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Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. By Judy Blume- Published in 1970

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Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. By Judy Blume- Published in 1970

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The book has not been entirely censored but the book was challenged in 1990 and in 2009. The only censorship I could find was in 2023 in Katy, Texas. They banned the book in elementary schools in the county and it is only available to middle school and up. The first reception of the book was positive but changed in the 80s as people didn't like the talk of the menstrual cycle and how Margaret was considering not following her religion. I selected this book because I read it in middle school and it felt like I was finally seen whenever I read it. It helped me understand what I was going through and how I was feeling was completely normal. It helped me feel comfortable in my own body.

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1984. By George Orwell, published in 1949

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1984. By George Orwell, published in 1949

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1984 has been a censored book for decades, despite its themes throughout exploring censorship and constant surveillance. It has been challenged in many states, including Florida and Indiana, but received remarkable effort by decision makers in Colorado when once it was removed by the school district, a federal judge ordered to restore it and prohibited censorship in all forms moving forward.

When first published, it was looked at and received as a warning as to where government could lead. Even with the fear of the power of the dystopian novel, it was a masterpiece of its time and gained the respect and influence by the general public. Throughout its time here, now more than ever, we have looked towards it as a guide to where the technology advancements and government control described in the novel can lead.

I selected this book to further everyone's knowledge of a compliant society and how it not only comes about, but where it leads. When I first read this book in middle school, I was moved by the way something so grim and eerily described could be our future if we let it. Re-reading this novel every year or so has not only given me a new meaning of it every time, but a new way at looking at the world and the censorship and surveillance we face in our everyday lives.

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There Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Published in 1937

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There Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Published in 1937

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Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston has faced challenges and debates since its publication due to Hurston’s political views. Hurston’s novel deals with many vulnerable themes like rape, arranged marriage, interracial relationships, and murder. Their Eyes Were Watching God faced its first challenge in 1997 from a concerned parent at Stonewall Jackson High School in Brentsville, Virginia. Hurston’s novel was debated for language and sexual explicitness but the challenge was unsuccessful and the book remained on advanced reading lists. The novel has since been an integral part of the English classroom, starting important discussions about self-discovery and the navigation of Black identity in the Jim Crow era of the United States.

I selected this book because it opened my eyes to how challenging it was for interracial Americans to find their identity as they seemed to be ostracized from both white and black areas of society. Hurston writes with such rawness that it’s impossible for the reader not to feel something towards the topics she discusses. To me, this book is key to starting uncomfortable but necessary conversations in the English classroom about the place black identity—especially for the black woman—has in literature and the world.

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The Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley, Published in 2021

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The Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley, Published in 2021

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Synopsis:

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley (2021) follows Daunis Fontaine, an 18-year-old Ojibwe teenager caught between two worlds: her Native American heritage and her life in a predominantly white community. When she witnesses a shocking murder connected to a drug crisis devastating her community, Daunis is thrust into a dangerous undercover FBI investigation. Balancing loyalty, identity, and truth, she must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to protect her people.

Censorship History:

Despite its acclaim, Firekeeper’s Daughter has faced challenges and bans in some U.S. schools and libraries. Critics often cite its depictions of drug use, violence, and sexual assault, as well as its frank discussions of racism, identity, and Indigenous sovereignty. Supporters argue that the book provides a platform for underrepresented voices and addresses real-life issues that teens encounter.

Personal Connection:

I selected this book because it blends powerful storytelling with urgent social issues: Boulley, an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians writes authentically about identity and resilience, and I found Daunis’s journey both heartbreaking and empowering. The book matters to me because it highlights voices often silenced in mainstream literature, and its censorship history shows how necessary it is to protect stories that confront difficult but real truths. I am also half Native and half White, and this was the first book I had ever read that had a character who was like me.

Blurb:

I chose Angeline Boulley’s Firekeeper’s Daughter (2021) because it is both a compelling thriller and a meaningful exploration of cultural identity. The story of Daunis Fontaine reflects the struggles of balancing two worlds while still trying to stay true to oneself. This novel resonated with me because of its honesty in addressing tough issues like substance abuse, racism, and violence, all while centering Indigenous voices that are rarely represented in young adult literature. Unfortunately, the book has also faced challenges and bans for the very reasons it is so impactful: its realistic depictions of trauma, resilience, and injustice. To me, this censorship makes the book even more significant, as it shows that literature that pushes boundaries often sparks the most important conversations. I find Firekeeper’s Daughter meaningful because it expands empathy and understanding while giving readers a heroine who is both strong and vulnerable, reflecting the realities that many young people face today.

