Challenged because it "perpetuates negative stereotypes by touting the infamous gangster Al Capone." The 2 sequels were also challenged.
Challenged but retained for being "political and too provocative." Complaints included "It's troubling to me that we can't get a history book that puts a positive look on America. Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher aren't even mentioned." .
Challenged for "porn content" but retained because a parent admitted not having read the entire book. Challenged later for "scenes of violent sex, including a gang rape, and was too graphic and extreme for teenagers."
Challenged because the novel is "too sexually explicit for high school teens. Story of a young Irish Catholic man involved in the IRA who falls in love with the wife of a man murdered in an incident in which he was a getaway driver.
Challenged for being "inappropriate" for middle school students at the RePublic Schools as it includes profanity and sexually explicit scenes. Historical fiction about the perils and lives of two boys in WWII.
Challenged but retained despite a rape scene in the book. Historical fantasy novel loosely based on the legend of the Children of Lir and "The Six Swans".
Challenged but retained despite a complaint by pastor who found the book "disturbing, very close to a strong, mild pornography ... [showing] rebellion towards teachers, and has graphic immoral areas."
Challenged because the play is "too sexually explicit for high school teens." The play is about a political prisoner who was raped by her captors and years later, finds them and conducts her own trial.
Removed because of 'its use of lewd and possibly offensive materials." Story of a boy who lost his father in the 9/11 attack and is convinced that his dad left a final message for him somewhere in the city.
Challenged but retained despite objections in Wisconsin for illustrations of some children living in poverty and violence are inappropriate for kindergartners
Removed after a parent complained about the sex, violence, drugs and alcohol in the book. Story of Kristina and her battle with addiction to methamphetamine. Award winning and recommended for 14 and older.
The children's book based on real-life experiences of trans-gender child Jazz Jennings was canceled as a planned reading in the Mount Horeb, Wis, School District after the Liberty Counsel group threatened to sue.
Banned (lifted in 2015) in New Zealand for "highly offensive language, strong sexual descriptions (and) covers serious things like pedophilia and sexual abuse."
One of 2 books banned by the mayor of Venice, Italy mayor. 48 others were reinstated after a major outcry but never delivered to the libraries and schools.
Challenged but retained despite a parent's concern about a "graphic sex scene, underage drinking [and] date rape." It also has "inappropriate language." Story of teenage Allyson's one romantic day in Paris with a mysterious actor and later decision to leave college and return to Europe
Challenged for being inappropriate for 3rd grade after being read to deal with a case of bullying of a student. Complaints were withdrawn after the teacher and vice principal resigned.
Highly controversial, award-winning book banned by mayor of Venice, Italy. 46 other books were re-instated but never delivered to schools and libraries. Story of an unhatched egg that sees happiness in various family configurations.
Challenged by a parent for "sexual content" but retained. This coming of age story traces the journey of Miles Halter, a misfit Florida teenager, exploring the "Great Perhaps."
Challenged but retained despite complaints that the book promotes "perversion" and the "gay lifestyle." Story of the author's son who prefers to wear clothes considered "feminine."
Challenged because some students objected to it's "depictions of lesbians sexuality, arguing that the book is borderline pornographic and they shouldn't have been asked to read it."
Challenged for promoting another religion that is not Christianity, being too violent for young children, and containing an Islamic Prayer. Story of he Taliban taking control of an Afghan village and preventing girls from going to school.
Recommended to be pulled from classroom instruction due to profanity and a "negative" story line. Story of two migrant ranch hands struggling during the Great Depression.
Student under 18 must have parental permission at the Rio Ranchez, NM High School Library to use as it was deemed "too graphic" for a high school library shelf.
Challenged by a parent who complained that the book included references to "homosexuality, date rape, masturbation, and the glorification of alcohol use and drugs."
Challenged at Crafton Hils College but retained despite a student's request to remove the book because it was "objectionable."
Removed from a Qatar school library after a book based on Disney's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" was deemed to contain "indecent" illustrations.
Pulled from the freshmen Honors English summer reading list after a parent complained about the novel's dark and explicit content.
Challenged but retained because a grandmother felt that the book "portrays bestiality and is pornographic." Story of a Native American teenager who leaves the reservation to attend an all-white high school .
Controversial book has been banned and challenged many times since 1884. Most recently for use of the "N" word and lack of "inclusiveness.'
Pulled and moved from reading lists after receiving about a dozen complaints about the book's profanity and atheism. The award-winning book is about a 15-year-old autistic child investigation of the death of a neighbor's dog.
Challenged because "parts of the book are dark, and (have) some content that's rather questionable for a 12- and 13- year old reader." Stories about each element on the periodic table affected the people who discovered it.
Suspended for being "racist and sexually explicit." Memoir is about growing up in poverty with a father who spent his money on alcohol and a mother who became homeless.
Challenged by a parent for "too much graphic information." Lacks was a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells (taken without her knowledge in 1951) became one of the most important tools in medicine..
Suspended but reinstated based on complainant by "conservative government watchdog," cited state law requiring local boards of education to include "character education" in the curriculum.
Challenged for promoting another religion that is not Christianity and being too violent for young children. The true story of a librarian who sneaks books out of a Iraqi library during the U.S bombings.
Recommended for removal for containing "descriptions of sexual conduct that are too explicit for high school seniors." The novel examines conflicting cultures with highly distinct religious, social and ideological differences.
Challenged, but retained by a student's because it was "objectionable." The series tells the tale of the ageless, anthropomorphic personification of Dream known by many names including Morpheus.
Challenged because the book is "vulgar, complete garbage trash, and filled with sexual content and profanity." Collection of short stories about a platoon of American soldiers in the Vietnam War.
Challenged by several Alaskans who "didn't want 'gay books' or books about gay people in the library at all." The library director was branded as a pedophile for defending the book during the highly controversial public debates.
Challenged but retained despite complaints that the book promotes "perversion" and the "gay" lifestyle. The book, about a pride parade, focuses on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history. .
Removed in response to a complaint from a parent about the graphic novel's language. Coming-of-age story about two preteen friends during a summer in a small beach town
Removed from children's section of the Winnipeg Canada Public Library, reviewed and placed in adult section due to stereotypical and racist depictions of indigenous peoples.
Challenged but retained despite a student's request to remove the book because it was "objectionable." The dystopian science fiction comic book series was nominated the for the first Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story.
Challenged by two or three parents saying the book glorifies Islamic Jihad. Retained after review for use as a supplemental text for 7th and 8th grade study of world culture.
