Banned Books Week: Home
Beloved
Reasons Banned: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
To Kill a Mockingbird
Challenged in Eden Valley, MN (1977) and temporarily banned due to words "damn" and "whore lady" used in the novel.
1984
Challenged in the Jackson County, FL (1981) because Orwell's novel is "pro-communist and contained explicit sexual matter."
Brave New World
Reasons Banned: insensitivity, offensive language, racism, sexually explicit
The Catcher in the Rye
Reasons Banned: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Challenged at a number of high schools and pulled from the shelf of the Dade County, Ga public library. Complaints include "vulgarity, racism, and anti-Christian content.
The Color Purple
Reasons Banned: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
The Grapes of Wrath
Burned by the East St. Louis, IL Public Library (1939) and barred from the Buffalo, NY Public Library (1939) on the grounds that "vulgar words" were used. Banned in Kansas City, MO (1939).
The Bluest Eye
Banned for being sexually explicit, unsuited for age group, and containing "controversial issues”
Lord of the Flies
Challenged at the Sully Buttes, SD High School (1981). Challenged at the Owen, NC High School (1981) because the book is "demoralizing inasmuch as it implies that man is little more than an animal."
What is Banned Books Week?
Banned Books Week (September 22-28, 2019) is an annual week long event highlighting past and present attempts to censor books in schools and libraries because of their content. During this week, we celebrate and support the freedom to seek and express ideas and information of all types, as well as draw attention to the harms of censorship.
Adapted from The American Library Association
LGBTQ+ Banned Books
In the last several years one of the most common reasons for a book challenge has been LGBTQ+ content, in fact, this year half of the most challenged books cited this reason.
Join us on the front steps of the library on Wednesday September, 25 from 12:00-1:00pm for a public reading and celebration of these LGBTQ+ Banned Books!
Ban: The removal of materials or cancelation of services based on content
Challenge: An attempt to remove or restrict materials or services based on content