Throughout history, certain books have come under fire for content deemed inappropriate or controversial. Not surprisingly, that content has been by and about people of color scores of books have come under fire for content deemed inappropriate, the LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit community, and other marginalized groups.
But these days, books are being challenged and banned at an alarming rate. In 2023, the American Library Association reported that book challenges surged 65% with 4,240 book titles targeted for censorship. And the challenges just keep coming.
We’re seeing it here in North Dakota, too, with dozens and dozens of books either being formally challenged and/or cited by name in conjunction with proposed legislation. We’ve dubbed this list as the most feared books in North Dakota. But what’s there to be afraid of?
We have a First Amendment right to read free from censorship and discrimination – and I encourage you to do so! Pick up one of the titles on this list, start a reading group or suggest titles to your local book club. Share the list with your friends and spread the word: We all have the freedom to read.
- 100% Me by Elinor Greenwood
- 1984 by George Orwell
- ABC’s of Equality by Chana Ginelle Ewing, illustrated by Paulina Morgan
- All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
- Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson
- Autoboyography by Christian Lauren
- Beloved by Toni Morrison
- The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
- Bunk 9’s Guide to Growing Up by Adah Nuchi, Illustrated by Meg Hunt
- A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
- A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
- A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
- Crank by Ellen Hopkins
- Damsel by Elana K. Arnold
- Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
- The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
- Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
- Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Mass
- Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
- Fallout by Ellen Hopkins
- Flamer by Mike Curato
- Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
- Grl2grl by Julie Anne Peters
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
- Heartstopper (series, volumes 1-6) by Alice Oseman
- I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
- I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Naz Rishi
- Identical by Ellen Hopkins
- Impulse by Ellen Hopkins
- The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle Jack of Hearts (and other parts) by L.C. Rosen
- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
- Let’s Talk About It, A Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan
- Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert
- Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
- Looking for Alaska by John Green
- Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
- The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsburg
- My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness by Nagata Kabi
- Naked, Not Your Average Sex Encyclopedia by Myriam Daguzan Bernier, illustrations by Cécile Gariépy, translated by Charles Simard
- The Nerdy & the Dirty by B.T. Gottfred
- Nick and Charlie by Alice Oseman
- Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
- Odd One Out by Nic Stone
- Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
- People Kill People by Ellen Hopkins
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
- Pink, Blue, and You! Questions for Kids About Gender Stereotypes by Elise Gravel and Mykaell Blais
- Puberty Is Gross But Also Really Awesome by Gina Loveless, illustrated by Lauri Johnston
- Queer Ducks (and Other Animals) The Natural World of Animal Sexuality by Eliot Schrefer, illustrated by Jules Zuckerberg
- Ready, Set, Grow! “A What's Happening to My Body?” Book for Younger Girls by Lynda Madaras and Linda Davick
- Reapers of the Dust by Lois Phillips Hudson
- RuPaul Charles (People of Pride Series) by Little Bee Books, illustrated by Vincent Chen
- Scars by Cheryl Rainfield
- Sex is a Funny Word: A book about Bodies, Feelings, and YOU by Cory Silverberg and Fiona Smyth
- Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
- Sold by Patricia McCormick
- Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
- This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
- The Truth About Alice: A Novel by Jennifer Mathieu Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson
- Unpregnant by Jenni Hendricks and Ted Caplan
- The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
- A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi
- We Are Totally Normal by Rahul Kanakia
- We Need To Talk About Vaginas: An Important Book About Vulvas, Puberty, and Sex! by Dr. Allison K. Rodgers
- What's Going on Down There? A Boy's Guide to Growing Up by Karen Gravelle, with Nick Castro and Chava Castro; illustrations by Robert Leighton
- White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin Diangelo
- Who Has What?: All About Girls' Bodies and Boys' Bodies (Let's Talk about You and Me series) by Robie H. Harris, Illustrations by Nadine Bernard Westcott
- Will Puberty Last My Whole Life? by Julie Metzger and Robert Lehman
- You Be You, A Kid’s Guide to Gender, Sexuality and Family by Jonathan Branfman, illustrated by Julie Benbassat
This book list was last updated on January 28, 2026.
If you hear about censorship attempts in your local public library or school district, we want to hear from you. Email us at [email protected]. Then, protect the First Amendment in your community with these resources.
