The last week in September is Banned Books Week! Banned Books Week celebrates books that have been banned or challenged by schools, libraries, and anybody else inclined to participate in the censorship of unorthodox or unpopular ideas. Did you know that Harper Lee’s classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, has made the banned books list almost every year since it was published?
Check out the American Library Association’s list of the ten most challenged books of 2017 for your next great read:
- Thirteen Reasons Why written by Jay Asher
- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian written by Sherman Alexie
- Drama written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier
- The Kite Runner written by Khaled Hosseini
- George written by Alex Gino
- Sex is a Funny Word written by Cory Silverberg and illustrated by Fiona Smyth
- To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee
- The Hate U Give written by Angie Thomas
- And Tango Makes Three written by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson and illustrated by Henry Cole
- I Am Jazz written by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings and illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas
You can find more information on these titles, other frequently banned and challenged books, and the role libraries play in defending free speech at the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom’s Banned & Challenged Books website.