Here are 50 books Texas parents want banned from school libraries (2023)

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Why are so many books banned in Texas? ›

Texas banned more books from school libraries this past year than any other state in the nation, targeting titles centering on race, racism, abortion and LGBTQ representation and issues, according to a new analysis by PEN America, a nonprofit organization advocating for free speech.

The books that were pulled include the graphic novel adaptation of Anne Frank's diary, all versions of the Bible and numerous books with LGBTQ+ themes or characters. The School Board did not say why the Bible and the Anne Frank book were removed, but parents had objected to them, according to the list.

"King and the Dragonflies" and "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You" were included in 86 formal removal requests from Texas parents over the last year. "King" includes a Black queer character who grows up in the South, and "Stamped" is a historical account of racism in the U.S. from historian Ibram X.

The PEN America report found that 1,648 individual book titles were banned nationwide in 2,532 decisions from July 2021 to June 2022. Texas' total number of bans during that period was 801 in 22 school districts, far outpacing No. 2 Florida, which banned 566 books in 21 districts.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Published in 2012, this irreverent book about dying is still one of the most banned books in 2022.

"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney: formally challenged in October 2018 in Conroe ISD because the complainant believed the main character had a “pessimistic world view” and the story was “contrary to everything Christian, and those of any faith who are seeking morality.” A review committee found it was appropriate.

2022 book bans are set to exceed 2021's numbers

From January to August 2022, the ALA found 681 attempts to ban or restrict library resources which targeted 1,651 unique titles. Based on these numbers for the first eight months of 2022, book bans have increased since last year, when they reached an all-time high.

In an account headlined “The Bible is among dozens of books removed from this Texas school district,” NPR reports that at Keller Independent School District outside Fort Worth, Texas, school staff were instructed to remove books from classrooms and libraries, including “the graphic novel adaptation of Anne Frank's ...

over the last few months parts of texas and oregon have banned or attempted to ban 'milk and honey' from schools and libraries. why? because it explores sexual assault and violence experienced by a young woman.

Is Junie B Jones banned? ›

The Junie B. Jones series came in at #71 on the American Library Association's list of the Top 100 Banned or Challenged Books from 2000 to 2009. Reasons cited are "poor social values taught by the books, and Junie B. Jones not being considered a good role model due to her mouthiness, bad spelling, and grammar."

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is regularly on the banned books list put out by the American Library Association. It has been banned because of vulgarity, racism, and its treatment of women. The challenges don't seem to go away as time goes on; even in the twenty-first century, the book is still being challenged.

The book bans represent an immense increase in the number of books banned compared with any previous years and are part of the larger movement to restrict classroom conversations and lessons about race, racism, gender identity, and sexual orientation that has been led by Republican lawmakers and conservative parent ...

Books involving sexual content—such as stories about teen pregnancy, sexual assault and abortion—account for 22 percent of the titles. About 21 percent directly address race and racism, while 40 percent feature major characters of color. The team behind Banned in the USA wanted to determine where book bans originated.

What Is the Most Banned Book in America? For all time, the most frequently banned book is 1984 by George Orwell.

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Due to themes of death and the fact that the main characters are talking animals, a parent group in Kansas sought to ban the book from their students' school libraries.

1. THE CATCHER IN THE RYE, by J.D. Salinger.

The Texas government has banned the most books from public school libraries in the United States including books such as “The Hunger Games,” “Harry Potter,” and “The Hate U Give.”

Orwell's “1984” was challenged for its pro-communist and sexually explicit content, alongside other subversive and dystopian stories such as Orwell's “Animal Farm” and Alduous Huxley's “Brave New World,” but has since become known as one of the most significant rationalizations for freedom of speech and expression.

The intended audience is kids in grades 3-7, or ages 8-12. However, many kids that fall outside that age bracket are reading and talking about this series.

Why is Animal Farm banned? ›

There are many places in the world where George Orwell's satire Animal Farm has been banned. To say that the United States is not one of these places is an understatement. The book was misunderstood and was seen as being critical of all forms of socialism, rather than specifically Stalinist communism.

The Lorax by Dr.

Dr. Seuss' environmental kid's book was banned in 1989 in a California school because it was believed to portray logging in a poor light and would turn children against the foresting industry.

In fact, when Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was first published, many parents and teachers did not want this book in their schools, homes, or libraries. At. All. The book promoted “witchcraft, the occult, and anti-family themes” just to name a few.

In the first eight months of 2022, the ALA received 681 reports of book challenges targeting 1,651 unique books. Most of the books have to do with race, sex, sexual orientation, and gender. Parents, teachers, students, and other stakeholders commonly express concerns over the works students read in schools.

The Great Gatsby was challenged and banned for a few reasons: sex, violence, adultery, and language.

In a statement, Keller ISD's superintendent, Dr Rick Westfall, said the review process was continuing: “We anticipate that books like the Bible, Anne Frank's Diary: The Graphic Adaptation, and other titles will be on shelves very soon.

Keller ISD has pulled all versions of the Bible from school shelves in a recent purge to remove LGBTQ books and other 'controversial' titles.

You can have Bibles in your classroom library. You can teach about Religion in an objective way. You can use sacred/religious music, literature, historical figures if balanced and has an academic purpose.

Two petitions sought to block Barnes & Noble and independent booksellers from selling “Gender Queer” and “A Court of Mist and Fury” to minors in Virginia because of the books' sexual content.

