Banned Books Week

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 273 challenges in 2020:

1. George — Alex Gino
   Reasons: Challenged, banned, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content, conflicting with a religious viewpoint, and not reflecting “the values of our community”
2. Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You — Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds
   Reasons: Banned and challenged because of author’s public statements, and because of claims that the book contains “selective storytelling incidents” and does not encompass racism against all people
3. All American Boys — Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
   Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity, drug use, and alcoholism, and because it was thought to promote anti-police views, contain divisive topics, and be “too much of a sensitive matter right now”
4. Speak — Laurie Halse Anderson
   Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted because it was thought to contain a political viewpoint and it was claimed to be biased against male students, and for the novel’s inclusion of rape and profanity
5. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian — Sherman Alexie
   Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references, and allegations of sexual misconduct by the author
6. Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice — Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard, illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin
   Reasons: Challenged for “divisive language” and because it was thought to promote anti-police views
7. To Kill a Mockingbird — Harper Lee
   Reasons: Banned and challenged for racial slurs and their negative effect on students, featuring a “white savior” character, and its perception of the Black experience
8. Of Mice and Men — John Steinbeck
   Reasons: Banned and challenged for racial slurs and racist stereotypes, and their negative effect on students
9. The Bluest Eye — Toni Morrison
   Reasons: Banned and challenged because it was considered sexually explicit and depicts child sexual abuse
10. The Hate U Give — Angie Thomas
    Reasons: Challenged for profanity, and it was thought to promote an anti-police message

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 377 challenges in 2019:

1. George — Alex Gino
   Reasons: challenged, banned, restricted, and hidden to avoid controversy; for LGBTQIA+ content and a transgender character; because schools and libraries should not “put books in a child’s hand that require discussion”; for sexual references; and for conflicting with a religious viewpoint and “traditional family structure”
2. Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out — Susan Kuklin
   Reasons: challenged for LGBTQIA+ content, for “its effect on any young people who would read it,” and for concerns that it was sexually explicit and biased
3. A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo — Jill Twiss, illustrated by EG Keller
   Reasons: challenged and vandalized for LGBTQIA+ content and political viewpoints, for concerns that it is “designed to pollute the morals of its readers,” and for not including a content warning
4. Sex is a Funny Word — Cory Silverberg and illustrated by Fiona Smyth
   Reasons: challenged, banned, and relocated for LGBTQIA+ content; for discussing gender identity and sex education; and for concerns that the title and illustrations were “inappropriate” 
5. Prince & Knight — Daniel Haack, illustrated by Stevie Lewis
   Reasons: challenged and restricted for featuring a gay marriage and LGBTQIA+ content; for being “a deliberate attempt to indoctrinate young children” with the potential to cause confusion, curiosity, and gender dysphoria; and for conflicting with a religious viewpoint
6. I Am Jazz — Jessica Herthel, Jazz Jennings, illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas
   Reasons: challenged and relocated for LGBTQIA+ content, for a transgender character, and for confronting a topic that is “sensitive, controversial, and politically charged”
7. The Handmaid’s Tale — Margaret Atwood
   Reasons: banned and challenged for profanity and for “vulgarity and sexual overtones”
8. Drama — Raina Telgemeier
   Reasons: challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and for concerns that it goes against “family values/morals”
9. Harry Potter Series — J.K. Rowling
   Reasons: banned and forbidden from discussion for referring to magic and witchcraft, for containing actual curses and spells, and for characters that use “nefarious means” to attain goals
10. And Tango Makes Three — Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson and illustrated by Henry Cole
    Reasons: challenged and relocated for LGBTQIA+ content

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 347 challenges in 2018:

