The OCtech Library Blog

Banned Books Week - October 1-7

Happy Banned Books Week!

Banned Books Week is this week, October 1-7, with the theme of "Let Freedom Read". To celebrate, here are some interesting facts about banned/challenged books and some interesting banned and challenged books. 

"The American Library Association condemns censorship and works to defend each person's right to read under the First Amendment and ensure free access to information. Every year, ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) compiles a list of the Top 10 Most Challenged Books in order to inform the public about censorship in libraries and schools. The lists are based on information from reports filed by library professionals and community members and from news stories published throughout the United States." (American Library Association)

Surprising Classic Banned Books

1. The Great Gatsby
2. The Catcher in the Rye
3. The Grapes of Wrath
4. To Kill a Mockingbird
5. The Color Purple
6. Ulysses
7. Beloved
8. The Lord of the Flies
9. 1984
10. Lolita

Top Thirteen Most Challenged Books of 2022

1. Gender Queer: A memoir by Maia Kobabe
2. All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson
3. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
4. Flamer by Mike Curato
5. (tie)
   1. Looking for Alaska by John Green
   2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
6. Lawn Boy by Johnathan Evison
7. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
8. Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez
9. (tie)
   1. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
   2. Crank by Ellen Hopkins
   3. Me and Early and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
   4. This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson

Top Ten Most Challenged Books of 2021

1. Gender Queer : A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
2. Lawn Boy by Johnathan Evison
3. All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson
4. Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez
5. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
6. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
7. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
8. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
9. This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson
10. Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin

Facts about Banned Books/Challenges: 

1. The first Banned Books Week was held in 1982.
2. The most common reason for challenging books from 2000-2009 was "sexually explicit" material and "offensive language".
3. The state with the most book challenges in 2022 was Texas. The most challenged book was The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison. 
4. South Carolina's most challenged book in 2022 was The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky.
5. 30% of challenges are initiated by parents, 28% are initiated by patrons. 
6. 48% of challenges take place in public libraries, 41% take place in school libraries, 10% in schools, and 1% in college libraries and other public institutions

(Source: ALA)