Banned Books Week

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Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in school, bookstores, and libraries. The week highlights the value of free and open access to information.

The Top 11 Challenged Books of 2018 were:
  1. George by Alex GinoReasons: banned, challenged, and relocated because it was believed to encourage children to clear browser history and change their bodies using hormones, and for mentioning “dirty magazines,” describing male anatomy, “creating confusion,” and including a transgender character
  2. A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss, illustrated by EG KellerReasons: banned and challenged for including LGBTQIA+ content, and for political and religious viewpoints
  3. Captain Underpants series written and illustrated by Dav PilkeyReasons: series was challenged because it was perceived as encouraging disruptive behavior, while Captain Underpants and the Sensational Saga of Sir Stinks-A-Lot was challenged for including a same-sex couple
  4. The Hate U Give by Angie ThomasReasons: banned and challenged because it was deemed “anti-cop,” and for profanity, drug use, and sexual references
  5. Drama written and illustrated by Raina TelgemeierReasons: banned and challenged for including LGBTQIA+ characters and themes
  6. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay AsherReasons: banned, challenged, and restricted for addressing teen suicide
  7. This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Jillian TamakiReasons: banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references, and certain illustrations
  8. Skippyjon Jones series written and illustrated by Judy SchachnerReason: challenged for depicting stereotypes of Mexican culture
  9. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman AlexieReasons: banned and challenged for sexual references, profanity, violence, gambling, and underage drinking, and for its religious viewpoint
  10. This Day in June by Gayle E. Pitman, illustrated by Kristyna LittenReason: challenged and burned for including LGBTQIA+ content
  11. Two Boys Kissing by David LevithanReason: challenged and burned for including LGBTQIA+ content
The highlighted titles are part of the Betty Sue Jessup Library's collection.

Banned Books Week. (2018). About. Retrieved from https://bannedbooksweek.org/about/