1. George — Alex Gino
   Reasons: banned, challenged, and relocated because it was believed to encourage children to clear browser history and change their bodies using hormones, and for mentioning “dirty magazines,” describing male anatomy, “creating confusion,” and including a transgender character
2. A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo — Jill Twiss, illustrated by EG Keller
   Reasons: banned and challenged for including LGBTQIA+ content, and for political and religious viewpoints
3. Captain Underpants Series — Dav Pilkey
   Reasons: series was challenged because it was perceived as encouraging disruptive behavior, while Captain Underpants and the Sensational Saga of Sir Stinks-A-Lot was challenged for including a same-sex couple
4. The Hate U Give — Angie Thomas
   Reasons: banned and challenged because it was deemed “anti-cop,” and for profanity, drug use, and sexual references
5. Drama — Raina Telgemeier
   Reasons: banned and challenged for including LGBTQIA+ characters and themes
6. Thirteen Reasons Why — Jay Asher
   Reasons: banned, challenged, and restricted for addressing teen suicide
7. This One Summer — Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Jillian Tamaki
   Reasons: banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references, and certain illustrations
8. Skippyjon Jones series — Judy Schachner
   Reasons: challenged for depicting stereotypes of Mexican culture
9. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian — Sherman Alexie
   Reasons: banned and challenged for sexual references, profanity, violence, gambling, and underage drinking, and for its religious viewpoint
10. This Day in June — Gayle E. Pitman, illustrated by Kristyna Litten
    Reasons: challenged and burned for including LGBTQIA+ content
11. Two Boys Kissing — David Levithan
    Reasons: challenged and burned for including LGBTQIA+ content

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 354 challenges in 2017:

1. Thirteen Reasons Why — Jay Asher
   Reasons: Originally published in 2007, this New York Times bestseller has resurfaced as a controversial book after Netflix aired a TV series by the same name. This YA novel was challenged and banned in multiple school districts because it discusses suicide.
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian — Sherman Alexie
   Reasons: Consistently challenged since its publication in 2007 for acknowledging issues such as poverty, alcoholism, and sexuality, this National Book Award winner was challenged in school curriculums because of profanity and situations that were deemed sexually explicit.
3. Drama — Raina Telgemeier
   Reasons: This Stonewall Honor Award-winning, 2012 graphic novel from an acclaimed cartoonist was challenged and banned in school libraries because it includes LGBT characters and was considered “confusing.”
4. The Kite Runner — Khaled Hosseini
   Reasons: This critically acclaimed, multigenerational novel was challenged and banned because it includes sexual violence and was thought to “lead to terrorism” and “promote Islam.”
5. George — Alex Gino
   Reasons: Written for elementary-age children, this Lambda Literary Award winner was challenged and banned because it includes a transgender child.
6. Sex is a Funny Word — Cory Silverberg and illustrated by Fiona Smyth
   Reasons: This 2015 informational children’s book written by a certified sex educator was challenged because it addresses sex education and is believed to lead children to “want to have sex or ask questions about sex.”
7. To Kill a Mockingbird — Harper Lee
   Reasons: This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, considered an American classic, was challenged and banned because of violence and its use of the N-word.
8. The Hate U Give — Angie Thomas
   Reasons: Despite winning multiple awards and being the most searched-for book on Goodreads during its debut year, this YA novel was challenged and banned in school libraries and curriculums because it was considered “pervasively vulgar” and because of drug use, profanity, and offensive language.
9. And Tango Makes Three — Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson and illustrated by Henry Cole
   Reasons: Returning after a brief hiatus from the Top Ten Most Challenged list, this ALA Notable Children’s Book, published in 2005, was challenged and labeled because it features a same-sex relationship.
10. I Am Jazz — Jessica Herthel, Jazz Jennings, Shelagh McNicholas
    Reasons: This autobiographical picture book co-written by the 13-year-old protagonist was challenged because it addresses gender identity.

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 323 challenges in 2016:

1. This One Summer — Mariko Tamaki & Jillian Tamaki
   Reasons: LGBT characters, drug use and profanity, sexually explicit with mature themes
2. Drama — Raina Telgemeier
   Reasons: LGBT characters, sexually explicit, offensive political viewpoint
3. George — Alex Gino
   Reasons: includes a transgender child, “sexuality was not appropriate at elementary levels”
4. I Am Jazz — Jessica Herthel, Jazz Jennings, Shelagh McNicholas
   Reasons: portrays a transgender child, language, sex education, offensive viewpoints
5. Two Boys Kissing — David Levithan
   Reasons: cover has an image of two boys kissing, considered to include sexually explicit LGBT content
6. Looking for Alaska — John Green
   Reasons: sexually explicit scene that may lead a student to “sexual experimentation”
7. Big Hard Sex Criminals — Matt Fraction & Chip Zdarsky
   Reasons: considered sexually explicit
8. Make Something Up: Stories You Can’t Unread — Chuck Palahniuk
   Reasons: profanity, sexual explicitness, being “disgusting and all around offensive”
9. Little Bill Series — Bill Cosby & Varnette P. Honeywood
   Reasons: criminal sexual allegations against the author
10. Eleanor & Park — Rainbow Rowell
    Reasons: offensive language

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 275 challenges in 2015:

1. Looking for Alaska — John Green
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age group
2. Fifty Shades of Grey — E. L. James
   Reasons: sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, and other ("poorly written," "concerns that a group of teenagers will want to try it")
3. I Am Jazz —J essica Herthel, Jazz Jennings, Shelagh McNicholas
   Reasons: inaccurate, homosexuality, sex education, religious viewpoint, and unsuited for age group
4. Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out — Susan Kuklin
   Reasons: anti-family, offensive language, homosexuality, sex education, political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, unsuited for age group, and other ("wants to remove from collection to ward off complaints")
5. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time — Mark Haddon
   Reasons: offensive language, religious viewpoint, unsuited for age group, and other ("profanity and atheism")
6. The Holy Bible
   Reasons: religious viewpoint
7. Fun Home — Alison Bechdel
   Reasons: violence and other ("graphic images")
8. Habibi — Craig Thompson
   Reasons: nudity, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age group
9. Nasreen’s Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan — Jeanette Winter
   Reasons: religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group, and violence
10. Two Boys Kissing — David Levithan
    Reasons: homosexuality and other ("condones public displays of affection")

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 311 challenges in 2014:

1. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian — Sherman Alexie
   Reasons: anti-family, cultural insensitivity, drugs/alcohol/smoking, gambling, offensive language, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group, violence. Additional reasons: "depictions of bullying"
2. Persepolis — Marjane Satrapi
   Reasons: gambling, offensive language, political viewpoint. Additional reasons: "politically, racially, and socially offensive," "graphic depictions"
3. And Tango Makes Three — Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell, illustrated by Henry Cole
   Reasons: anti-family, homosexuality, political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: "promotes the homosexual agenda"
4. The Bluest Eye — Toni Morrison
   Reasons: sexually explicit, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: "contains controversial issues"
5. It’s Perfectly Normal: A Book About Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health — Robie H. Harris, illustrated by Michael Emberley
   Reasons: nudity, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group. Additional reasons: "alleges it child pornography"
6. Saga — Brian K. Vaughn, Fiona Staples
   Reasons: anti-Family, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age group
7. The Kite Runner — Khaled Hosseini
   Reasons: offensive language, unsuited to age group, violence
8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower — Stephen Chbosky
   Reasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, homosexuality, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: "date rape and masturbation"
9. A Stolen Life — Jaycee Dugard
   Reasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age group
10. Drama — Raina Telgemeier
    Reasons: sexually explicit

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 307 challenges in 2013:

1. Captain Underpants Series — Dav Pilkey
   Reasons: offensive language, unsuited for age group, violence
2. The Bluest Eye — Toni Morrison
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence
3. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian — Sherman Alexie
   Reasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, offensive language, racism, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
4. Fifty Shades of Grey — E. L. James
   Reasons: nudity, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
5. The Hunger Games — Suzanne Collins
   Reasons: religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group
6. A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl — Tanya Lee Stone
   Reasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit
7. Looking for Alaska — John Green
   Reasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower — Stephen Chbosky
   Reasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, homosexuality, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
9. Bless Me Ultima — Rudolfo Anaya
   Reasons: occult/Satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicitli>
10. Bone (Series) — Jeff Smith
    Reasons: political viewpoint, racism, violence

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 464 challenges in 2012:

1. Captain Underpants Series — Dav Pilkey
   Reasons: offensive language, unsuited for age group
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian — Sherman Alexie
   Reasons: offensive language, racism, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group
3. Thirteen Reasons Why — Jay Asher
   Reasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited for age group
4. Fifty Shades of Grey — E. L. James
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit
5. And Tango Makes Three — Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell, illustrated by Henry Cole
   Reasons: homosexuality, unsuited to age group
6. The Kite Runner — Khaled Hosseini
   Reasons: homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit
7. Looking for Alaska — John Green
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group
8. Scary Stories Series (Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones) — Alvin Schwartz
   Reasons: unsuited for age group, violence
9. The Glass Castle — Jeanette Walls
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit
10. Beloved — Toni Morrison
    Reasons: sexually explicit, religious viewpoint, violence

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 326 challenges in 2011:

