The association American Library Association (ALA) has listed the books that are considered the most criticized and controversial, and thus were "most challenging" for American libraries and schools to handle in 2024.
The books often deal with LGBTQ issues, but also with, for example, sexual assaults, such as the deceased Nobel laureate Toni Morrison's "The Bluest Eye", which is second on the list. Also included are Maya Koba's non-binary autobiography "Gender Queer", Stephen Chbosky's "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" and John Green's "Looking for Alaska".
In its annual report, ALA also notes that more than 70 percent of attempts to ban a particular title from library shelves come from organized groups and elected officials, and only 16 percent originate from individual parents.
ALA defines a challenge as a "formal, written complaint submitted to a library or school requesting that material be removed due to content or suitability".
The association, which compiles censorship data through media accounts and reports from librarians, believes that the actual number of challenges is higher than the figures show, writes ABC News. However, the report shows a decrease in challenges last year – 821 attempts compared to 1,247 the year before.
