The American Library Association (ALA) says book bans remain stubbornly high, announcing that 2025 saw the second-highest documented level of book challenges, narrowly missing the top spot recorded in 2023.
The group found as part of its State of America’s Libraries Report that 4,235 unique titles were challenged in 2025, compared to 4,240 in 2023.
ALA defines a challenge as an attempt to restrict access or have a library resource removed based on personal or group objections. A ban is the complete removal of material from a library.
The group listed its top 11 most targeted books, instead of a top 10, as four titles ended in a tie for the eighth position.
The top challenged book was “Sold” by Patricia McCormick. It was followed by “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” “Gender Queer: A Memoir,” “Empire of Storms” and tied in fifth place were “Last Night at the Telegraph Club” and “Tricks.”
