Many of the books banned in 2024 were challenged because critics said they were sexually explicit, or contained LGBTQ+ themes.

WASHINGTON — This week marks Banned Books Week, an annual celebration of literature that has drawn the ire of governments around the world. 

The American Library Association puts on the weeklong event every year to highlight the importance of protecting the right to read freely, no matter what the content is. 

In 2025, Banned Books Week runs from Oct. 5 through Oct. 11, culminating in “Let Freedom Read Day” on Saturday. On that day, organizers are asking book lovers to contact local officials about book bans in their area.

They’re also encouraging people to use that Saturday to visit a library or bookstore to grab a banned book. 

A count by the association found that there were 821 attempts to censor library materials and services in 2024, leading to 2,452 books banned across the U.S. 


What does banning a book mean?

A book being banned, or challenged, doesn’t immediately mean it’s impossible to access. Instead, it’s a nuanced umbrella term that encompasses all levels of access to reading materials. 

A book being banned could mean that a particular classroom or school district has chosen to pull the title. Similarly, a local government body like a city council could decide that a book must be pulled from library shelves. State governments have also passed laws that limit what books can be purchased for libraries or schools. 

In 2023, there were more attempts to censor library materials: 1,247 attempts. But the ALA said the drop in 2024 isn’t necessarily a good thing, especially because the number of successfully challenged books remained around 2,400, indicating little change. 

Instead, the association said in its report on 2024 that the numbers could indicate censorship by exclusion, when libraries are prohibited from purchasing specific books or required to place them in restricted sections of a library. 


What books have been banned? 

Books can be challenged or banned for a wide variety of reasons, but a significant number of the challenges come from groups trying to prevent children from accessing books with sexual content, controversial topics or LGBTQ+ characters. 

Four of the top 10 most-banned books of 2024 tracked by the ALA were challenged for LGBTQ+ themes. All 10 were challenged because they were accused of being sexually explicit. 

Here are the 10 most-challenged books in the U.S., according to the American Library Association: 

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. JohnsonGender Queer: A Memoir by Maia KobabeThe Bluest Eye by Toni MorrisonThe Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen ChboskyTricks by Ellen HopkinsLooking for Alaska by John GreenMe and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse AndrewsCrank by Ellen HopkinsSold by Patricia McCormickFlamer by Mike Curato