Book Bans Are on the Rise

Our latest report, Banned in the USA: Beyond the Shelves, found that more than 10,000 books bans were enacted during the 2023-24 school year, nearly three times more than the prior school year.

Many bans are the result of local activists taking advantage of poorly written rules and legislation that remove books from shelves even when under review. Nearly 60% of these banned titles are written for young adult audiences, and depict topics young people confront in the real world, including grief and death, experiences with substance abuse, suicide, depression and mental health concerns, and sexual violence.

In the third year of this worsening book banning crisis, the defense of the core principles of public education and the freedom to read, learn, and think is as critical now as ever.

PEN America works to ensure that people everywhere have the freedom to create literature, to convey information and ideas, to express their views, and to access the views, ideas, and literatures of others. Stand with writers, journalists, artists, and educators across America.

Help us continue to champion the freedom to write and celebrate essential voices of literature by making an online donation today, becoming a Member, making a gift in honor of a loved one, leaving a legacy gift, or supporting one of our signature events.