There are two terms you’ll see often when talking about book censorship: challenged and banned.
A challenged book is a book someone has asked a library, school, or other institution to remove or restrict because of concerns about its content.
A banned book is a book that has been removed or restricted from a library, school, or other setting as a result of a challenge or censorship effort.
This year, MCPL is highlighting titles that have been challenged or banned over the years. Check your local branch to discover a title you may be surprised to see on a list of challenged or banned books.
Mid-Continent Public Library believes everyone should have the freedom to explore a wide range of ideas, perspectives, stories, and information. We encourage individuals and families to decide for themselves which materials are right for them. Our collection includes books, movies, music, and resources representing a nearly infinite spectrum of ideas—because there’s room for all kinds of stories on the shelf.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
by Mark Twain
Banned for...
offensive language and racist terminology
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
by Mark Twain
Banned for...
racial slurs and an immoral main character
Brave New World
by Aldous Huxley
Banned for...
themes of promiscuity, drug use, and suicide
The Call of the Wild
by Jack London
Banned for...
dark tone and bloody violence
Catch-22
by Joseph Heller
Banned for...
profane and inappropriate language
Charlotte's Web
by E.B. White
Banned for...
talking animals
The Color Purple
by Alice Walker
Banned for...
use of profanity and sexual violence
Diary of a Young Girl
by Anne Frank
Banned for...
discussions of puberty and teenage sexuality
Fahrenheit 451
by Ray Bradbury
Banned for...
vulgarity and discussions of drugs
A Farewell to Arms
by Ernest Hemingway
Banned for...
sexual content
The Giver
by Lois Lowry
Banned for...
portrayals of suicide and euthanasia
The Handmaid's Tale
by Margaret Atwood
Banned for...
sexually explicit content, profanity, anti-Christian themes
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
by Maya Angelou
Banned for...
inappropriately explicit sexual scenes and anti-white content
Lord of the Flies
by William Golding
Banned for...
demoralizing behavior and animal cruelty
Of Mice and Men
by John Steinbeck
Banned for...
objectional language and undermining the values of respect
The Outsiders
by S.E. Hinton
Banned for...
violence, mature themes, and smoking and drinking
Slaughterhouse-Five
by Kurt Vonnegut
Banned for...
violence and obscene language and being contrary to the Bible
A Study in Scarlet
by Arthur Conan Doyle
Banned for...
casting Mormonism in a negative light
To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
Banned for...
offensive language and mention of rape
Ulysses
by James Joyce
Banned for...
frank portrayals of sexuality
Where the Sidewalk Ends
by Shel Silverstein
Banned for...
showing disrespect for any authority
Where the Wild Things Are
by Maurice Sendak
Banned for...
sending the main character to bed without dinner
A Wrinkle in Time
by Madeleine L'Engle
Banned for...
entanglements with religion