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"Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret."  by Judy Blume -Published in 1970

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"Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret."  by Judy Blume -Published in 1970

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Originally censored in 1970s at her daughter's primary school. Then in September 2023 the book was banned in the Katy Independent School District. In the 1980s, people didn't agree with the fact Margaret was questioning her religion. They didn't agree with her talking about her menstrual cycle either even though it's a very normal topic to talk about. This book is meaningful to me because it's a book I read religiously while I was growing up because it deep dives into what a teenage girl might think about or feel about the changes her body is going through. I was shocked to learn that it was banned in schools because girls go through these changes at different ages so I think banning it in schools is not the way to go. Not to mention, the early reception of the book people originally praised it because it was honest about puberty but also the thought process of a teen girl.

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All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson

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All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson

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The ban on All Boys Aren't Blue started just months after its original publication in August of 2020, originating in Kansas City, Missouri and spreading across different counties around the United States. In certain audiences, the book was received well, but others felt the strong themes of the LGBTQIA+ community, sexual experiences, and profanity were unfit for young minds. I first read this book my senior year of high school when the author popped up on my TikTok, talking about his banned memoir. I continued to read the book because of Johnson's recounts of homophobia and bullying and his story touched me in such a deep and visceral way. Johnson's story is a gateway for other members of the LGBTQIA+ community to feel safe, heard, and comfortable enough to share their own stories.

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The novel To Kill A Mockingbird originally received positive feedback from critics after its release. However, in 1966, a school board in Hanover County, Virginia, wanted to ban the book for its discussion of rape, deeming the book immoral. Throughout the 70s and 80s, other school boards across the U.S. worked to ban To Kill A Mockingbird from school libraries and to remove the novel from the curriculum taught in classrooms due to its use of racial slurs. Even as recently as 2017, the book was removed from classrooms (but not the school library) in Biloxi, Mississippi, for the use of racial slurs.

The book follows a young girl named Scout, her brother, and their lawyer father, Atticus, as he defends a black man falsely accused of rape. The story is set in Maycomb, Alabama, where racial tensions are high and prejudice is the norm. Scout (and readers alike) is awakened to the harsh reality of the South and the "justice" system. Many readers enjoy Scout's adolescent perspective on the serious topics discussed in the novel.

I first read To Kill A Mockingbird in middle school for pleasure, and thought it was a very interesting perspective on a very real issue in our world. I was later required to read it again in my freshman year of high school. Discussing the book with other students helped me appreciate it more, and I gained a deeper understanding of the themes.

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To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee  -   Published in 1960

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To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee  -   Published in 1960

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The novel To Kill A Mockingbird originally received positive feedback from critics after its release. However, in 1966, a school board in Hanover County, Virginia, wanted to ban the book for its discussion of rape, deeming the book immoral. Throughout the 70s and 80s, other school boards across the U.S. focused on banning To Kill A Mockingbird from school libraries and removing it from the classroom curriculum due to its usage of racial slurs. As recently as 2017, the book was removed from classrooms (but not the school library) in Biloxi, Mississippi, for the use of racial slurs.

The book follows a young girl named Scout, her brother, and their lawyer father, Atticus, as he defends a black man falsely accused of rape. The story is set in Maycomb, Alabama, where racial tensions are high and prejudice is the norm. Scout (and readers alike) is awakened to the harsh reality of the South and the "justice" system. Many readers enjoy Scout's adolescent perspective on such serious topics.

I first read To Kill A Mockingbird in middle school for pleasure, and thought it was an interesting perspective on a very real issue in our world. I was later required to read it again in my freshman year of high school. Discussing the book with other students helped me appreciate it more, and I gained a deeper understanding of the themes.

Ainsley Culbertson - English/Lisensure

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The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, published in 2008

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The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, published in 2008

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The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a dystopian young adult novel about a teenage girl from a poor family who is taken by the government to compete to the death with twenty-three other teenagers, while the whole country watches. This young girl, Katniss, becomes a thorn in the government’s side and eventually a revolutionary leader as she resists their oppressive tactics, rules, and dehumanization. The book features lots of characters’ death, a bleak society with dark themes, anti-government rebels, and some crude speech from disillusioned teens, all of which have upset parents of students studying the book in school. The American Library Association listed The Hunger Games as number three out of 326 books in their "Most Challenged Books of 2011" list.

