It is that time of year again, Banned Books Week is here. From October 5-11, this week reminds us why we should care about the books that some want to ban.
The theme for 2025, ‘Censorship Is So 1984. Read for Your Rights,’ takes a page from George Orwell’s 1984, a novel about a man fighting against a controlling, oppressive society.
Though the book was published in 1949 and set in the year 1984, its theme of resisting censorship feels especially relevant now, as the number of book bans continues to rise.
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More bans, more pushback
While banning books may seem like a way to protect people from controversial ideas, the truth is that most Americans do not agree with it.
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A 2022 poll by the American Library Association found that a whopping 71% of people oppose book bans.
Banned Books Week aims to raise awareness about this growing issue, showing us that censorship is more present than we might think.
A celebration of freedom
Banned Books Week is not just about telling what is being taken off the shelves, it is a celebration of the freedom to read whatever we choose.
The movement, which started in 1982, has been calling attention to the rise in book challenges, with a special focus on the power of literature to spark conversations, empathy, and understanding.
And while we celebrate the books we love, we are also reminded that we cannot take the freedom to read for granted.
Why are books challenged?
The reasons behind these bans vary, but many of these books are challenged because they explore complex themes that some groups find uncomfortable.
Issues like LGBTQIA+ rights, drug addiction, mental health, and sexuality can stir strong reactions. Supporters of book bans argue that some books could upset children or reflect lifestyles they deem “unsuitable.”
Banned Books Week is a reminder that we need to stand up for our right to read. It is a time to celebrate the books that have shaped our world and to protect the freedom of future generations to explore the same ideas.
10 banned books – 2025
According to PEN America, the 10 most challenged books of the 2024-2025 school year were:
- A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
- Breathless by Jennifer Niven
- Sold by Patricia McCormick*
- Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
- A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
- Crank by Ellen Hopkins
- Forever… by Judy Blume
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
- Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
- All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
