Throughout history, certain books have come under fire for content deemed inappropriate or controversial. Not surprisingly, that content has been by and about people of color scores of books have come under fire for content deemed inappropriate, the LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit community, and other marginalized groups.
But these days, books are being challenged and banned at an alarming rate. Last year, the American Library Association reported that book challenges surged 65% with 4,240 book titles targeted for censorship. And the challenges just keep coming.
We’re seeing it here in North Dakota, too, with dozens and dozens of books either being formally challenged and/or cited by name in conjunction with proposed legislation in 2023. We’ve dubbed this list as the most feared books in North Dakota. But what’s there to be afraid of?
We have a First Amendment right to read free from censorship and discrimination – and I encourage you to do so! Pick up one of the titles on this list, start a reading group or suggest titles to your local book club. Share the list with your friends and spread the word: We all have the freedom to read.
- “A Court of Frost and Starlight” by Sarah J. Maas
- “A Court of Mist and Fury” by Sarah J. Maas
- “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas
- “A Court of Wings and Ruin” by Sarah J. Maas
- “A Very Large Expanse of Sea” by Tahereh Mafi
- “ABC’s of Equality” by Chana Ginelle Ewing, illustrated by Paulina Morgan
- “Allegedly” by Tiffany D. Jackson
- “Autoboyography” by Christian Lauren
- “Beloved” by Toni Morrison
- “Crank” by Ellen Hopkins
- “Damsel” by Elana K. Arnold
- “Dead Until Dark” by Charlaine Harris
- “Eleanor & Park” by Rainbow Rowell
- “Empire of Storms” by Sarah J. Mass
- “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” by Jonathan Safran Foer
- “Fallout” by Ellen Hopkins
- “Grl2grl” by Julie Anne Peters
- “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter” by Erika L. Sánchez
- “I Hope You Get This Message” by Farah Naz Rishi
- “Identical” by Ellen Hopkins
- “Impulse” by Ellen Hopkins
- “Jack of Hearts (and other parts)” by L.C. Rosen
- “Let’s Talk About It, A Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human” by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan
- “Little & Lion” by Brandy Colbert
- “Living Dead Girl” by Elizabeth Scott
- “Looking for Alaska” by John Green
- “Me and Earl and the Dying Gir”l by Jesse Andrews
- “Naked, Not Your Average Sex Encyclopedia” by Myriam Daguzan Bernier, illustrated by Cécile Gariépy, translated by Charles Simard
- “Nick and Charlie” by Alice Oseman
- “Nineteen Minutes” by Jodi Picoult
- “Odd One Out” by Nic Stone
- “People Kill People” by Ellen Hopkins
- “Pink, Blue, and You! Questions for Kids About Gender Stereotypes” by Elise Gravel and Mykaell Blais
- “Puberty Is Gross But Also Really Awesome” by Gina Loveless, illustrated by Lauri Johnston
- “Queer Ducks (and Other Animals) The Natural World of Animal Sexuality” by Eliot Schrefer, Illustrated by Jules Zuckerberg
- “RuPaul Charles, People of Pride series” by Little Bee Books and Illustrated by Vincent Chen
- “Scars” by Cheryl Rainfield
- “Sex is a Funny Word: A book about Bodies, Feelings, and YOU” by Cory Silverberg and Fiona Smyth
- “Slaughterhouse-Five” by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
- “Sold” by Patricia McCormick
- “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison
- “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas
- “The Infinite Moment of Us” by Lauren Myracle
- “The Music of What Happens” by Bill Konigsburg
- “The Nerdy & the Dirty” by B.T. Gottfred
- “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky
- “The Truth About Alice: A Novel” by Jennifer Mathieu
- “The Upside of Unrequited” by Becky Albertalli
- “Thirteen Reasons Why” by Jay Asher
- “Twisted” by Laurie Halse Anderson
- “Unpregnant” by Jenni Hendricks and Ted Caplan
- “We Are Totally Normal” by Rahul Kanakia
- “What's Going on Down There? A Boy's Guide to Growing Up” by Karen Gravelle, with Nick Castro and Chava Castro; Illustrations by Robert Leighton
- “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism” by Robin Diangelo
- “You Be You, A Kid’s Guide to Gender, Sexuality and Family” by Jonathan Branfman, illustrated by Julie Benbassat
This book list was last updated on Aug. 1, 2024.
If you hear about censorship attempts in your local public library or school district, we want to hear from you. Email us at northdakota@aclu.org. Then, protect the First Amendment in your community with these resources.
