Research Guides: Banned Books Week: 2022

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Banned Books Week 2022

Join us September 18 – 24 for the 2022 celebration of the right to read!

2021 Top Ten Banned Books

The American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 729 challenges to library, school, and university materials and services in 2021. Of the 1,597 individual books that were challenged or banned in 2021, here are the top 10 most challenged.

1. Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe

Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to have sexually explicit images (available at SKYCTC Library)

2. Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison

Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to be sexually explicit (available at SKYCTC Library)

3. All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson

Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content, profanity, and because it was considered to be sexually explicit (available at SKYCTC Library)

4.Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez

Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted for depictions of abuse and because it was considered to be sexually explicit (available at SKYCTC Library)

5.The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Reasons: Challenged for profanity, and it was thought to promote an anti-police message (available at SKYCTC Library)

6.The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references, and allegations of sexual misconduct by the author (available at SKYCTC Library)

7.Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Reasons: Banned and challenged because it was considered sexually explicit and degrading to women (available at SKYCTC Library)

8.The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Reasons: Banned and challenged because it was considered sexually explicit and depicts child sexual abuse (available at SKYCTC Library)

9. This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson

Reasons: Banned, challenged, relocated, and restricted for providing sexual education and LGBTQIA+ content (available at SKYCTC Library)

10. Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin

Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to be sexually explicit (available at SKYCTC Library)

2022 Top Thirteen Banned Books

The American Library Association (ALA) documented 1,269 demands to censor library books and resources in 2022, the highest number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago. The unparalleled number of reported book challenges in 2022 nearly doubles the 729 book challenges reported in 2021. Of the record 2,571 unique titles targeted for censorship, the most challenged and reasons cited for censoring the books are listed below.

1. Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe

Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit (available at SKYCTC Library)

2. All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson

Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit (available at SKYCTC Library)

3. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Reasons: Depiction of sexual abuse, EDI content, claimed to be sexually explicit (available at SKYCTC Library)

4. Flamer by Mike Curato

Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit (available at SKYCTC Library)

5. (tie) Looking for Alaska by John Green

Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit (available at SKYCTC Library)

5. (tie) The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Reasons: Depiction of sexual abuse, LGBTQIA+ content, drug use, profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit (available at SKYCTC Library)

7. Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison

Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit (available at SKYCTC Library)

8. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Reasons: profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit (available at SKYCTC Library)

9. Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez

Reasons: Depictions of abuse, claimed to be sexually explicit (available at SKYCTC Library)

10. (tie) A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Reasons: claimed to be sexually explicit (available at SKYCTC Library)

10. (tie) Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Reasons: drug use, claimed to be sexually explicit (available at SKYCTC Library)

10. (tie) Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Reasons: profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit (available at SKYCTC Library)

10. (tie) This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson

Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, providing sexual education, claimed to be sexually explicit (available at SKYCTC Library)

Banned Books Week 2022: Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us.

Banned Books Week 2022 will be held September 18 – 24. The theme of this year’s event is “Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us.”

Books unite us. Books encourage boundless exploration and allow readers to spread their wings. Stories give flight to new ideas and perspectives. Reading—especially books that set us free—expands our worldview. Censorship, on the other hand, locks away our freedom and divides us from humanity in our own cages.

Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2021 Video

Censorship By Numbers

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