Banned Books Week

Book banning has been a recurring phenomenon throughout history, with governments and individuals attempting to suppress the spread of ideas they deem dangerous or subversive. However, what one person finds offensive may be cherished by another. Because ideas of what may or may not be acceptable are constantly changing, so too are the titles that some seek to ban, resulting in an exercise in futility.

Banned books don’t disappear. In fact, book banning often has the opposite effect of what is intended, generating curiosity and interest in the titles. Over time, many titles become so widely accepted that modern readers are shocked to find them on the list of censored books.

For the 2023 Banned Books Week, Mid-Continent Public Library highlighted banned books of years past, with each branch home to one book you may be surprised to see on a list of censored books.

Mid-Continent Public Library stands firmly in support of the freedom to read. As always, we encourage individuals and families to determine what materials best fit their needs. The Library’s collection is home to books, movies, music, and resources filled with a nearly infinite spectrum of ideas for yesterday, today, and always.

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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

The Adventures of Captain Underpants

Blubber

Brave New World

The Call of the Wild

Catch-22

Charlotte's Web

Fahrenheit 451

Goosebumps: Welcome to Dead House

The Great Gatsby

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Hop on Pop

James and the Giant Peach

Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus

The Lorax

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

To Kill a Mockingbird

Where the Sidewalk Ends

Where's Waldo?

Where the Wild Things Are

A Wrinkle in Time