Freedom to Read – Teen Banned Books

America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. With deportation looming over her father—despite his hard-won citizenship—Lily and Kath risk everything to let their love see the light of day. Why it was banned/challenged: LGBTQIA+ content

Ever since her body grew into curves, Xiomara Batista has felt unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood and she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking, but Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers. Why it was banned/challenged: Discussion of sexuality, accused of being anti-religious

Tells the story of one transformative week of Boy Scout camp, in which chubby, awkward Filipino American Aiden wrestles with the growing realization that he’s gay. Why it was banned/challenged: LGBTQIA+ content

Acclaimed writer Julia Alvarez’s beloved first novel gives voice to four sisters as they grow up in two cultures. The García sisters–Carla, Sandra, Yolanda, and Sofía–and their family must flee their home in the Dominican Republic after their father’s role in an attempt to overthrow brutal dictator Rafael Trujillo is discovered. Why it was banned/challenged: Discussion of sexuality, language

After witnessing her friend’s death at the hands of a police officer, Starr Carter’s life is complicated when the police and a local drug lord try to intimidate her in an effort to learn what happened the night Kahlil died. Why it was banned/challenged: Discussion of race, accused of being anti-police

In a future North America, where the rulers of Panem maintain control through an annual televised survival competition pitting young people from each of the twelve districts against one another, sixteen-year-old Katniss’s skills are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister’s place. Why it was banned/challenged: Violence

On a field trip to SeaPlanet, seventeen-year-old Arab-American high school swimmer River McIntyre has a chance encounter with Indy, a happy, healthy queer person, which sets off a wrenching journey of self-discovery, from internalized homophobia and gender dysphoria, through layers of coming out, affirmation surgery, and true love. Why it was banned/challenged: LGBTQIA+ content

When the sister who delighted their parents by her faithful embrace of Mexican culture dies in a tragic accident, Julia, who longs to go to college and move into a home of her own, discovers from mutual friends that her sister may not have been as perfect as believed. Why it was banned/challenged: Discussion of race and sexuality

Krosoczka recounts the trials of his youth as the son of an addicted mother and an absentee father who was raised by his grandparents. Why it was banned/challenged: Drug and alcohol use, language

Thirteen-year-old Maleeka, uncomfortable because her skin is extremely dark, meets a new teacher with a birthmark on her face and discovers how to love who she is and what she looks like. Why it was banned/challenged: Discussion of race

The author chronicles his life growing up Black and gay in America. Why it was banned/challenged: LGBTQIA+ content

Prince Sebastian has a secret. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia. Sebastian’s secret weapon, and best friend, is the brilliant dressmaker Frances, but how long can Frances defer her dreams to protect a friend? Why it was banned/challenged: LGBTQIA+ content

Aspiring screenwriter Nate finds his conviction that happy endings do not exist tested when his childhood best friend and crush, Oliver James Hernández, moves back to town. Why it was banned/challenged: LGBTQIA+ content

Michael is a mixed-race gay teen growing up in London. All his life, he’s navigated what it means to be Greek-Cypriot and Jamaican–but never quite feeling Greek or Black enough. As he gets older, Michael’s coming out is only the start of learning who he is and where he fits in. When he discovers the Drag Society, he finally finds where he belongs–and the Black Flamingo is born. Why it was banned/challenged: LGBTQIA+ content

Intended as a guide by which a prospective white friend might gain insight on matters pertaining to race, Frederick Joseph relates anecdotes from his own life that address such topics as cultural appropriation, power dynamics, “reverse racism”, white privilege, microaggressions, and overt racism. Why it was banned/challenged: Discussion of race

Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, with laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love. Why it was banned/challenged: Violence, language, LGBTQIA+ content