The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) receives reports from libraries, schools, and the media about any attempts to ban books in communities across the country. The ALA then compiles lists of challenged books to inform the public about censorship efforts affecting libraries and schools.
For this month’s suggested reading list, we’ve selected books for all ages that have been challenged or banned.
We have provided a brief summary of each book and listed the suggested age range for each. We’ve also listed the reasons it was challenged or banned. This is your opportunity to check out some wonderful books and determine if your child is ready to expand their reading horizons.
Draw Me a Star by Eric Carle
The story follows a young artist through life, beginning and ending with his drawing of a star.
For ages 3-5
This book has been challenged for an abstract drawing of a naked man and woman and claims that the story has biblical implications by mirroring the creation story.
Selected works by Dr. Seuss (typically for ages 3-7)
Hop on Pop: The Simplest Seuss for Youngest Use
If I Ran the Zoo
And to Think that I saw it on Mulberry Street
The Cat in the Hat
Dr. Seuss’ works have been challenged in recent years because some of his rhymes and illustrations are considered insensitive to other races and cultures.
Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite (Lambda Literary Award 1991)
Recognized as one of the first children's books dealing with homosexuality, the main character is a young boy whose divorced father now lives with his life partner. The book has been included in many educational programs because of its positive depiction of a gay household. For ages 4 and up
It has been challenged or banned for depictions gay characters and a gay household. From 1990-1999, Daddy’s Roommate was the second-most challenged book in the United States.
What’s the Big Secret? Talking about Sex with Girls and Boys by Marc Brown and Laurie Krasny Brown
Simple, straightforward and age-appropriate answers to kids' most common questions about sex, the human body, reproduction, and development. For ages 4-7
This book has been challenged for its open discussion of male and female anatomy, references to masturbation and age appropriateness.
The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq by Jeanette Winter
Alia Muhammad Baker is a librarian in Basra, Iraq. For 14 years, her library has been a meeting place for book lovers. Now that war has come, she fears the library and its thirty thousand books will be destroyed. This is a true story about a librarian's struggle to save her community's priceless collection of books at a time when civilians, especially women had little power. For ages 4-7
This book has been challenged or banned for mentioning prayers to a non-Christian God and age appropriateness because the book deals with war.
Uncle Bobby’s Wedding by Sarah S. Brannen
Bobby and his partner Jamie are getting married, but Chloe worries her Uncle Bobby won’t have time for her after the wedding. Brannen’s book embraces Bobby’s relationship with Jamie while celebrating family and the special bond Bobby has with his niece. For ages 4-8
This book was challenged for depicting a same sex relation and marriage.
Nasreen’s Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan by Jeanette Winter
This is the story of a young girl in Afghanistan who attends a secret school for girls. Young Nasreen has not spoken since her parents disappeared. Her grandmother risks everything to enroll Nasreen in a secret school for girls. Will Nasreen be able to heal and thrive in a safe place? For ages 6-9
This book has been challenged or banned for religious viewpoints, violence and age appropriateness.
Buster’s Sugartime by Marc Brown
When Buster and his dad take a trip to Vermont, Buster discovers many wonderful treats made with maple syrup and camps out in the beautiful woods of Vermont. He gets to spend some quality time with his dad and meets a non-traditional family with two moms. For ages 6-9
The Junie B. Jones Series by Barbara Park
Follow the adventures of Julie B. Jones, a sassy kindergartener known for her bad grammar and wacky adventures. For ages 6-9
This series has been challenged or banned for encouraging disrespectful behavior in children and use of poor grammar by the main character.
This book has been challenged for age appropriateness for its inclusion of a same sex couple.
The Arabus Family Saga by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier (for ages 8-12)
Jump Ship to Freedom
Who is Carrie?
War Comes to Willy Freeman
Fourteen-year-old Daniel and his mom are slaves owned by an evil man named Captain Ives.
When Daniel learns Captain Ives is secretly holding the revolutionary notes his late father earned serving in the Continental Army to buy their freedom, he decides to get them back. In retaliation, Ives puts Daniel on a ship headed to the West Indies. Daniel escapes during a storm at sea and during his adventures he meets and helps our founding fathers write parts of the Constitution.
This book series has been challenged for the use of racial slurs.
Selected books by Roald Dahl (typically for ages 8-12)
James and the Giant Peach
This book was challenged or banned because of language and frightening situations deemed inappropriate for children.
The Witches
This book has been challenged or banned for being misogynistic because Dahl contended only women could be witches.
The Logan Family Saga by Mildred D. Taylor (for ages 8-14)
Song of the Trees (Coretta Scott King Author Honor Award 1976)
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Newbery Medal Winner 1977)
Let the Circle be Unbroken (Coretta Scott King Author Award 1982)
The Road to Memphis
The Land (a prequel to the Logan Family Saga - 2002 Coretta Scott King Author Award and the 2002 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction.
This award winning book series deals with racism in America during the Great Depression and Jim Crow era.
This series has been challenged or banned for racial bias, racial slurs and age appropriateness.
The Chocolate War is a young adult novel by Robert Cormier. At a fictional Catholic high school, a secret student organization manipulates the student body which creates a cruel and ugly mob mentality against a lone, non-conforming student. For ages 12 and up
This book is listed as third on the American Library Association's list of the "Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books in 2000–2009 for language, the depiction of a high school secret society using intimidation to enforce the cultural norms and sexual references.
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
Julie
Julie’s Wolf Pack
This book series, set in the Alaska North Slope, features a young Inuit girl coping with the changes forced upon her culture from the outside world. For teen, YA and adult readers
This book has been challenged or banned for an attempted rape scene and perceived insensitivity to Inuit culture.
Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers
Annabelle is tired of taking orders from her mom. She wants to be an adult, so she can do whatever she wants instead of going to school, doing chores and being nice to Ape Face her annoying little brother. Annabelle gets her wish when she wakes up in her mother’s body, but her fun is cut short by grown up responsibilities. It’s the original story that’s been made into popular movies. For teens, YA and adults
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
This popular series is about an orphaned boy, Harry Potter who learns he is a wizard. He travels to the wizard in world to attend Hogwarts, a special school for wizards where he meets learns the truth about his parent’s death and learns to accept his destiny with the help of friends Ron and Hermione. For children, teens, YA and adults
This series has been challenged and banned for depictions of witchcraft and wizardry. Controversy over the series has recently returned to the news after a priest in Tennessee ordered the books be banned from a Catholic school because reciting spells and incantations from the books posed a real life threat of conjuring demons and evil spirits.
Books for middle schoolers, teens and YA by Judy Blume
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret
Blubber
Iggie's House
It's Not the End of the World
Just as Long as We're Together
Deenie
Then Again, Maybe I Won't
Forever
Here's to You, Rachel Robinson
Blume's books have sold over 82 million copies and they've been translated into 32 languages. During her life, she won more than 90 literary awards, including three lifetime achievement awards in the U.S. for "significant and lasting contributions to young adult literature."
Blume is one of the most challenged authors on the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom Challenged or Banned Books List since the ALA began publishing this information in 1990. Her works have been challenged for scenes dealing with racism, menstruation, teen sexuality and masturbation, bullying, divorce and family issues.