The American Library Association released its annual Top Ten List of Frequently Challenged Books, included in the ALA's State of America's Libraries Report 2018, which "affirms the invaluable role libraries and library workers play within their communities by leading efforts to transform lives through education and lifelong learning."
According to the report, libraries continue to face challenges--including the potential for censorship--to a variety of books, programs and materials. The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 354 challenges to library, school and university materials and services in 2017. Some individual challenges resulted in requests to restrict or remove multiple titles or collections. OIF estimates that 82%-97% of challenges remain unreported. Overall in 2017, 416 books were targeted--direct attacks on the freedom to read. The most frequently challenged titles last year were:
- Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
- Drama by Raina Telgemeier
- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
- George by Alex Gino
- Sex Is a Funny Word by Cory Silverberg, illustrated by Fiona Smyth
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
- And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson, illustrated by Henry Cole
- I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings, illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas