Book bans are on the rise in America.
In the 2022–23 school year, PEN America recorded 3,362 instances of books banned, from those centering racial inequality and LGBTQ+ themes to classics like The Great Gatsby and Moby Dick. These bans were driven by new laws and regulations limiting the kinds of books that children can access.
We at Penguin Random House fervently oppose these attempts at censorship because we believe that books make us better, and students in particular deserve access to a wide range of perspectives. Our Book Resumes – resources everyone can use to justify keeping frequently challenged books on shelves and in the hands of readers – can be used to fight against the banning of a specific title.
We stand with our authors and are committed to publishing diverse stories and rich, wide-spanning perspectives. We stand with teachers and librarians and trust their expertise on what books to share with young readers. And we stand with our readers, because everyone deserves to see themselves in a book.
Keep scrolling to learn what we’re doing – and what you can do – to protect the freedom to read.
What We're Doing
From protecting books in court to partnering with authors, teachers, librarians, parents and caregivers, and other industry leaders, we’re committed to getting books back on shelves and into the hands of readers who want and need them most.
Legal Action
See how we’re defending books in court.
Organizations We’re Supporting
Learn more about our partners in the fight against censorship.
How We’re Supporting Authors and Creators
Learn more about programming that’s available to PRH authors.
How We’re Supporting Teachers and Librarians
See how we’re bolstering those on the front lines.
What You Can Do
Whether your child (or your book, or your district) is directly affected by book bans or you simply want to learn more about the issue, we’ve partnered with experts on the front lines – authors, teachers, librarians, parents, students, and booksellers – to highlight some of the most impactful ways you can get involved.
Book Resumes
Learn more about frequently challenged books and get the tools to justify keeping these titles on shelves – including resources for many of the books listed below. See more →
Read Banned Books
We’ve curated a collection of books, grouped by category, that are currently under attack in America. This is only a sampling of the hundreds of titles that are challenged daily and we’ll rotate the books regularly. For a more extensive real-time list, visit our partners at PEN America.
Banned for Featuring Characters of Color or Themes of Race and Racism
Banned for Featuring LGBTQ+ Characters or Themes
Banned for Themes of Violence, Sexual Experiences, and Health / Wellbeing
Questions, comments, or suggestions?
Please send us a note at bannedbooks@prh.com.