HS Library: Banned Books 2019: Home

Why Are Books Censored?

50 Years of Intellectual Freedom
Click here to read about the importance of protecting intellectual freedom and why the American Library Association needs a special committee to do so.
Why do we need to celebrate the Freedom to Read?
Click here to read why it is important to celebrate the importance of free and open access to information and read some of the reasons why certain books have been banned.
And why are Comics Banned?
Click here to learn why comics have been banned throughout the years.
State of Americas Libraries Report 2018
Click here to read in the 2018 State of the Libraries Report about the number and types of information that was challenged in 2017.
Intellectual Freedom Blog

The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Call Number: Overdive
ISBN: 9780062498557
Publication Date: 2017-02-28

More about the Book
Click here to learn more about this award winning novel.

Drama, Raina Telgemeier

Drama by Raina Telgemeier (Illustrator)
Call Number: OVD

Publisher's Blurb
Click here to read more about this book from its Publisher.

Skippyjon Jones Series, Judy Schachner

Skippyjon Jones, Class Action by Judy Schachner
Call Number: PB SCH

Publisher's Blurb
Click here to learn more about the series from its publisher.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Call Number: Overdrive
ISBN: 9781439122433
Publication Date: 2010-06-29

Publisher Blurb
Click here to learn more about this award winning book from its publisher.

TTYL, Lauren Myracle

Ttyl by Lauren Myracle
Call Number: FIC RR MYR bk.1
ISBN: 0810987880
Publication Date: 2005-04-01

About the Book
Click here to read more about this book.

Paper Towns, John Green

Paper Towns by John Green
Call Number: FIC MS GRE
ISBN: 9780147517654
Publication Date: 2015-05-19

Publisher Blurb
Click here to read an excerpt and learn more about this page turning novel.

Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out, Susan Kuklin

Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin
Call Number: LGBTQ 306.76 KUK
ISBN: 0763656119
Publication Date: 2014-02-11

About the Book
Click here to learn more about the book.

Twilight, Stephenie Meyer

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Call Number: FIC FN MEY bk.1
ISBN: 1907410481
Publication Date: 2010

Publisher Blurb
Click here to read more about this fantasy novel from its publisher.

My Sister's Keeper, Jodi Picoult

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Call Number: FIC RF PIC
ISBN: 9780340918616
Publication Date: 2008

Publisher Blurb
Click here to learn more about this novel.

The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Call Number: FIC LF MOR
ISBN: 0375411550
Publication Date: 1993-12-28

Publisher Blurb
Click here to read an excerpt and learn more about the book.

SPEAK OUT against the BANNING of BOOKS

AISL and ISM Collective Voices
Click here to tell other students what challenged book you would be willing to go to jail to defend and why? Then respond to what other books are being defended by students across the globe at the American International School of Lusaka and why you support their voice. Login in with your Google account in order to add your voice.

George, Alex Gino

George by Álex Gino
Call Number: OVD

Publisher's Blurb
Click here to read an excerpt and learn more about the book.

Thirteen Reasons Why, Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Call Number: FIC RF ASH
ISBN: 1595141715
Publication Date: 2007-10-18

More about the book
Click here to learn more about this novel.

The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Sherman Alexie

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie; Ellen Forney (Illustrator)
Call Number: FIC RF ALE
ISBN: 0316013692
Publication Date: 2009-04-01

Publisher Blurb
Click here to read an excerpt and learn more about the book.

All the Bright Places, Jennifer Niven

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
Call Number: FIC RF NIV
ISBN: 0385755880
Publication Date: 2015-01-06

Publisher Blurb
Click here to read an excerpt and learn more about the book.

The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Call Number: FIC LF SEB
ISBN: 0316044407
Publication Date: 2009-10-01

Publisher Blurb
Click here to read more about this book.

Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (Illustrator)
Call Number: GN 741.5 SAT
ISBN: 0375422307
Publication Date: 2003-04-29

Publisher Blurb
Click here to read more about this bestselling book from its publisher.
Why was Persepolis banned?
Click here to read a case study about Persepolis being banned.

His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman

His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman (Preface by); Lucy Hughes-Hallett (Introduction by)
Call Number: FIC FN PUL bk.1-3
ISBN: 0307957837
Publication Date: 2011-12-06

Publisher Blurb
Click here to read an excerpt and learn more about the book.

Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Call Number: FIC SFD COL bk.1
ISBN: 0439023521
Publication Date: 2010-07-01

Publisher Blurb
Click here to read an excerpt and learn more about the book.

Go Ask Alice, Anonymous

Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
Call Number: FIC RF GO
ISBN: 1416914633
Publication Date: 2006-01-01

Publisher Blurb
Click here to read more about this book from its publisher.

Bone, Jeff Smith

Out from Boneville by Jeff Smith (Illustrator)
Call Number: GN 741.5 SMI bk.1
ISBN: 9780439706230
Publication Date: 2005-02-01

Publisher Blurb
Click here to read more about this comic book series from its publisher.

Animal Farm, George Orwell

Animal Farm by George Orwell
Call Number: FIC SFD ORW
ISBN: 0435121650
Publication Date: 1994

Publisher Blurb
Click here to read an excerpt and learn more about the book.

Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Call Number: FIC FN ROW bk.1
ISBN: 1408855658
Publication Date: 2014

Publisher Blurb
Click here to read more about this popular fantasy series from its publisher.

ISM HS Library List of Banned / Challenged Books

HS Library Banned Books Collection
Click here to browse the Library's list of Challenged Books.

Two Boys Kissing

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
Call Number: OVD
ISBN: 9780307975645

Publisher's Blurb
Click here to read an excerpt and learn more about the book.

This One Summer, Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki

This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki; Jillian Tamaki (Illustrator)
Call Number: GN 741.5 TAM

Publisher Blurb
Click here to learn more about this award winning graphic novel.

Captain Underpants Series, Dav Pilkey

Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey
Call Number: FIC PIL

About the book
Click here to learn more about the series.

The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Call Number: Overdrive
ISBN: 9781101217238
Publication Date: 2004-04-27

Publisher Blurb
Click here to learn more about this award winning book from its publisher.

To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Call Number: Overdrive
ISBN: 9780062368683
Publication Date: 2014-07-08

Publisher Blurb
Click here to learn more about one of the best loved stories of all time.

The Glass Castle: A Memoir, Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Call Number: MEM 362.76 WAL
ISBN: 9781416544661
Publication Date: 2007-01-02

More about the Book
Click here to read an excerpt and learn more about this memoir.

A People's History of the United States, Howard Zinn

A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn
Call Number: 973 ZIN
ISBN: 0582772834
Publication Date: 2003

Publisher Blurb
Click here to learn more about this history book.

The God of Small Things, Arundhati Roy

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Call Number: FIC LF ROY
ISBN: 9780812979657
Publication Date: 2008-12-16

Publisher Blurb
Click here to learn more about this award winning novel.

Fun Home, Alison Bechdel

Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (Illustrator)
Call Number: LGBTQ GN 741.5 BEC
ISBN: 0618477942
Publication Date: 2006-06-08

Publisher Blurb
Click here to read an excerpt and learn more about the book.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou by Maya Angelou
Call Number: BIO 921 ANG
ISBN: 0435124277
Publication Date: 1995

Publisher Blurb
Click here to read an excerpt and learn more about the book.