Banned Books Week typically takes place in the last week of September every year, and we know just the way to celebrate: share banned books in Little Free Libraries! We even created a book ban map showing book ban hotspots and corresponding Little Free Library locations. Not sure which books to share? Inspired by our Read in Color recommended reads, staff favorites, and the ALA’s list, we’ve put together our top 10 banned books to share in Little Free Libraries. So what are you waiting for? Download the Little Free Library mobile app, find a little library near you, and share some banned books!
1. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
This #1 New York Times bestseller is a riveting and timely tale of a young girl torn between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. When she witnesses a shooting, her community is upended and her life is endangered. It’s on our African American/Black Read in Color Recommended Reads list!
2. All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
From the memories of getting his teeth kicked out by bullies at age five, to flea marketing with his loving grandmother, to his first sexual relationships, this young-adult memoir from George M. Johnson weaves together the trials and triumphs faced by Black queer boys. According to the ALA, this book was banned or challenged 82 times in 2023 for LGBTQIA+ content.
3. Caste by Isabel Wilkerson
This book is on our Antiracism & Inclusion Read in Color Recommended Reads list! The Pulitzer Prize-winning author examines the unspoken caste system that has shaped America and shows how our lives today are still defined by a hierarchy of human divisions. Check out this fascinating interview with the author, too.
4. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell, Justin Richardson, and Henry Cole
This heartwarming true story of two penguins who create a nontraditional family is a great one to read as a family. Thanks to our friends at Simon & Schuster, you could even win a copy! Check out our book giveaways—they change every month!
5. Maus by Art Spiegelman
This Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel about the Holocaust has been banned for inappropriate language. It is included on our Jewish Read in Color Recommended Reads list.
6. Looking for Alaska by John Green
Looking for Alaska brilliantly chronicles the impact one life can have on another. Miles Halter leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet François Rabelais called the “Great Perhaps”. Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young, who will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps. This book was banned or challenged 55 times in 2022, according to the ALA, for LGBTQIA+ content and claims of sexually explicit content.
7. Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry and Vashti Harrison
A sweet ode to the relationship between father and daughter! Our friends at Penguin Random House are sharing this book on their Banned Wagon in celebration of Banned Books Week this year.
8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
An excellent YA choice! The critically acclaimed debut novel from Stephen Chbosky, Perks follows observant “wallflower” Charlie as he charts a course through the strange world between adolescence and adulthood. According to the ALA, this book was banned or challenged 55 times in 2022 for depictions of sexual abuse, LGBTQIA+ content, drug use, and profanity.
9. New Kid by Jerry Craft
This honest graphic novel is about starting over at a new school where diversity is low and the struggle to fit in is real. Winner of the Newbery Medal! It’s also on our African American/Black Read in Color Recommended Reads list and we gave away many copies during Banned Books Week last year.
10. This Book Is Gay by Juno Dawson
This candid, funny, and uncensored exploration of sexuality and what it’s like to grow up LGBTQ also includes real stories from people across the gender and sexual spectrums, not to mention hilarious illustrations. The ALA reported that this book was banned or challenged 71 times in 2023 for LGBTQIA+ content and providing sexual education.
You can buy any of these banned and challenged books and more from our Bookshop.org store. Little Free Library condemns book bans. Learn more about our stance on book access and what we’re doing to protect the right to read.