Two cases that I have found are from Lexington, SC in 2025 and Goffstown, NH in 2010. Parents of students reading the novel in schools have claimed that the book teaches no positive moral lesson, desensitizes and encourages violence, promotes anti-government rhetoric and includes overt sexuality. The book does indeed include themes relate to these topics, but if concerned parents read the novel, they would see that it clearly vilifies the government that enforces this brutal violence and instead, promotes kindness, unity, equality, human rights, and peace. The main characters' decisions demonstrate these values and therefore encourages students to do the same. For both challenges brought against The Hunger Games, the school boards were hesitant or against banning the book and the student in question was moved to another reading assignment.

https://www.thestate.com/news/local/education/article300980884.html

https://www.slj.com/story/new-hampshire-parent-challenges-the-hunger-games

https://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10/archive

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky Published in 1999

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky Published in 1999

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Synopsis:

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a 1999 young adult novel by American author Stephen Chbosky. Set in the early 1990s, the novel follows Charlie, a very awkward and introverted teenager, through his freshman year of high school living in the suburbs in Pittsburg. The novel talks about Charlie's abnormal way of thinking as he navigates between adolescence and adulthood, and attempts to deal with hard questions by his interactions with both his friends and family.

Censorship history:

The perks of being a wallflower has been challenged in many states across the US with many states deciding to ban certain books like the perks of being a wallflower. Because of the “explicit content” which refers to substance abuse, sexual content, physical abuse, and many other topics that high schools parents deem “taboo.”

Personal connection:

When I was in high school I came across this book in my freshman year classroom on my teacher’s shelf. It completely changed my outlook in so many ways going into high school and forced me to focus on some of the good rather than the hard challenges you deal with as a teenager. This book inspired me, like many, to feel comfortable dealing with hard stuff and being able to come out the other side with a better outlook.

Blurb:

I chose this book because to me it reflects a lot of the hard topics that high school parents refuse to admit their children are dealing with. High school is a hard time for many teenagers and this book reflects a lot of those same hardships parents ignore.

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The Outsiders is a book that deals with economically disadvantaged teenagers who are essentially raising themselves and who are constantly looking out for each other. Throughout the book they often partake in drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and fighting. More specifically they are constantly fighting with an opposing group of teenagers who live on the nicer side of town and who see them selves as superior to our main group of characters. Due to the activities I have previously mentioned this book has received criticism from parents and school boards alike. They believe the book deals with topics and activities that should not be revealed to middle and high school audiences.

Since being published, The Outsiders has been challenged three times, with only one being successful. The first time The Outsiders was challenged was in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the year 1986 by the school board. Though the challenge technically failed and did not get the book removed from the eighth-grade reading list, it did successfully bring lots of attention to the book and caused for it to be a frequently challenged book. The first and only successful challenger of The Outsiders occurred in 1992 by a parent in Boone, Iowa. It was challenged for "glamorizing smoking and drinking" as well as excessive violence and obscenities. The book has only been challenged one other time since these two occurred, it was in Eleanor, West Virginia in 2001 and was an unsuccessful challenge.

I chose this book because it is one of the most enjoyable books that I ever read in school. And even though I could not relate to it directly, it did give me a lot of insight to how life may be for certain young people throughout the country. I also think the challenges for this book are ridiculous as this book does not glamorize or glorify the activities taking place by any means, if anything this book likely makes teens think about how lucky they are to not be neglected and left fending for themselves in a dangerous world.

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Twilight. By Stephanie Meyer, published in 2005.

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Twilight. By Stephanie Meyer, published in 2005.

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Twilight, written by Stephanie Meyer, was first published in 2005. The novel is about an introverted teenage girl named Bella Swan. She moves to a new town and falls in love with a mysterious boy who is actually a 104 year-old vampire, named Edward. When she discovers this secret, she isn’t deterred and she immerses herself into his world to be with him. Bella is faced with many challenges when she learns that humans aren’t actually at the top of the food chain.

Twilight’s first ban came in 2008, it was a temporary ban in Capistrano, California, no explanation was given for its short disappearance from school library shelves. In 2009, the book series was challenged by a parent for sexual content in Magna, Utah. Also in 2009, the series was banned at Santa Sabina College in Australia for being “too racy”. Australia banned the series from primary schools and some middle grade schools for sexual content and for going against religious beliefs. The latest challenge came in 2015 from a minister in Cleveland, Texas. He believed that the books were “occult and demonic” and didn’t belong in a public library.