Why do parents want to ban books? ›

Why do people ban books? Often it's for religious or political reasons: An idea, a scene, or a character in the book offends their religion, sense of morality, or political view. Some folks feel they need to protect children from the cursing, morally offensive behavior, or racially insensitive language in a book.

Those advocating a ban complain typically that the book in question contains graphic violence, expresses disrespect for parents and family, is sexually explicit, exalts evil, lacks literary merit, is unsuitable for a particular age group, or includes offensive language.

In 1986, a WI town banned this book because religious groups thought a scene featuring a spider licking her lips could be taken in two ways, including sexual.

Bridge to Terabithia has the dubious distinction of being one of the most frequently banned and/or challenged books in the United States, supposedly because of its references to witchcraft and atheism and a lot of swearing.

Since its publication in 1962, A Wrinkle in Time has become one of the mostfrequently banned or challenged books, for multiple reasons. People have argued that it's too complicated for children, and earlier critics disapproved of its plucky female protagonist.

“The Color Purple” by Alice Walker has been banned in schools all over the country since 1984, due to its graphic sexual content and situations of violence and abuse. While “The Color Purple” contains a lot of controversial content, it's necessary to the story and is what makes the book so real and unique.

In Morris , Manitoba , the book was removed from the school libraries for “excess vulgar language, sexual scenes, things concerning moral issues, excessive violence, and anything dealing with the occult” (Bookczuk). The book was banned in 1989 from classrooms in Boron High School in California for profanity.

They rejected Steinbeck's portrayal of the living and working situation in California as inaccurate and slanderous. Upon the release of the novel in 1939, it was immediately banned by the county council. Politicians, businessmen, teachers, and parents all rejected Steinbeck's negative portrayal of California farmers.

This book was banned due to the author's name. Brown Bear, Brown Bear was banned when The Texas State Board of Education accidentally mixed up its author Bill Martin Jr. with Bill Martin author of Ethical Marxism: The Categorical Imperative of Liberation.

Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to be sexually explicit. Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison was one of five LGBTQIA+ titles challenged by a parent at the North Hunterdon-Voorhees (NJ) Regional High School District.

Who is behind the banning of books? ›

Organizations and groups involved in pushing for book bans have sprung up rapidly at the local and national levels, particularly since 2021. These range from local Facebook groups to the nonprofit organization Moms for Liberty, a national-level organization that now has over 200 chapters.

Teenagers no longer see characters struggling with the identity issues they are, they do not hear the voices that reflect their own. Wiping them from literature sends the message that their experiences are null and void. This ultimately leaves them alone. But book banning need not always be a constant.

The PEN America report found that 1,648 individual book titles were banned nationwide in 2,532 decisions from July 2021 to June 2022. Texas' total number of bans during that period was 801 in 22 school districts, far outpacing No. 2 Florida, which banned 566 books in 21 districts.

What Types of Book Bans Are Taking Place in Schools? In total, PEN America's Index of School Book Bans tracked 2,532 decisions to ban books between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. This includes bans on 1,648 unique book titles.

The following were the top three reasons cited for challenging materials as reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom: the material was considered to be "sexually explicit" the material contained "offensive language" the materials was "unsuited to any age group"

Is "Fahrenheit 451" banned in America? This novel is not banned. Sometimes Fahrenheit 451 is challenged and asked to be removed because it contains vulgar language and content. Some people may take offense to the content due to conflicting moral, ethical, or religious beliefs.

About 41 percent of the banned titles explicitly address LGBTQ themes, making these the biggest target of the bans. Books involving sexual content—such as stories about teen pregnancy, sexual assault and abortion—account for 22 percent of the titles.

In fact, when Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was first published, many parents and teachers did not want this book in their schools, homes, or libraries. At. All. The book promoted “witchcraft, the occult, and anti-family themes” just to name a few.

What is the number 1 banned book in America? ›

What Is the Most Banned Book in America? For all time, the most frequently banned book is 1984 by George Orwell.

1. THE CATCHER IN THE RYE, by J.D. Salinger.

The Lorax by Dr.

Dr. Seuss' environmental kid's book was banned in 1989 in a California school because it was believed to portray logging in a poor light and would turn children against the foresting industry.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is regularly on the banned books list put out by the American Library Association. It has been banned because of vulgarity, racism, and its treatment of women. The challenges don't seem to go away as time goes on; even in the twenty-first century, the book is still being challenged.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding was challenged in the Waterloo Iowa schools in 1992 because of profanity, lurid passages about sex, and statements defamatory to minorities, God, women, and the disabled. In 2000, it was challenged, but retained on the ninth-grade accelerated English reading list in Bloomfield, NY.

Since 2021, the number of books challenged in and banned by school districts has escalated sharply. During the 2021-22 school year, 138 school districts in 32 states banned more than 2,500 books, an updated report by PEN America earlier this month revealed.

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Due to themes of death and the fact that the main characters are talking animals, a parent group in Kansas sought to ban the book from their students' school libraries.

“The Color Purple” by Alice Walker has been banned in schools all over the country since 1984, due to its graphic sexual content and situations of violence and abuse. While “The Color Purple” contains a lot of controversial content, it's necessary to the story and is what makes the book so real and unique.

Why is James and the Giant Peach banned? ›

In 1986, a WI town banned this book because religious groups thought a scene featuring a spider licking her lips could be taken in two ways, including sexual.