1. ttyl Series (ttyl; ttfn; l8t, g8r) — Lauren Myracle
   Reasons: offensive language; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group
2. The Color of Earth Series — Kim Dong Hwa
   Reasons: nudity; sex education; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group
3. The Hunger Games Trilogy (The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay) — Suzanne Collins
   Reasons: anti-ethnic; anti-family; insensitivity; offensive language; occult/satanic; violence
4. My Mom's Having A Baby! A Kid's Month-by-Month Guide to Pregnancy — Dori Hillestad Butler, illustrated by Carol Thompson
   Reasons: nudity; sex education; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group
5. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian — Sherman Alexie
   Reasons: offensive language; racism; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group
6. Alice Series — Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
   Reasons: nudity; offensive language; religious viewpoint
7. Brave New World — Aldous Huxley
   Reasons: insensitivity; nudity; racism; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit
8. What My Mother Doesn't Know — Sonya Sones
   Reasons: nudity; offensive language; sexually explicit
9. Gossip Girl Series — Cecily Von Ziegesar
   Reasons: drugs; offensive language; sexually explicit
10. To Kill a Mockingbird — Harper Lee
    Reasons: offensive language; racism

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 348 challenges in 2010:

1. And Tango Makes Three — Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell, illustrated by Henry Cole
   Reasons: homosexuality, religious viewpoint, and unsuited to age group
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian — Sherman Alexie, art by Ellen Forney
   Reasons: offensive language, racism, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, and violence
3. Brave New World — Aldous Huxley
   Reasons: insensitivity, offensive language, racism, and sexually explicit
4. Crank — Ellen Hopkins
   Reasons: drugs, offensive language, and sexually explicit
5. The Hunger Games — Suzanne Collins
   Reasons: sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, and violence
6. Lush — Natasha Friend
   Reasons: drugs, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
7. What My Mother Doesn't Know — Sonya Sones
   Reasons: sexism, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
8. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America — Barbara Ehrenreich
   Reasons: drugs, inaccurate, offensive language, political viewpoint, and religious viewpoint
9. Revolutionary Voices: A Multicultural Queer Youth Anthology — Amy Sonnie
   Reasons: homosexuality and sexually explicit
10. Twilight — Stephenie Meyer
    Reasons: religious viewpoint and violence

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 460 challenges in 2009:

1. ttyl Series (ttyl; ttfn; l8t, g8r) — Lauren Myracle
   Reasons: drugs, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
2. And Tango Makes Three — Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell, illustrated by Henry Cole
   Reason: homosexuality
3. The Perks of Being A Wallflower — Stephen Chbosky
   Reasons: anti-family, drugs, homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited to age group
4. To Kill a Mockingbird — Harper Lee
   Reasons: offensive language, racism, unsuited to age group
5. Twilight Series (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn) — Stephenie Meyer
   Reasons: religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
6. The Catcher in the Rye — J.D. Salinger
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
7. My Sister's Keeper — Jodi Picoult
   Reasons: homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexism, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence
8. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things — Carolyn Mackler
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
9. The Color Purple — Alice Walker
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
10. The Chocolate War — Robert Cormier
    Reasons: nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 513 challenges in 2008:

1. And Tango Makes Three — Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell, illustrated by Henry Cole
   Reasons: anti-ethnic, anti-family, homosexuality, religious viewpoint, and unsuited to age group
2. His Dark Materials Trilogy (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass) — Philip Pullman
   Reasons: political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, and violence
3. ttyl Series (ttyl; ttfn; l8t, g8r) — Lauren Myracle
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
4. Scary Stories Series (Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones) — Alvin Schwartz
   Reasons: occult/satanism, religious viewpoint, and violence
5. Bless Me, Ultima — Rudolfo Anaya
   Reasons: occult/satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, and violence
6. The Perks of Being A Wallflower — Stephen Chbosky
   Reasons:  drugs, homosexuality, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, suicide, and unsuited to age group
7. Gossip Girl Series — Cecily von Ziegesar
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
8. Uncle Bobby's Wedding — Sarah S. Brannen
   Reasons: homosexuality and unsuited to age group
9. The Kite Runner — Khaled Hosseini
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
10. Flashcards of My Life — Charise Mericle Harper
    Reasons: sexually explicit and unsuited to age group

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 420 challenges in 2007:

1. And Tango Makes Three — Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell, illustrated by Henry Cole
   Reasons: anti-ethnic, anti-family, homosexuality, religious viewpoint, sexism, and unsuited to age group
2. The Chocolate War — Robert Cormier
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, violence
3. Olive's Ocean — Kevin Henkes
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit
4. The Golden Compass — Philip Pullman
   Reason: religious viewpoint
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn — Mark Twain
   Reason: racism
6. The Color Purple — Alice Walker
   Reasons: homosexuality, offensive language, sexually explicit
7. ttyl — Lauren Myracle
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
8. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings — Maya Angelou
   Reason: sexually explicit
9. It’s Perfectly Normal: A Book About Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health — Robie H. Harris, illustrated by Michael Emberley
   Reasons: sex education and sexually explicit
10. The Perks of Being A Wallflower — Stephen Chbosky
    Reasons: homosexuality, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 546 challenges in 2006:

1. And Tango Makes Three — Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell, illustrated by Henry Cole
   Reasons: anti-family, homosexuality, and unsuited to age group
2. Gossip Girl Series — Cecily von Ziegesar
   Reasons: homosexuality, sexually explicit, offensive language, and unsuited to age group
3. Alice Series — Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
   Reasons: offensive language and sexually explicit
4. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things — Carolyn Mackler
   Reasons: anti-family, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
5. The Bluest Eye — Toni Morrison
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
6. Scary Stories Series (Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones) — Alvin Schwartz
   Reasons: insensitivity, occult/Satanism, unsuited to age group, and violence
7. Athletic Shorts: Six Short Stories — Chris Crutcher
   Reasons: homosexuality and offensive language
8. The Perks of Being A Wallflower — Stephen Chbosky
   Reasons: homosexuality, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
9. Beloved — Toni Morrison
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group
10. The Chocolate War — Robert Cormier
    Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and violence

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 405 challenges in 2005:

1. It’s Perfectly Normal: A Book About Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health — Robie H. Harris, illustrated by Michael Emberley
   Reasons: abortion, homosexuality, nudity, religious viewpoint, sex education, unsuited to age group
2. Forever... — Judy Blume
   Reasons: offensive language, sexual content
3. The Catcher in the Rye — J.D. Salinger
   Reasons: sexual content, offensive language, unsuited to age group
4. The Chocolate War — Robert Cormier
   Reasons: sexual content, offensive language
5. Whale Talk — Chris Crutcher
   Reasons: racism, offensive language
6. Detour for Emmy — Marilyn Reynolds
   Reason: sexual content
7. What My Mother Doesn't Know — Sonya Sones
   Reasons: sexual content, being unsuited to age group
8. Captain Underpants Series — Dav Pilkey
   Reasons: anti-family content, unsuited to age group, violence
9. Crazy Lady! — Jane Leslie Conly
   Reason: offensive language
10. It’s So Amazing! A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families — Robie H. Harris, illustrated by Michael Emberley
    Reasons:> sex education, sexual content

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 547 challenges in 2004:

1. The Chocolate War — Robert Cormier
   Reasons: offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence
2. Fallen Angels — Walter Dean Myers
   Reasons: offensive language, racism, violence
3. Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture — Michael A. Bellesiles
   Reasons: inaccurate, political viewpoint
4. Captain Underpants Series — Dav Pilkey
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit
5. The Perks of Being A Wallflower — Stephen Chbosky
   Reasons: homosexuality, offensive language, sexually explicit
6. What My Mother Doesn't Know — Sonya Sones
   Reasons: offensive language, unsuited to age group, sexually explicit
7. In the Night Kitchen — Maurice Sendak
   Reasons: nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit
8. King & King — Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland
   Reason: homosexuality
9. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings — Maya Angelou
   Reasons: homosexuality, offensive language, racism, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
10. Of Mice and Men — John Steinbeck
    Reasons: offensive language, racism, violence

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 458 challenges in 2003:

1. Alice Series — Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
   Reasons: sexual content, offensive language, unsuited to age group
2. Harry Potter Series — J.K. Rowling
   Reason: occult/Satanism
3. Of Mice and Men — John Steinbeck
   Reason: offensive language
4. Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture — Michael A. Bellesiles
   Reason: inaccuracy
5. Fallen Angels — Walter Dean Myers
   Reasons: drugs, offensive language, racism, sexual content, violence
6. Go Ask Alice — Anonymous
   Reason: drugs
7. It’s Perfectly Normal: A Book About Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health — Robie H. Harris, illustrated by Michael Emberley
   Reasons: homosexuality, nudity, sexual content, sex education
8. We All Fall Down — Robert Cormier
   Reasons: offensive language, sexual content
9. King & King — Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland
   Reason: homosexuality
10. Bridge to Terabithia — Katherine Paterson
    Reasons: occult/Satanism, offensive language