This series of books was extremely popular when I was in high school. We were all reading it and couldn’t get enough. I vividly remember going to Walmart before school started to purchase the last book in the saga, Breaking Dawn. At the same time, all of us girls were going to the midnight premieres of each movie. I connected to Bella because she was introverted but she always spoke up when it mattered. She was strong willed and put her heart into everything. This resonated a lot with me since I was also, and still am, an introvert. The series was also a great escape. The supernatural theme let you step away from the real world and be a part of someone else’s love story.

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The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, published in 2002.

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The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, published in 2002.

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The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold is a fictional story of a fourteen-year-old girl named Susie Salmon in the 70s, who is raped and killed by her neighbor. The book is mainly told from Susie's perspective in her own version of heaven, as she watches her family and friends grieve and grow from her death. The story extends throughout many years, as Susie herself and her family come to terms with what happened.

The Lovely Bones was published in 2002 and became very popular. It was originally challenged in 2007 for not being appropriate for middle school students, and was challenged twice throughout 2008 and 2009. It was challenged again in 2017 in a high school for having “pornographic” scenes. It was also under review because it contained religious themes, specifically the idea of Susie telling the story from heaven and the idea that ghosts can have impacts on people who are still alive. However, Susie’s heaven contains no specific mention of a god and does not show specific support for any religion.

I selected this book because it was the first book I had read that contained sexual assault, and that stuck with me. I originally read it in eighth grade after my teacher read the first pages to us and encouraged us to read the rest on our own. Reading The Lovely Bones made me realize how many cases like Susie happen all over the world, which I had never considered before at the time. As I read about Susie's family's reactions and growth from her death, it helped me to understand grief on a level that I had not before.

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R.L Stine's work “Welcome to the Death House” was first published in 1992. By 1996, the book had sold over 1 million copies, marking the start of the Goosebumps series. As the book gained traction, objections started to arise, stating that the book was too scary for children. Themes like death, animal death, and gore are some of the main reasons for the objection to the content. The attack against RL Stine's work started in the 1990s and continues to be reevaluated today. One of the biggest challenges against the book was in 1997 in the Anoka-Hennepin School District (Minnesota). Starting in 2018, there was a mass movement of rewrites of many of R.L Stine's works in hopes of promoting censorship. In many cases, words that are controversial or stigmatizing were replaced or taken out.

When looking at the list of banned books, this title jumped out at me. As long as I have been in school, the Goosebumps books have been used to get reluctant readers more engaged in literature. Moving books like this out of school libraries will neglect a large audience of readers. This is why I wanted to look into this book; banning it just doesn't feel right.

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The call of the wild by Jack London published in 1903

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The call of the wild by Jack London published in 1903

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Jack London’s The Call of the Wild 1903 remains widely read and taught, though it has long been a target for challenges because of graphic violence and animal-fight scenes. Historically it faced outright political bans in Italy and Yugoslavia in the 1920s In the 21st century it shows up on “challenged classics” lists, but no major, unresolved school-district removals of this specific title have surfaced in 2023–2025; most contemporary censorship activity targets modern works and large lists of titles. The novel continues to appear in NEA Big Read programs, publisher editions, and literary podcast discussions.

1920s International Bans: Banned in Italy and Yugoslavia due to concerns about Jack London’s socialist politics.

Content Objections: Periodic U.S. challenges for violent scenes and depiction of animal fights.

Modern Status: Frequently listed among “challenged classics,” but currently available in most school and public libraries.

No major new legal bans or widespread removals reported as of 2025.

Continues to be taught in classrooms and featured in reading programs like the NEA Big Read.

I selected this book because I read it in high school and I really enjoyed it and I consider it to be one of my favorite books i Really enjoy how it navigates through certain issues

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The call of the wild by Jack London published in 1903

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I selected American Psycho because of its dark satire and psychological depth. I’ve read the novel multiple times, with my most recent reading taking place last fall. While the book itself didn’t affect me emotionally, its themes left a lasting impression, particularly its exploration of toxic masculinity. The protagonist, Patrick Bateman, is obsessed with being the best at work, socially, and physically, even as it drives him to madness. While I obviously don’t condone his actions, I resonated with his relentless drive and ambition. His extreme pursuit of perfection reflects, in a distorted way, a familiar personal motivation. Originally slated for publication by Simon & Schuster, the novel was dropped due to its graphic content. It was later published by Vintage Books, sparking significant controversy. The book received backlash for its explicit depictions of violence, especially sexual violence against women, which led to death threats against the author and widespread criticism. Feminist organizations condemned the novel, and many critics labeled it as "misogynistic and depraved."

