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    • Book bans on the rise, hundreds of people in Texas challenging them. See US trends
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    Book bans on the rise, hundreds of people in Texas challenging them. See US trends

    Harry Posted on

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    Freedom is among the fundamental tenets of American life, or at least our marketing strategy. Patriotic sayings, songs, and images revolve around freedom, free people, and freedoms that cannot be taken away.

    However, such discourses are less prominent when it comes to existing literature, and especially books that children can access for free. parental rights groupsPoliticians, librarians and publishers are increasingly at odds over what books are appropriate for young people to read.

    Against a few surveys, Most Americans do not accept banning books. A study by the American Librarians Association voters and public school parents It turns out that 71 percent of the public, including majorities of Democrats, Republicans and Independents, opposes removing books from public libraries.

    Yet book challenges are increasing across the country, affecting both public libraries and public schools.

    People also read: How a national dispute over library books is tearing a small Texas town apart.

    US sees record number of book bans in 2023

    ALA’s Office of Intellectual Freedom followed in 2023 1,247 studies on censorship of books and other resources in libraries – 65% increase compared to the previous year. More than half of the books featured LGBTQ+ themes, characters, and people of color.

    ALA identified 414 library censorship attempts in the first eight months of 2024, involving the interrogation of 1,128 unique books. These figures are slightly lower than the previous year same reporting period last year saw 695 attempts targeting 1,915 unique games. Despite the drop in difficulty this year, numbers remain significantly higher than before 2020. Additionally, these data do not include any restrictions.

    “Instances of soft censorship, where books are purchased but placed in restricted areas, not used in library exhibitions, or otherwise hidden or kept out of bounds for fear of coercion, demonstrate the impact of organized censorship campaigns on students’ and readers’ freedom to read,” ALA explains. “In some cases, books were removed from library collections as a precaution, removed from shelves before being banned, or were not purchased for library collections in the first place.”

    More: Texas state libraries label Native American history book as fiction and face criticism

    LIST: The 10 most discussed books in 2023, USA

    The most criticized books of 2023 in the USA, According to ALAis as follows:

    1. “Gender Gay,” by Maia Kobabe (Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, allegedly sexually suggestive)
    2. “Not All Men Are Blue,” by George M. Johnson (Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, alleged sexually explicit)
    3. “This Book Is Gay,” by Juno Dawson (Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, sex education, alleged suggestive)
    4. “the perks of Being a Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky (Reasons: Allegedly explicit, LGBTQIA+ content, rape, drugs, profanity)
    5. “Alevci,” by Mike Curato (Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, allegedly sexually suggestive)
    6. “The Bluest Eye“, Toni Morrison (Reasons: Rape, incest, alleged sexual content, EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion) content)
    7. (TO CONNECT) “Me, Earl and the Dying Girl,” by Jesse Andrews (Reasons: Allegedly obscene, profane)
    8. (TO CONNECT) “tricks,” by Ellen Hopkins (Reasons: Allegedly explicit, drugs, rape, LGBTQIA+ content)
    9. “Let’s talk about it,” Written by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan (Reasons: Allegedly explicit, sex education, LGBTQIA+ content)
    10. “sold,” by Patricia McCormick (Reasons: Allegedly obscene, rape)

    2023 sees the most book fights ever documented

    Last year saw the highest rate of book bans ever documented by the ALA’s Office of Intellectual Freedom; 4,240 unique book titles were targeted for censorship. This was a 65% increase over data collected in 2022.

    Almost half (about 46%) of all book prints in 2023 targeted public libraries, reflecting the focus of pressure groups. Compared to 2022 data, there was a 92% increase in the number of books targeted for censorship in public libraries.

    ALA President Emily Drabinski spoke about the importance of access to books that adequately reflect the diversity of communities and the nation.

    “Every challenge to the library book is an attack on our freedom to read. The books targeted again focus on LGBTQ+ and people of color. Our communities and our country are stronger because of diversity. Libraries that reflect the diversity of their communities encourage learning and learning,” Drabinski said. “What he wants to eliminate is empathy,” he said. “Libraries are vital institutions for every community in this country, and library workers who dedicate their lives to protecting our right to read face threats to their employment and well-being.”

    PEN America recorded similar data from public school districts. Book bans have almost tripled in the 2023-24 academic year compared to the previous year.

    Which state has the most book fights?

    In a press release earlier this year, the ALA announced that 17 states are challenging more than 100 book titles in 2023. With more than 4,000 titles combined, Florida and Texas fielded by far the most books in 2023.

    Data from PEN America shows Florida owner Most of the book bans between July 2021 and December 2023, followed by Texas. Florida also had the most book bans in the 2023-24 school year, with more than 4,500 book bans. Iowa surpassed Texas with more than 3,600 book bans during this period.

    Last year, Texas was among 17 states that attempted to censor more than 100 games.

    MAP: 2023 book challenges by state

    SUPERB recorded There have been 49 attempts to restrict access to books in Texas, with 1,470 titles challenged. The Lone Star State had the most attempted restrictions of any U.S. state, surpassed only by Florida in the number of titles challenged.

    Why are books objected to?

    Of the 4,231 unique book titles banned in the 2023-24 school year, PEN America analyzed 1,091 titles banned by two or more school districts in the country. Approximately 25% of all banned titles were banned by more than one region. Many of these titles had similar content:

    • 57% contained sex or sex-related topics and content
    • 44% feature characters or people of color
    • 39% featured LGBTQ+ characters or people

    The majority of banned books were labeled as intended for young adult (60%) or adult (30%) readers. Additionally, many of the 1,091 titles shared literary themes:

    • 59% deal with grief and death
    • 40% address substance use or abuse
    • 38% address mental health disorders
    • 37% address empowerment and self-esteem

    — USA TODAY contributed to this report.

    Harry
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