The growing number of school districts voting to remove certain books from school libraries has been in the headlines for months right now, as works by authors ranging from Toni Morrison to Art Spiegelman are challenged and banned across the globe. the country.
According to the American Library Association, those headlines aren’t just hyperbole. in 2021, they tracked a total of “729 challenges to library, school, and university materials and services in 2021,” targeting a total of 1,597 books.
You are reading: Top 100 banned books list 2021
the wing office for intellectual freedom, created in 1967, implements wing policies related to intellectual freedom; in other words, freedom of expression and free access to libraries and the works and ideas they contain.
the oif tracks challenges to that freedom each year, based on information found in the media and on voluntary censorship reports that people submit to the organization, from “communities across the united states,” they explain. on your website.
news and reports do not capture all of the book challenges or bans that occur in the us. uh, they say.
Challenges are defined as “documented requests to remove materials from schools or libraries,” the wing says, and “surveys indicate that 82-97% of book challenges… go unreported and unreported.” means”.
Using the incidents reported each year, the OIF creates a list of the 10 most frequently questioned books in the US. uu.
here is the list for 2021, along with the reasons cited for the challenges. half of this year’s most frequently challenged books were challenged for featuring lgbtq+ content.
1. gender queer by maia kobabe
“gender queer: a memoir” is an autobiography written by maia kobabe, non-binary and aesexual, who uses the pronouns e/em/eir. it was published in 2019.
The book began as a comic, written to explain to family members what their gender identity and sexuality entailed, according to distributor Simon and Schuster. it quickly became an account of her “self-identity journey” as well as a guide to what gender identity means and how to think about it.
“Gender Queer” won the 2020 alex wing award and was a stonewall non-fiction honorary book — israel fishman.
in 2021, the book was no. 1 most frequently challenged book, “banned, challenged, and restricted for lgbtqia+ content, and because it was deemed to have sexually explicit imagery,” the wing said.
2. lawn boy by jonathan evison
“lawn boy: a novel” by jonathan evison is a fictional novel about mike muñoz, a mexican-american man in his early 20s who loses his job as the groundskeeper on a garden crew in washington state , forcing him to re-evaluate his life.
The book, published in 2018 by Algonquin Books, won the 2019 Alex Award.
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In 2021, it was frequently “banned and challenged for lgbtqia+ content and because it was considered sexually explicit,” according to the wing.
3. Not All Boys Are Blue by George M. johnson
“not all boys are blue” by george m. Johnson is a series of personal essays from the non-binary journalist, writer, and activist.
The book, published in 2020, explores johnson’s experience growing up as a gay black man in new jersey and virginia, addressing “gender identity, toxic masculinity, brotherhood, family, structural marginalization, the consent and black joy”. according to the macmillan editor.
Won numerous awards, including listings as amazon’s best book of the year and recommendations from teen vogue, buzzfeed and people magazine. It was also a New York Times bestseller.
In 2021, it was frequently “banned and challenged for lgbtqia+ content, profanity, and because it was considered sexually explicit,” according to the wing.
4. out of the dark by ashley hope perez
“out of the dark” by ashley hope perez is a fictional novel that follows the romeo and juliet romance between naomi vargas, who is mexican-american, and wash fuller, who is black, in the segregated texas of the 1930s.
the book, published in 2015, was a printz honor book, a selection of the 50 best books of all time from the book list, the akirkus reviews best book of the year and the winner of the tomás rivera award to the Mexican-American children’s book, according to the vacation home publisher.
in 2021, it was frequently “banned, challenged, and restricted for depictions of abuse and because it was considered sexually explicit,” according to the wing.
5. the hate you give for angie thomas
“The Hate You Give” by Angie Thomas is a fictional novel that follows Starr Carter, a poor 16-year-old student at a wealthy prep school, after her childhood best friend, Khalil, is shot by the police. while she watched.
Published in 2017, the book has received an impressive number of awards and honors listed on the HarperCollins Publisher website. among them is a william c. morris, a coretta scott king honor, an edgar allan poe award nomination and no. 1 spot on the new york times bestseller list.
It was also made into a 20th century fox movie in 2018, starring amandla stenberg, anthony mackie, kj apa and sabrina carpenter.
In 2021, it was frequently “banned and challenged for profanity, violence, and because it was thought to promote an anti-police message and indoctrination of a social agenda,” according to the wing.
6. the absolutely true diary of a part time indian by alexie sherman
“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Alexie Sherman is a fictional novel that follows Native American teenager Arnold Spirit Jr., known simply as “Junior,” through his life on the reservation Spokane Indian, and how she decides to attend a majority-white public high school off the reservation.
The book, published in 2007 by little, brown and company, has been contested and banned for more than a decade. appeared at the top of wing’s “100 Most Banned and Questioned Books” list for 2010-2019.
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It’s also a National Book Award winner, a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award winner, and is a New York Times bestseller, with over 1 million copies sold.
in 2021, it was frequently “banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references, and use of a derogatory term.”
7. me and earl and the dying girl by jesse andrews
“me and earl and the dying girl” by jesse andrews is a fictional novel that follows greg gaines through high school as he tries to blend in with his friend earl, a mission that fails when he befriends rachel Kushner, who is dying of cancer.
The book, published in 2012, is a New York Times bestseller, according to Abrams Books. It was also made into a movie in 2015, starring Thomas Mann, Olivia Cooke, RJ Cyler, and Jon Bernthal.
In 2021, the book was frequently “banned and challenged because it was considered sexually explicit and degrading to women,” according to the wing.
8. the bluest eye of toni morrison
Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye” follows 11-year-old Pecola Breedlove, a black girl who grew up in Ohio in 1941. The title stems from Pecola’s desire to have blue eyes, to avoid being called “ugly” for she dark skin; The novel itself focuses on the racism and tragedy that fuel Pecola’s longing to look different.
The book, first published in 1970 by Holt, Reinhardt and Winston, is considered a classic. It won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993 and is a national bestseller.
The book has been challenged and banned for several decades, and was the 10th most banned book on wing’s “100 Most Banned and Questioned Books” list for 2010-2019. it was ranked 15th on the 2000-2009 list and 34th on the 1990-1999 list.
In 2021, the book was frequently “banned and challenged because it depicts child sexual abuse and was deemed sexually explicit,” according to the wing.
9. this book is gay by juno dawson
“this book is gay” by juno dawson is a non-fiction book on sexuality and gender, “for anyone who has dared to wonder” about the topics, regardless of their own sexuality and gender, according to sourcebooks from the publisher of the book.
The book, published in 2014, was Guardian’s Best Book of the Year in 2018.
In 2021, the book was frequently “banned, challenged, relocated, and restricted for providing sex education and lgbtqia+ content,” according to the wing.
10. beyond magenta by susan kuklin
“beyond magenta” by susan kuklin is a non-fiction book featuring interviews with six transgender or gender-neutral teens, who describe their lives before, during, and after their transitions.
The book, published in 2014, received outstanding reviews from booklist and kirkus reviews.
In 2021, the book was frequently “banned and challenged for lgbtqia+ content and because it was considered sexually explicit,” according to the wing.
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