Banned Books 2023: Davis Library's Featured Banned Books

Sex Is A Funny Word 

by Cory Silverberg

J 613.9071 S587

Was Banned Because Of...

• LGBTQ+      
• Gender Identity          
• Sex Education             
• Inappropriate Illustrations

The Holy Bible

220.52 B582c        

Was Banned Because Of...

• Religious Viewpoints       
• Vulgarity       
• Violence         
• Inappropriate for Children

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

by Mark Twain

813.49 T969ah2         

Was Banned Because Of...

• Trashy             
• Irreligious       
• Mindless         
• Racist

To Kill a Mockingbird

by Harper Lee

813.54 L478to         

Was Banned Because Of...

• Racism             
• Violence         
• Offensive Language       
• Adult Themes

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

by Sherman Alexie

813.6 A384a         

Was Banned Because Of...

• Profanity        
• Anti-Christian              
• Sexually Explicit          
• Violence

The Kite Runner

by Khaled Hosseini

813.6 H829k         

Was Banned Because Of...

• Religious Viewpoint   
• Offensive Language  
• Sexually Explicit          
• Homosexuality

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

by Maya Angelou

B A584         

Was Banned Because Of...

• Sexual Content            
• Homosexuality             
• Anti-White      
• Drug Use

And Tango Makes Three

by Justin Richardson

J 813.6 R521a

Was Banned Because Of...

• Homosexual Undertones       
• Unsuitable for Young Children

A Child Called It

by Dave Pelzer

362.76092 P393         

Was Banned Because Of...

• Violence         
• Child Abuse          
• Graphic Depictions             
• Profanity

Of Mice and Men

by John Steinbeck

813.52 S819o         

Was Banned Because Of...

• Profanity        
• Vulgarity         
• Racism            
• Violence

The Giver

by Lois Lowry

813.54 L921         

Was Banned Because Of...

• Murder           
• Suicide            
• Offensive Language         
• Degradation of Motherhood

Thirteen Reasons Why

by Jay Asher

813.6 A825         

Was Banned Because Of...

• Glamorization of Suicide       
• Drug Use         
• Sexually Explicit Content             
• Alcohol

The Hate U Give

by Angie Thomas

813.6 T454         

Was Banned Because Of...

• Racism            
• Police Brutality           
• Drug Use         
• Profanity

The Diary of a Young Girl

by Anne Frank

B F828d         

Was Banned Because Of...

• “A Real Downer”         
• Sexually Offensive           
• Homosexual Themes
• Undermining Adult Authority

Drama

by Raina Telgemeier

GrNo 741.5973 T271 

Was Banned Because Of...

• Sexual Violence           
• Promotion of Islam     
• LGBTQ+ Content      
• Sexually Explicit

The Glass Castle

by Jeannette Walls

362.82092 W215         

Was Banned Because Of...

• Offensive Language        
• Strong Sexual Scenes         
• Alcoholism         
• Abuse

The Handmaid's Tale

by Margaret Atwood

813.54 A887h         

Was Banned Because Of...

• Profanity        
• Sexual Tones                
• Anti-Christian              
• Morally Corrupt

The Bluest Eye

by Toni Morrison

813.54 M882bl         

Was Banned Because Of...

• Violence         
• Strong Language         
• Graphic Descriptions
• Sexually Explicit

The Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins

813.6 C712hu         

Was Banned Because Of...

• Violence         
• Anti-Family                  
• Occult/Satanic            
• Offensive Language

1984 

by George Orwell

823.912 O79ni         

Was Banned Because Of...

• Sexual Content            
• Political Themes          
• Both Anticommunist and Pro-Communism

Maus

by Art Spiegelman

GrNo 940.53 S755

Was Banned Because Of...

• Profanity        
• Nudity             
• Violence         
• Suicide

Crank

by Ellen Hopkins

811.6 H793c   

Was Banned Because Of...

• Drug Use         
• Offensive Language        
• Sexually Explicit          
• Obscene      

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

by Stephen Chbosky

813.54 C513p

Was Banned Because Of...

•  Sexual content            
• Glorification of alcohol and drugs     
• Profanity             
• LGBTQ+       

The Catcher in the Rye

by J.D. Salinger

813.54 S165c         

Was Banned Because Of...

• Profanity        
• Sexually Explicit          
• Part of Communist Plot
• Anti-Religious

Looking for Alaska

by John Green

813.6 G796l         

Was Banned Because Of...

• Sexually Explicit          
• Offensive Language          
• Drug Use         
• Alcohol

Fifty Shades of Grey

by E.L. James

823.92 J275f          

Was Banned Because Of...

• Religious Viewpoint   
• Sexual Situations        
• Threat to Morality     
• Offensive Language