Japanese family attempting to flee Korea and return home at the end of World War II.
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