American Library Association’s poster announcing Banned Books Week 2020.

Banned Books Week commenced on Sept. 18! Beginning in the early 1980s, the annual event, celebrated the last week of September, spotlights “current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools.” Show your support for “the freedom to read” and checkout these frequently challenged titles available at Falvey Memorial Library.

The titles listed below are featured in the “Top 10 Most Challenged Books” lists spanning from 2001-2021. “Lists are based on information from media stories and voluntary reports sent to the Office for Intellectual Freedom from communities across the U.S.”

Books are accessible through Falvey’s collection and Interlibrary Loan.

• 2001 (#6)
  • The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (e-book)
• 2002 (#7)
  • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (e-book)
• 2003 (#3)
  • Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
• 2004 (#9)
  • I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
• 2005 (#4)
  • The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
• 2006 (#9)
  • Beloved by Toni Morrison
• 2007 (#4)
  • The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
• 2008 (#9)
  • The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (2004-05 Villanova University OneBook Selection)
• 2009 (#9)
  • The Color Purple by Alice Walker
• 2010 (#3)
  • Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
• 2011 (#10)
  • To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• 2012 (#9)
  • The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (2008-09 Villanova University OneBook Selection)
• 2013 (#5)
  • The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• 2014 (#2)
  • Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
• 2015 (#7)
  • The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
• 2016 (#10)
  • Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
• 2017 (#2)
  • The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
    • Sherman Alexie: A Collection of Critical Essays
• 2018 (#4)
  • The Hate U Give written by Angie Thomas
• 2019 (#7)
  • The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
• 2020 (#2)
  • Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds
• 2021 (#9)
  • This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson

For more information about Banned Books Week visit the American Library Association’s website. Looking for a specific title not available at Falvey Memorial Library? Villanova students, staff, and faculty can use the E-ZBorrow service to request print materials from regional libraries. Chat with a librarian during business hours: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. for inquires regarding Falvey Library’s collection.

Kallie Stahl ’17 MA is Communication and Marketing Specialist at Falvey Memorial Library. *Article originally published on Sept. 28, 2020.