Book banning in the United States is a subject of intense debate and global scrutiny. America is deeply divided on many issues, so of course, book ban trends vary dramatically by state. Some states ban hundreds of books in one semester, while many others ban none at all. In the fall semester of 2022, there were 1,477 total book bans involving 874 unique titles. The team at AAA State of Play has created this infographic to shed light on which states ban the most books as well the most banned authors and the most banned book topics. Take a seat at a picnic table or outdoor bench under a playground shade structure and a look at where the most books are being banned in America:
Which State Bans the Most Books?
Texas is the state with the most book bans by far, with 438 in the 2022 fall semester. Here is the master list of book bans by state, according to PEN America:
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What States Ban the Most Books?
Here is a list of book bans by state:
- Texas — 438
- Florida — 357
- Missouri — 315
- Utah — 109
- South Carolina — 109
- Pennsylvania — 27
- North Dakota — 27
- Michigan — 18
- Virginia — 11
- Tennessee — 4
- Colorado — 3
- Iowa — 3
- Indiana — 3
- Wyoming — 2
- Oklahoma — 2
- Arkansas — 2
- New York — 1
- Massachusetts — 1
- New Jersey — 1
- North Carolina — 1
- California — 1
Why Does Texas Ban So Many Books?
The Austin Chronicle refers to Texas book-banning as “Christian nationalism,” with many of the book bans being demanded and enforced by religious and conservative groups.
During a signing ceremony for Texas’s new statewide book banning bill, Gov. Greg Abbott stated, “Some schools have books with sexually explicit and vulgar materials. I'm signing a law that gets that trash out of our schools." (Some say that the focus should have been on actually cleaning up community and school playgrounds, making sure that students were able to play safe, protected by rubber playground mulch rather than being “protected” from the contents of controversial books.) Many of the book bans in Texas include books exploring topics that are relevant to identity and coming-of-age experiences. Texas book bans have targeted titles exploring racial identity, racism, abortion, and LGBTQ+ issues. While some of these titles may include sexually explicit scenes, one might argue that these book bans are more about conservative and religious censorship than keeping children from being exposed to “inappropriate” materials. Some may say that a child has more of a chance of getting hurt from inadequate rubber surfacing than from these books.
The most frequently banned books in Texas include Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, Roe v. Wade: A Woman's Choice? by Susan Dudley Gold, and Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez, which tells a love story between a Mexican American teenage girl and a black teen boy in East Texas during the 1930s. Even Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl is a frequently banned book in Texas.
What Is the Most Banned Book in America?
The book with the most bans in fall of 2022 was Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe.
What Is Gender Queer About?
This graphic novel follows the author’s personal journey of growing up and struggling with gender identity and sexuality and addresses topics such as gender euphoria, gender dysphoria, and asexuality.
What Topics of Books Are Usually Banned?
For fall 2022, the most banned books’ subjects included themes of violence (44%); topics on the health and well-being of students, such as mental health, bullying, substance abuse, and puberty (38%); themes of death and grief (30%); characters of color or themes of race and racism (30%); LGBTQ+ characters or themes (26%); sexual experiences between characters (24%); and mentions of teen pregnancy, abortion, or sexual assault (17%).
Who Bans Books in Schools? The Same People Who Run the School Board and Vote on the Budget for Playground Equipment.
It’s important to note that who decides to ban books in school libraries isn’t educational professionals. The books that are present in a school library or part of a curriculum were selected by librarians and educators. Book bans occur when these choices are overturned by individuals, government officials, or organizations demanding their removal through the school boards; the same group of people who vote on the local school playground equipment budget. In fact, in an American Library Association poll, 71% of voters opposed banning books. But a vocal minority demands censorship, causing school districts to err on the side of caution. Some say that that caution is misplaced and the focus should be on providing the best playground equipment for every student in every school.
According to PEN America, nearly a third of recent book bans were the direct result of newly enacted laws in Texas, Florida, Missouri, and Utah. The legislatures and courthouses in these states are all Republican-dominated.
States That Banned the Most Books in the 2022 Fall Semester
State
Book Bans
- 1. Texas
438
- 2. Florida
357
- 3. Missouri
315
- 4. Utah
109
- 5. South Carolina
109
- 6. Pennsylvania
27
- 7. North Dakota
27
- 8. Michigan
18
- 9. Virginia
11
- 10. Tennessee
4
- 11. Colorado
3
- 12. Iowa
3
- 13. Indiana
3
- 14. Wyoming
2
- 15. Oklahoma
2
- 16. Arkansas
2
- 17. New York
1
- 18. Massachusetts
1
- 19. New Jersey
1
- 20. North Carolina
1
- 21. California
1
Which School Districts Have Banned the Most Books?
Frisco Independent School District in Texas, Wentzville School District in Missouri, and Escambia County Public Schools in Florida together banned more than 600 books (compared to 78% of districts nationwide only banning one to 19 books).
Subject Matter of Banned Content
Subject
Percentage
Themes or instances of violence and physical abuse
44%
Topics on health and well-being for students (mental health, bullying, suicide, substance abuse, sexual health, and puberty)
38%
Themes of death or grief
30%
Characters of color or themes of race and racism
30%
LGBTQ+ characters or themes
26%
Sexual experiences between characters
24%
Mentions of teen pregnancy, abortion, or sexual assault
17%
The 10 Most Banned Books of Fall 2022
- 1. (tie). Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe, 15 bans
- 2. (tie). Flamer by Mike Curato, 15 bans
- 3. Tricks by Ellen Hopkins, 13 bans
- 4. (tie) The Handmaid’s Tale: The Graphic Novel by Margaret Atwood and Renee Nault, 12 bans
- 4. (tie). Crank by Ellen Hopkins, 12 bans
- 6. (tie) Sold by Patricia McCormick, 11 bans
- 6. (tie). Push by Sapphire, 11 bans
- 6. (tie). A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas, 11 bans
- 9. (tie). This Book Is Gay by Juno Dawson, 10 bans
- 9. (tie). The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, 10 bans
- 9. (tie). Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur, 10 bans
Most-Banned Authors
Author
Districts Banning Their Books
Instances of Books Banned
Unique Titles Banned
Ellen Hopkins
20
89
17
Elana K. Arnold
16
26
5
Maia Kobabe
15
15
1
Mike Curato
15
15
1
Margaret Atwood
15
25
4
Sarah J. Maas
14
61
12
Rupi Kaur
14
19
3
Sapphire
11
11
1
Toni Morrison
11
14
3
Patricia McCormick
11
11
1
This article was last updated on October 7th, 2024 by author Kim Hart