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 515 challenges in 2002:

1. Harry Potter Series — J.K. Rowling
   Reasons: occult/Satanism, violence
2. Alice Series — Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
   Reasons: homosexuality, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
3. The Chocolate War — Robert Cormier
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
4. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings — Maya Angelou
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence
5. Taming the Star Runner — S.E. Hinton
   Reason: offensive language
6. Captain Underpants Series — Dav Pilkey
   Reasons: offensive language, unsuited to age group
7. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn — Mark Twain
   Reason: offensive language
8. Bridge to Terabithia — Katherine Paterson
   Reasons: occult/Satanism, offensive language, violence
9. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry — Mildred D. Taylor
   Reason: offensive language
10. Julie of the Wolves — Jean Craighead George
    Reasons: unsuited to age group, violence

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 448 challenges in 2001:

1. Harry Potter Series — J.K. Rowling
   Reasons: anti-family, occult/Satanism, religious viewpoint, violence
2. Of Mice and Men — John Steinbeck
   Reasons: offensive language, racism, unsuited to age group, violence
3. The Chocolate War — Robert Cormier
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence
4. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings — Maya Angelou
   Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit
5. Summer of My German Soldier — Gette Greene
   Reasons: offensive language, racism, sexually explicit
6. The Catcher in the Rye — J.D. Salinger
   Reasons: offensive language, unsuited to age group
7. Alice Series — Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
   Reasons: sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
8. Go Ask Alice — Anonymous
   Reasons: drugs, offensive language, sexually explicit
9. Fallen Angels — Walter Dean Myers
   Reason: offensive language
10. Blood and Chocolate — Annette Curtis Klause
    Reasons: sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

Lauren Myracle
Kim Dong Hwa
Chris Crutcher
Carolyn Mackler
Robert Greene
Sonya Sones
Dori Hillestad Butler
Sherman Alexie
Suzanne Collins
Aldous Huxley
Harper Lee
Eric Jerome Dickey
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Dav Pilkey
Cecily von Ziegesar

Ellen Hopkins
Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
Sonya Sones
Judy Blume
Ann Brashares
Suzanne Collins
Aldous Huxley
Sherman Alexie
Laurie Halse Anderson
Natasha Friend

Lauren Myracle
Alex Sanchez
P.C. Cast
Robert Cormier
Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
Stephen Chbosky
Chris Crutcher
Ellen Hopkins
Richelle Mead
John Steinbeck

Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
Philip Pullman
Lauren Myracle
Jim Pipe
Alvin Schwartz
Chris Crutcher
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Rudolfo Anaya
Stephen Chbosky
Cecily von Ziegesar

Robert Cormier
Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
Mark Twain
Toni Morrison
Philip Pullman
Kevin Henkes
Lois Lowry
Chris Crutcher
Lauren Myracle
Joann Sfar

Chris Crutcher
Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Toni Morrison
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Cecily von Ziegesar
Carolyn Mackler
Alvin Schwartz
Stephen Chbosky
Alex Sanchez
Judy Blume

Judy Blume
Robert Cormier
Chris Crutcher
Robie Harris
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Toni Morrison
J. D. Salinger
Lois Lowry
Marilyn Reynolds
Sonya Sones

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Robert Cormier
Judy Blume
Toni Morrison
Chris Lynch
Barbara Park
Gary Paulsen
Dav Pilkey
Maurice Sendak
Sonya Sones

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
J. K. Rowling
Robert Cormier
Judy Blume
Katherine Paterson
John Steinbeck
Walter Dean Myers
Robie Harris
Stephen King
Louise Rennison

J.K. Rowling
Judy Blume
Robert Cormier
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Stephen King
Lois Duncan
S.E. Hinton
Alvin Schwartz
Maya Angelou
Roald Dahl
Toni Morrison

J. K. Rowling
Robert Cormier
John Steinbeck
Judy Blume
Maya Angelou
Robie Harris
Gary Paulsen
Walter Dean Myers
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Bette Greene

These authors wrote the most frequently challenged books from 2001-2012. The ALA specifies "that the most frequently challenged authors may not appear in the list of most frequently challenged books. For example, if every one of Judy Blume’s books was challenged–but only once–not one of her books would make the top 10 list, but she herself would make the most challenged author list" (ALA, Most Frequently Challenged Authors of the 21st Century).