Archive · 17 Dec 2025
America's Escalating Book Bans Target Acclaimed Works
In the past few years, many schools in the US have been removing books from their libraries and classrooms.
These books are often very popular and well-known, like The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison.
People who support banning these books sometimes say they want to protect students from inappropriate content.
However, many of these books actually talk about important topics like race, being LGBTQ+, and dealing with difficult experiences.
Some of these books have been around for a long time and are considered classics.
Experts worry that removing these books limits what students can learn and discuss in school.
Over 22,810 book bans have occurred in 451 school districts across 45 states in the past four school years.
The most frequently banned books include critically acclaimed titles like Looking for Alaska by John Green and Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult.
Books addressing race, LGBTQ+ identities, sexual violence, and mental health are disproportionately targeted for bans.
Many banned books are literary classics, such as The Handmaid’s Tale and The Bluest Eye, which are celebrated outside of school settings.
PEN America warns that these bans create a constrained educational environment, limiting the intellectual and emotional experiences of students.
- Who
- US public school districts and censorship advocates
- What
- Banning of acclaimed and widely read books
- When
- Over the past four school years (2021-2025)
- Where
- 45 states across 451 school districts
- Why
- Books often address socially and politically contested themes like race, LGBTQ+ identities, and sexual violence
- Total Book Bans
- 22,810
- Affected School Districts
- 451
- Affected States
- 45
- Most Banned Book
- Looking for Alaska by John Green (147 bans)
- Second Most Banned Book
- Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult (142 bans)
- Common Themes Targeted
- Race, LGBTQ+ identities, sexual violence, mental health
- Notable Banned Classics
- The Handmaid’s Tale, The Bluest Eye, Beloved, The Color Purple, The Hate U Give
- Organization Tracking Bans
- PEN America