by Alison Quill, Senior Circulation Librarian
It’s that time of year again. From September 22-28, 2024, ALA’s annual Banned Books Week is held. While the topic may get brought up several times throughout the year, this designated week provides the opportunity to discuss and rally behind the opposition of banning books. For several years now, the ALA has spearheaded this campaign in an effort to combat the ever growing rhetoric that supports literary censorship and book bans. Public, and school libraries especially, face this difficult fight: ALA documented that the number of titles targeted for censorship at public libraries increased by 92% over the previous year, accounting for about 46% of all book challenges in 2023. For more information on the statistics of it all, head over to the ALA website. Then, come stop by the Lynnfield Public Library to peruse our Banned Books display, and maybe check one out (you might be surprised by how many you recognize). The current list of top 10 banned books in 2023, according to the ALA:
Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
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Flamer by Mike Curato
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
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Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
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Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
Let’s Talk About It: The Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan
Sold by Patricia McCormick