Across the country, parents and special interest groups are on a battle ground, fighting against schools and libraries. Book banning is not a new concept. However, this latest war being waged against knowledge is about more than preventing children from reading about adult themes. It appears to be a war fought to control the narratives about America's truths.
The books that are being banned by classroom, library and/or in districts. The key themes in banned books are American truths and the banners are attempting to control the narratives, or erase the stories of the people being represented. Example themes:
- Gender, LGBTQI
- History - slavery, civil rights
- Ethnicity, Identity, Race and Racism
- Police Brutality
Which books are being banned? (aka, the list of books should you consider buying or borrowing)
Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe (41 districts)
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson (29 districts)
Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez (24 districts)
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison (22 districts)
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (17 districts)
Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison (17 districts)
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (16 districts)
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews (14 districts)
Crank by Ellen Hopkins (12 districts)
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (12 districts)
l8r, g8r by Lauren Myracle (12 districts)
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (12 districts)
Beloved by Toni Morrison (11 districts)
Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin (11 districts)
Drama: A Graphic Novel by Raina Telgemeier (11 districts)
Looking for Alaska by John Green (11 districts)
Melissa by Alex Gino (11 districts)
This Book Is Gay by Juno Dawson (11 districts)
This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki (11 districts)
