Top 10 Banned Books of 2022

Published on 5 October 2023 at 12:08

Welcome to Banned Books Week! Banned Books Week is typically celebrated around the last week of September or the first week of October, ending in Let Freedom Read Day. In 2023, Let Freedom Read is recognized on October 7th. According to the Banned Books Week website, this week is "an annual event that highlights the value of free and open access to information," and to raise awareness about censorship. Local libraries, bookshops and community organizations host their own events in honor of Banned Books Week. Click the link below to check out the list of Banned Books Week events to see if your community is involved. Scroll down to learn about the organizations that support Banned Books Week and to find out which books made the top 10 list for 2022 according to the American Library Association (ALA). The ALA creates this list based on data collected from news reports and alerts filed by librarians and members of the community. Learn more about the ALA here.

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Learn more about the coalition of organizations that support Banned Books Week:

Top 10 Banned Books of 2022

This list actually has more than ten books! With ties for fifth and tenth place this list actually has thirteen books on it. This list comes directly from the American Library Association. To view this information and more from the ALA, CLICK HERE.

1. Gender Queer: A Memoir (Maia Kobabe): This book was challenged 151 times in 2022 with complaints of LGBTQ+ content and claims that the book is sexually explicit. This graphic memoir was originally market to people ages 16 and up. It only began to appear in high school and middle school libraries following the book's recognition through an Alex Award which is given by the American Library Association to books which have gained the interest of readers in the 12-18 age range despite being geared toward adults. The increased presence of this book in middle schools has contributed to its controversial nature. You can find this book for free through the InternetArchive or view excerpts of this and other work by Kobabe on the author's website. This book is available for purchase from a number of sellers, including Barnes & Noble.

2. All Boys Aren't Blue (George M. Johnson): Challenged 86 times in 2022 for its LGBTQ+ content and claims of sexual explicitness, this New York Times bestseller tells Johnson's own story of growing up Black and queer. The scene that is most likely the target of complaints for being sexual explicit tells the story of Johnson's abuse by a member of their extended family. The author uses this scene to encourage conversation about what this kind of abuse can look like, why victims may not come forward, how to heal from trauma of this kind, and how to get help. Learn more about this book and where to get it on the author's website.

3. The Bluest Eye (Toni Morrison): The Bluest Eye was challenged 73 times in 2022 for depicting sexual abuse, encouraging diversity, equity, and inclusion, and being sexually explicit. Through this book, Morrison discusses the harm done by beauty standards that are built on white ideals like blond hair and blue eyes. She also provides a moment of representation for victims of sexual abuse by a family member and people who are a product of incest. Read this article from the American Experience on PBS to learn more about this book and its impact in the classroom. This book is available secondhand from Thriftbooks or search WorldCat to look for this book at a library near you.

4. Flamer (Mike Curato): Flamer received 62 challenges in 2022 with complaints of LGBTQ+ content and claims that the book is sexually explicit. A graphic novel, this book gives a realistic depiction of life as a Catholic, 14-year-old Filipino American boy struggling with his body and the realization that he is gay. This book is heavy built on realism, so there is no happy ending tied up in a bow. Instead, the protagonist must find himself in the little things and grow through the pain that other children in the schoolyard throw at him. Read the full NPR review of this book here. Learn more about this book and the author here. Use WorldCat to find this book at a library near you.

5a. Looking for Alaska (John Green): This book was challenged 55 times in 2022 for claims that the book is sexually explicit and for LGBTQ+ content. Although the book is fictional, some characters and elements of the plot are based on the author's life. It is written for young adults and has some sexual content. Learn more about the author, this book, and where to buy it here. Use WorldCat to find this book at a library near you.

5b. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Stephen Chbosky): Also challenged 55 times in 2022, The Perks of Being a Wallflower was targeted for sexual abuse, profanity, drug use, LGBTQ+ themes, and for being sexually explicit. While this book does include discussions of rape, drugs and sexuality, it is written to help forge conversations about trauma and healing.  Find this book on OpenLibrary or learn more about the author and where to get his books through his page on Simon and Schuster's website.

6. Lawn Boy (Jonathan Evison): Challenged 54 times in 2022 for LGBTQ+ themes and for claims that the book is sexually explicit, Lawn Boy is an exploration of class, sexual identity, and race.  Through this book, the author discusses what it is like to be Mexican American and trying to survive capitalist structures. Read this book on the InternetArchive or learn more on the author's website.

7. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Sherman Alexie): Challengers of this book have claimed that it is sexually explicit and contains profanity. It was challenged 52 times last year. Alexie, a member of the Spokane Tribe, draws on elements of his own life growing up on a reservation to inform this book. His book encourages conversations about bullying, disability, Indigenous identity, racism, alcoholism, and friendship. Learn more on the author's website here. Use WorldCat to look for this book at a library near you.

8. Out of Darkness (Ashley Hope Perez): Challengers target this book for depictions of abuse and claims of sexual content. It was challenged 50 times in 2022. Set against the backdrop of the New London school explosion in 1937, Perez wrote this book to encourage conversations about police brutality and racism. Borrow this book for free from OpenLibrary. Learn more about the author, this book, and where to buy it on the author's website.

9a. A Court of Mist and Fury (Sarah J. Maas): Challenged 48 times last year, over claims that the book is sexually explicit, this book fits the genres of fantasy and romance and is written for adults. This book is available to people with print-related disabilities through the InternetArchive. Other readers should use WorldCat to look for this book at a library near them. Learn more about this book and the rest of the series on the series website.

9c. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Jesse Andrews): Challenged 48 times in 2022, complaints indicated profanity and sexual content as reasons for the banning of this book. Geared toward older teens due to some sexual language, this book tells the story of a pair of friends, one of whom is dying of leukemia. Borrow this book for free from OpenLibrary. Learn more about this book in its spotlight from the Office for Intellectual Freedom here.

9b. Crank (Ellen Hopkins): Challenged 48 times last year for depictions of drug use and sexual content. Written for young adults and up, this book is loosely based on the author's daughter and her struggles with drug addiction. It is used to guide conversations about addiction, especially in drug programs. This book is available to readers with print-related disabilities through the InternetArchive. Other readers should check WorldCat to look for this book at a library nearby.

9d. This Book Is Gay (James Dawson and Juno Dawson): Complaints of sexual content, sexual education, and LGBTQ+ content led to this book being challenged 48 times. Written by a sexual education teacher for purposes of sex education for LGBTQ+ teens, this book addresses the concerns of teens growing into adulthood. It is meant to support safe sex, especially in light of the impact that HIV has had on the LGBTQ+ community. Learn more about the book and its author by reading this Rolling Stone interview. Borrow this book for free from OpenLibrary.

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