Banned Books: Children and Young Adult Literature

Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2022

The American Library Association tracked 1,269 challenges to library, school, and university materials and services in 2022.

Of the 2,597 individual books that were challenged or banned in 2022, here are the top 13 most challenged

Gender Queer: REASONS: Banned, challenged, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to have sexually explicit images

All the Boys Ain't Blue: REASONS: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to be sexually explicit

The Bluest Eye: REASONS: rape, incest, claimed to be sexually explicit, EDI content

Flamer: REASONS: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit

Looking for Alaska: REASONS: Claimed to be sexually explicit, LGBTQIA+ content

The Perks of Being a Wallflower: REASONS: Claimed to be sexually explicit, LGBTQIA+ content, rape, drugs, profanity

Lawn Boy: REASONS: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian: REASONS: Claimed to be sexually explicit, profanity

Out of Darkness: REASONS: Claimed to be sexually explicit

A Court of Mist and Fury: REASONS: Claimed to be sexually explicit

Crank: REASONS: Claimed to be sexually explicit, drugs

Me and Early and the Dying Girl REASONS: Claimed to be sexually explicit, profanity

This Book is Gay: REASONS:LGBTQIA+ content, sex education, claimed to be sexually explicit

Top Titles

1. Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
2. Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison
3. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
4. Flamer by Mike Curato
5. Tied for 5th Looking for Alaska by John Green
6. Tied for 5th The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
7. Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison
8. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
9. Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez

Tied for 10th

• A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
• Crank by Ellen Hopkins
• Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
• This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson