The Hate U Give, a novel that tackles the issue of police brutality against Black Americans, is a relatively recent addition to the list of frequently challenged books. Critics cite its "indoctrination of distrust of police," "pervasive vulgarity," and "racially insensitive language."
Reference: https://bannedbooksweek.org/banned-spotlight-the-hate-u-give/
This picture book published by the team behind Last Week Tonight with John Oliver has been challenged for being "designed to pollute the morals of its readers" and for including LGBTQIA+ content.
Reference: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10
The Harry Potter series has come under frequent fire in the 20+ years it has been published in the United States. It is targeted for "glorified magic and the occult," "violence and...dark tone," and "religious reasons."
Reference: https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=10636
This cautionary tale about a patriarchal dystopia taking hold in America has been challenged for its "vulgarity" and "sexual overtones."
Reference: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10
The Catcher in the Rye has been the target of bans since its publication. Reasons cited have included that the novel is "anti-white," "obscene," "unacceptable," has "excess vulgar language" and "things concerning moral issues," includes "sexual references," and is a "filthy, filthy book."
Reference: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics
Animal Farm, an allegory about Leninism and Stalinism, has been a target of censors due to its "political theories" and due to the claim that "Orwell was a communist."
Reference: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics
This classic coming-of-age tale has been challenged and banned for multiple reasons, including its inclusion of the words "damn" and "whore lady," the idea that it does "psychological damage to the positive integration process," and its inclusion of racist epithets, stereotypes, and slurs.
Reference: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics
A Separate Peace has been challenged for its "graphic," "unsuitable," and "offensive" language, and for allegedly being "a filthy, trashy sex novel."
Reference: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics
This anti-war novel has been the target of censors for its "references to religious matters," its "explicit sexual scenes, violence, and obscene language," and "foul language, a section depicting a picture of an act of bestiality...and the sentence: 'The gun made a ripping sound like the opening of the fly of God Almighty."'
Reference: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics
Of Mice and Men has been challenged since its publication for "profanity," "using God's name in vain," and because "Steinbeck is known to have had an anti-business attitude." More recently, it has faced challenges due to the fact that it contains racist language and slurs.
Reference: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics
Censors have targeted Song of Solomon for being "filthy and inappropriate," "trash," and "repulsive."
Reference: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics
This middle-grade novel about a transgender fourth-grader has been challenged and banned "for LGBTQIA+ content and a transgender character," "because schools and libraries should not 'put books in a child’s hand that require discussion,'" and "for conflicting with a religious viewpoint and 'traditional family structure.'"
Reference: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10