10 popular books banned by the US government

Bans are not new to the literary world. Thousands of book bans happen in the US during school years. Typically initiated by organized groups, guardians, or lawmakers, book bans happen very often in the United States. From classics to new voices, here is a list of some of the banned books in the United States. Take a look.

George M. Johnson's 'All Boys Aren't Blue', a memoir-manifesto published in 2020, is one of the most banned books in the US. The book explores the author's experience growing up as a queer Black kid from New Jersey. It was removed from at least 29 school districts in the past couple of years, due to its LGBTQ and sexually explicit content.

Gender Queer: A Memoir, written by Maia Kobabe, was one of the most banned books in 2021-22. According to PEN America, this book was removed from school on 41 separate instances. A memoir, Kobabe talks about exploring gender identity and sexuality in the book. The explicit illustrations have also fueled the ban.

Written by Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye is her debut novel, which follows Pecola Breedlove, an African American girl from an abusive home. Though the book was published 55 years ago, it continues to be one of the most challenged books. The novel is ranked #3 on ALA's 2024 challenged list and was challenged about 35 times, and removed from many schools in the US, for the depiction of sexual assault, incest, and racism, among other factors.

First published in 1999, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a novel by Stephen Chbosky. An epistolary novel, this book follows Charlie, a shy freshman navigating high school friendships, first love, parties, and trauma, including sexual abuse and a friend's suicide. In the 2021-2022 school year, the novel was banned eight times.

An adaptation of X Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning, this book has made headlines for its portrayal of racism. It explores the history of racist ideas in America, and inspires hope for an antiracist future. Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X Kendi and Jason Reynolds was banned multiple times from schools in the US.

First published in 1955, Lolita, written by Vladimir Nabokov, didn't get an American publisher. A disturbing tale of Humbert, a man in his forties, who sexually abuses a young girl after becoming her stepfather, was not officially banned in the US; however, it was kept away in various local jurisdictions, schools, and outlets, due to its theme.

The second in Sarah J. Maas' fantasy series, A Court of Mist and Fury, follows Feyre Archeron, a 19-year-old brought into the faerie lands of Prythian. It explores themes such as romance, trauma, consent, and steamy relationships. The book was banned in multiple districts in the US for its sexual content.

First published in 1999, Speak, written by Laurie Halse Anderson, follows Melinda, a high school freshman silenced by date rape trauma. Based on Anderson's own life, the book was banned in the United States in 2020 and removed from Schools.

Written by Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a semi-biographical novel, which was banned over 16 times in the 2021-2022 school year. It deals with subjects such as poverty, bullying, sexuality, alcohol use, profanity, and use of slurs.

Written by Jodi Picoult, Nineteen Minutes has been at #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list. The 2007 novel follows a school shooting incident. The book became controversial in no time, and was pulled from schools multiple times in over 98 districts for its disturbing theme.