Exploring the Debate Surrounding Banned Books by Samantha Lozinski

You might have heard about banned books before, but what exactly are banned books?
“When a book is successfully “banned,” that means a book has been removed from school curriculums and/or public libraries because a person or group has objected to its content.” A recent article by USA TODAY states.

This is how it works… “An attempt to get a book removed is called a challenge.” Most public schools and libraries will have boards made up of elected officials/ people who have the power to ban books from the libraries and schools.

Banned books restrict others' access to books, and the ideas within them. And although some could buy books rather than borrowing them from a public library, some don’t have the money to do that and it is an inconvenience.

MOST BANNED BOOKS (not in any specific order)
Below are the 13 most challenged books of 2022, according to the ALA (American Library Association.)

Here are the 13 most challenged books of 2022, according to the ALA: 

• "Gender Queer," by Maia Kobabe

• "All Boys Aren't Blue," by George M. Johnson

• "The Bluest Eye," by Toni Morrison

• "Flamer," by Mike Curato

• "Looking for Alaska," by John Green

• "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," by Stephen Chbosky

• "Lawn Boy," by Jonathan Evison

• "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian," by Sherman Alexie

• "Out of Darkness," by Ashley Hope Pérez

• "A Court of Mist and Fury," by Sarah J. Maas

• "Crank," by Ellen Hopkins

• "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl," by Jesse Andrews

• "This Book Is Gay," by Juno Dawson

(Links are attached for anybody interested.)

So, if you read some of the links above, what are your thoughts? Are banned books banned for a reason, or should people be able to have access to whatever they want to read?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/books/2022/06/29/banned-books-explained/7772046001/