This week, September 18th-24th, is Banned Books Week. Although it’s nearing the end of the week, advocating for the “freedom to read” is an essential and ongoing undertaking that should continue beyond this week. Several organizations have put forth ideas and actions that the public can take to support those who are most affected by the book bans and challenges—authors, artists, librarians, teachers, and students.
The list of banned chapter and middle-grade books by Black authors below was retrieved from PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans (July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022). In addition to the book titles, authors, and illustrators, the document lists the state, district, type of ban, date of challenge/removal, and origin of challenge. The document is being updated periodically, so check for new books added. Visit the PEN America link above for a detailed definition of a school book ban.
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1. Anna Hibiscus (Anna Hibiscus Series)
Atinuke | Lauren Tobia | Candlewick | 2022 | Amazon | Bookshop
2. Brand New School, Brave New Ruby (Ruby and the Booker Boys Series)
Derrick Barnes | Vanessa Brantley Newton | Scholastic | 2009 | Amazon | Bookshop
3. Ruby Flips For Attention (Ruby and the Booker Boys Series)
Derrick Barnes | Vanessa Brantley Newton | Scholastic | 2008 | Amazon | Bookshop
4. Slumber Party Payback (Ruby and the Booker Boys Series)
Derrick Barnes | Vanessa Brantley Newton | Scholastic | 2008 | Amazon | Bookshop
5. Trivia Queen, 3rd Grade Supreme (Ruby and the Booker Boys Series)
Derrick Barnes | Vanessa Brantley Newton | Scholastic | 2008 | Amazon | Bookshop
6. Changing the Equation: 50+ US Black Women in STEM
Tonya Bolden | Harry N. Abrams | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
7. This Is Your Time
Ruby Bridges | Delacorte Press | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
8. Hurricane Child
Kacen Callender | Scholastic Press | 2018 | Amazon | Bookshop
9. King and the Dragonflies
Kacen Callender | Scholastic Press | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
10. Class Act
Jerry Craft | Quill Tree Books | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
11. New Kid
Jerry Craft | Quill Tree Books | 2019 | Amazon | Bookshop
12. The Mighty Miss Malone
Christopher Paul Curtis | Wendy Lamb Books | 2012 | Amazon | Bookshop
13. Blended
Sharon M. Draper | Atheneum BYR | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
14. Attack of the Swamp Thing (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest Series)
Marti Dumas | Stephanie Parcus | Plum Street Press | 2016 | Amazon
15. Mission Star-Power (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest Series)
Marti Dumas | Stephanie Parcus | Plum Street Press | 2017 | Amazon
16. Muffin Wars (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest Series)
Marti Dumas | Stephanie Parcus | Plum Street Press | 2016 | Amazon
17. The Ladek Invasion (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest Series)
Marti Dumas | Marie Muravski | Plum Street Press | 2015 | Amazon
18. The Quest for Screen Time (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest Series)
Marti Dumas | Marie Muravski | Plum Street Press | 2015 | Amazon | Bookshop
19. Nikki & Deja (Nikki & Deja Series)
Karen English | Laura Freeman | Turtleback Books | 2009 | Amazon | Bookshop
20. Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel (Dyamonde Daniel #1)
Nikki Grimes | R. Gregory Christie | G.P. Putnam’s Sons BYR | 2009 | Amazon | Bookshop
21. When Stars Are Scattered
Victoria Jamieson | Omar Mohamed | Iman Geddy | Dial Books | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
22. The Parker Inheritance
Varian Johnson | Arthur A. Levine Books | 2018 | Amazon | Bookshop
23. What Were the Negro Leagues? (What was…? Series)
Varian Johnson | Who HQ | Stephen Marchesi | Penguin Workshop | 2019 | Amazon | Bookshop
24. The Color of My Words
Lynn Joseph | HarperCollins | 2019 | Amazon | Bookshop
25. For Black Girls Like Me
Mariama J. Lockington | Farrar, Straus and Giroux | 2019 | Amazon | Bookshop
26. Brave Leaders and Activists
J. P. Miller | Chellie Carroll | Amazon | Bookshop
27. A Good Kind of Trouble
Lisa Moore Ramée | Balzer + Bray | 2019 | Amazon | Bookshop
28. As Brave As You
Jason Reynolds | Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books | 2017 | Amazon | Bookshop
29. Ghost (Track Series)
Jason Reynolds | Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books | 2016 | Amazon | Bookshop
30. Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks
Jason Reynolds | Alexander Nabaum | Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books | 2019 | Amazon | Bookshop
31. Patina (Track Series)
Jason Reynolds | Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books | 2017 | Amazon | Bookshop
32. Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You
Jason Reynolds | Ibram X. Kendi | Little, Brown BYR | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
33. Bayou Magic (The Louisiana Girls Trilogy Series)
Jewell Parker Rhodes | Little, Brown BYR | 2015 | Amazon | Bookshop
34. Ghost Boys
Jewell Parker Rhodes | Little, Brown BYR | 2018 | Amazon | Bookshop
35. Ninth Ward (The Louisiana Girls Trilogy Series)
Jewell Parker Rhodes | Little, Brown BYR | 2012 | Amazon | Bookshop
36. The Hero Two Doors Down
Sharon Robinson | Scholastic Press | 2016 | Amazon | Bookshop
37. Piecing Me Together
Renée Watson | Bloomsbury USA Childrens | 2017 | Amazon | Bookshop
38. What Is Black Lives Matter? (What was…? Series)
Lakita Wilson | Who HQ | Gregory Copeland | Penguin Workshop | 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop
39. My Name Is Sally Little Song
Brenda Woods | Putnam Juvenile | 2006 | Amazon | Bookshop
40. Before the Ever After
Jacqueline Woodson | Nancy Paulsen Books | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
41. Shining Legacy
Nkechi Taifa | Mary E. Greer | House of Songhay | 1983 | Amazon | Bookshop
42. Rosa Parks
Eloise Greenfield | Gil Ashby | HarperCollins | 1995 | Amazon | Bookshop
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