Banned Books Week 2022

"Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us." is the theme of this year’s Banned Books Week, running September 18-24, 2022. This year marks the 40th anniversary since the start of Banned Books Week. This annual event was launched in response to a sudden surge of book challenges in schools, libraries and bookstores in 1982. This week is meant to highlight the value of free and open access to information while celebrating the freedom to read. Check out a small sample of titles below, all of which have been challenged at some point over the past 40 years. 

 

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou 

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood 

Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume 

George (AKA Melissa) by Alex Gino 

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon 

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini 

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison 

Monster by Walter Dean Myers 

And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson 

 Captain Underpants (series) by Dav Pilkey 

A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein 

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas 

The Color Purple by Alice Walker 

The Librarian of Basra by Jeanette Winter 

Black Boy by Richard Wright  
 

 

The American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom tracks challenges across the country and you can find their yearly lists of top challenged books here. Learn more about Banned Books Week here.