Censorship and Banning History:
American Psycho has faced numerous bans and restrictions globally. It has been restricted or banned in countries such as Germany, Australia, and New Zealand. In both Australia and New Zealand, the book must be sold shrink-wrapped and only to adult readers. The author himself has remarked that the book would likely not be published today due to “modern sensitivities.”

In the United States, the novel was most recently banned in April 2025 in Cobb County, Georgia, where it was removed from all public and school libraries. Despite ongoing censorship debates, the book remains in print. However, age restrictions and minor content alterations have been applied in newer editions in some regions.

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Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury was published in 1953 and contains themes of advancing technology, shortened attention and craving for something new, and knowledge versus ignorance. It was first censored for some language in 1967 where a drunk man was changed to a sick man. In 1992 some more language was censored as well. A Texas school system attempted a ban in 2006 for religious concerns as there is a bible that gets burned within the novel. This did not stick due to parent complaints.

The book follows a man named Guy Montag who works as a fireman. In the case of Fahrenheit 451, firemen set fire to books at the first sight of them instead of putting out fires.

The book has always been interesting to me because we are moving toward a similar society. Bradbury predicted this short attention spanned society that is constantly onto the next thing. Books are being read less and less as technology is taking over and knowledge is being forgotten and censored. Personally I believe this book can be used as a warning as to what we may, as a society, be moving towards.

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 Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk - Published in 1996

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 Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk - Published in 1996

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Fight Club, written by Chuck Palahniuk, was first written between 1994 and 1995, published in 1996. This book follows the narrator who finds himself struggling with insomnia and dissatisfaction from his very average life, where he works an office job. To fill the voids of loneliness and emptiness, he attends support group meetings for various sicknesses and issues that he does not have. Eventually, he meets a guy named Tyler Durden, who is the polar opposite of himself, and joins Tyler in creating Fight Club. What was once a way for men to release their steam through brawling with one another, Fight Club turned into an organization referred to as Project Mayhem. As this destructive organization under Tyler’s influence begins to completely spiral out of control, the narrator learns that Tyler is actually just his imaginary projection of the darkest parts of his own self. The narrator realizes that this whole time, he had actually been going down his own self-destructive journey and fighting with himself. He struggles to reclaim his own mind and fix the damage that he had caused.

Fight Club was very well received, sparking great reviews by the Washington Post and other reviewers. However, some critics felt it was overly violent, explicit, and supported cultish ideologies. The book was challenged by parents of students at Seven Lakes High School in Katy, Texas, in 2013, and removed from a required reading list. It was also banned in the Texas Prison System, and the ending of the film was changed for streaming in China, also removing nudity and some other explicit scenes. “My books are heavily banned throughout the U.S.,” Palahniuk said. “The Texas prison system refuses to carry my books in their libraries. A lot of public schools and most private schools refuse to carry my books. But it’s only an issue once China changes the end of a movie? I’ve been putting up with book banning for a long time.” (Chuck Palahniuk).

I first read this book in high school. It really opened my eyes to how quickly aspects of our lives can spiral when we let them be controlled by the influence of others, and how easily we can crave a life that we do not currently have.

I connected with this book through its portrayal of fighting with your own mind. It made me realize how, in your own head you can get about the struggles and personal battles going on in your life, and the effect that it can have on you. I think this is something that often students, especially young adults, deal with and often don’t speak up about. Seeing ideas like this presented in something that I was reading was very eye-opening, and it was inspiring to see how the narrator was able to take back control of his own life in the end.

https://ncac.org/incident/fight-club-nixed-from-ap-english-in-texas-after-parental-complaints

https://www.marshall.edu/library/bannedbooks/fight-club/#:~:text=Removed%20from%20the%20Katy%20(TX,violent%20nature%20and%20explicit%20undertones.

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Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut is a satirical anti-war novel written in 1969 that blends science fiction with autobiography to recount the firebombing of Dresden in WWII. The protagonist, Billy Pilgrim, becomes "unstuck in time" which leads to him experiencing his life out of order. This includes his time as a soldier, his captivity in Dresden, and his encounters with aliens from another planet.

The novel's presence has been challenged in schools due to explicit language, sexual content, and perceived anti-American themes. In 1973, an English teacher was teaching Slaughterhouse Five at a North Dakota high school and a school board member had ordered that all 32 copies be burned.

I chose Slaughterhouse Five because it's one of the few novels that depicts both the devastation and absurdity of war. While reading it, I had a slight sense of discomfort but admiration. Admiration for how it made me think about how stories of war and violence can be told. I also really enjoyed how the fragmented narrative reflected how trauma reshapes memory, while also offering insight into the resilience of the human spirit.