Top Banned Books: The Most Banned Books in U.S. Schools – Pen America
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- #book bans
- #censorship
- #literature
- PEN America has documented 22,810 cases of book bans in U.S. public schools since 2021.
- Bans have occurred in 45 states and 451 public school districts, targeting books across genres.
- Many banned books explore themes of race, racism, LGBTQ+ identities, or reflect realities of sexual abuse and violence.
- Top banned books include 'Looking for Alaska' by John Green (147 bans) and 'Nineteen Minutes' by Jodi Picoult (142 bans).
- Other frequently banned books are 'The Bluest Eye' by Toni Morrison and 'The Handmaid’s Tale' by Margaret Atwood.
- Authors like Sarah J. Maas and Ellen Hopkins have multiple books in the top banned list.
- Reasons for bans often cite content related to sexuality, violence, or LGBTQ+ themes, despite many books being award-winning and critically acclaimed.