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 young adult (YA) 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 and authors, 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. Ace of Spades
Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé | Feiwel & Friends | 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop
2. Clap When You Land
Elizabeth Acevedo | Quill Tree Books | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
3. The Poet X
Elizabeth Acevedo | Quill Tree Books | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
4. The Black Flamingo
Dean Atta | Balzer + Bray | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
5. Cinderella Is Dead
Kalynn Bayron | Bloomsbury Childrens | 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop
6. Things That Make White People Uncomfortable (Adapted for Young Adults)
Michael Bennett | Dave Zirin | Haymarket Books | 2019 | Amazon | Bookshop
7. Allies: Real Talk About Showing Up, Screwing Up, And Trying Again
Shakirah Bourne | Dana Alison Levy | DK Children | 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop
8. Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story of a Teenage Wizard
Echo Brown | Henry Holt and Co. BYR | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
9. Felix Ever After
Kacen Callender | Balzer + Bray | 2018 | Amazon | Bookshop
10. This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story
Kacen Callender | Balzer + Bray | 2018 | Amazon | Bookshop
11. Little & Lion
Brandy Colbert | Little, Brown BYR | 2017 | Amazon | Bookshop
12. Happy Families
Tanita S. Davis | Ember | 2013 | Amazon | Bookshop
13. Romiette and Julio
Sharon M. Draper | Atheneum BYR | 1999 | Amazon | Bookshop
14. Darkness Before Dawn
Sharon M. Draper | Atheneum BYR | 2001 | Amazon | Bookshop
15. Forged By Fire
Sharon M. Draper | Atheneum BYR | 1998 | Amazon | Bookshop
16. Panic
Sharon M. Draper | Atheneum BYR | 2013 | Amazon | Bookshop
17. Say Her Name
Zetta Elliott | Loveis Wise | Little, Brown BYR | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
18. Pet
Akwaeke Emezi | Make Me a World | 2019 | Amazon | Bookshop
19. Who Am I Without Him?
Sharon G. Flake | Hyperion | 2004 | Amazon | Bookshop
20. The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person
Frederick Joseph | Candlewick | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
21. Full Disclosure
y Camryn Garrett Knopf Books for Young Readers (October 29, 2019))| Amazon | Bookshop
22. Not So Pure and Simple
by Lamar Giles ( Quill Tree Books (January 21, 2020))| Amazon | Bookshop
23. Ordinary Hazards
by Nikki Grimes Wordsong (October 8, 2019))| Amazon | Bookshop
24. The Scottsboro Boys
James Haskins | Henry Holt & Co | 1994 | Amazon | Bookshop
25. Let Me Hear a Rhyme
Tiffany D Jackson | Katherine Tegen Books | May 21, 2019 | Amazon | Bookshop
26. Monday’s Not Coming
Tiffany D Jackson | Katherine Tegen Books | 2018 | Amazon | Bookshop
27. This Book Is Anti-Racist
Tiffany Jewell | Aurelia Durand | Frances Lincoln Children’s Books | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
28. All Boys Aren’t Blue
George M. Johnson | Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
29. This Is My America
Kim Johnson | Random House BYR | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
30. My Life as a Rhombus
Varian Johnson | Flux | 2008 | Amazon | Bookshop
31. Rise to the Sun
Leah Johnson | Scholastic Press | 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop
32. You Should See Me in a Crown
Leah Johnson | Scholastic Press | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
33. The Marvelous
Claire Kann | Swoon Reads | 2021 | Amazon | Bookshop
34. Let’s Talk About Love
Claire Kann | Swoon Reads | 2018 | Amazon | Bookshop
35. When They Call You a Terrorist (Young Adult Edition)
Benee Knauer | Patrisse Cullors | asha bandele | Wednesday Books | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
36. Chasing Space Young Readers’ Edition
Leland Melvin | Amistad BYR | 2017 | Amazon | Bookshop
37. I Am Alfonso Jones
Tony Medina | John Jennings | Stacey Robi | Turtleback Books | 2017 | Amazon | Bookshop
38. 47
Walter Mosley | Little, Brown BYR | 2005 | Amazon | Bookshop
39. Proud: Living My American Dream (Young Readers Edition)
Ibtihaj Muhammad | Little, Brown BYR | 2018 | Amazon | Bookshop
40. Monster
Walter Dean Myers | HarperCollins | 1999 | Amazon | Bookshop
41. Dope Sick
Walter Dean Myers | Amistad BYR | 2009 | Amazon | Bookshop
42. The Stars and the Blackness Between Them
Junauda Petrus | Dutton BYR | 2019 | Amazon | Bookshop
43. The Field Guide to the North American Teenager
Ben Philippe | Balzer + Bray | January 8, 2019 | Amazon | Bookshop
44. The Black Kids
Christina Hammonds Reed | Simon & Schuster BYR | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
45. All American Boys
Jason Reynolds | Brendan Kiely | Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books | 2015 | Amazon | Bookshop
46. Dear Martin
Nic Stone | Crown BYR | 2017 | Amazon | Bookshop
47. Odd One Out
Nic Stone | Crown BYR | 2018 | Amazon | Bookshop
48. On the Come Up
Angie Thomas | Balzer + Bray | 2019 | Amazon | Bookshop
49. The Hate U Give
Angie Thomas | Balzer + Bray | 2017 | Amazon | Bookshop
50. Hockey (Check, Please! Series)
Ngozi Ukazu | First Second | 2018 | Amazon | Bookshop
51. Sticks & Scones (Check, Please! Series)
Ngozi Ukazu | First Second | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
52. Saving Ruby King
Catherine Adel West | Park Row | 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop
53. Brown Girl Dreaming
Jacqueline Woodson | Nancy Paulsen Books | 2014 | Amazon | Bookshop
54. The Dear One
Jacqueline Woodson | Nancy Paulsen Books | 2010 | Amazon | Bookshop
55. The House You Pass on the Way
Jacqueline Woodson | Putnam Juvenile | 2003 | Amazon | Bookshop
56. Beneath a Meth Moon: An Elegy
Jacqueline Woodson | Nancy Paulsen Books | 2012 | Amazon | Bookshop
57. Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy
Bil Wright | Simon & Schuster BYR | 2011 | Amazon | Bookshop
58. Orphea Proud
Sharon Dennis Wyeth | Delacorte BYR | 2004 | Amazon | Bookshop
59. American Street
Ibi Zoboi | Balzer + Bray | February 14, 2017 | Amazon | Bookshop
60. Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America
Ibi Zoboi | Balzer + Bray | 2019 | Amazon | Bookshop
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