This list consists of the books most frequently challenged for the year, and the most common reasons for the challenge as reported to the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom.

 

2009

1. ttyl; ttfn; l8r, g8r (series), by Lauren Myracle

Reasons: drugs, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

 

2. And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson

Reasons: homosexuality

3. The Perks of Being A Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: anti-family, drugs, homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited to age group

4. To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
Reasons: offensive language, racism, unsuited to age group

5. Twilight (series) by Stephenie Meyer
Reasons: religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

6. Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

7. My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult
Reasons: homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexism, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence

8. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things, by Carolyn Mackler
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

9. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

10. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
Reasons: nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

 

2008

1. And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Reasons: anti-ethnic, anti-family, homosexuality, religious viewpoint, and unsuited to age group

 

2. His Dark Materials trilogy, by Philip Pullman
Reasons: political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, and violence

 

3. ttyl; ttfn; l8r, g8r (series), by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group

 

4. Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
Reasons: occult/satanism, religious viewpoint, and violence

 

5. Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya
Reasons: occult/satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, and violence

 

6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: drugs, homosexuality, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, suicide, and unsuited to age group

 

7. Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily von Ziegesar
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group

 

8. Uncle Bobby's Wedding, by Sarah S. Brannen
Reasons: homosexuality and unsuited to age group

 

9. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group

 

10. Flashcards of My Life, by Charise Mericle Harper
Reasons: sexually explicit and unsuited to age group

 

2007

1. And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Reasons:  anti-ethnic, anti-family, homosexuality, religious viewpoint, sexism, and unsuited to age group

 

2. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, violence

 

3. Olive’s Ocean, by Kevin Henkes
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit

 

4. The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman
Reason: religious viewpoint 

 

5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
Reason: racism

 

6. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
Reasons: homosexuality, offensive language, sexually explicit

 

7. ttyl, by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

 

8. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou
Reason: sexually explicit

 

9. It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris
Reasons: sex education and sexually explicit

 

10. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: homosexuality, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group

 

2006

1. And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Reasons: anti-family, homosexuality, and unsuited to age group

 

2. Gossip Girls (series), by Cecily Von Ziegesar
Reasons: homosexuality, sexually explicit, offensive language, and unsuited to age group

 

3. Alice (series), by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Reasons: offensive language and sexually explicit

 

4. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things, by Carolyn Mackler
Reasons: anti-family, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group

 

5. The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group

 

6. Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
Reasons:  insensitivity, occult/Satanism, unsuited to age group, and violence

 

7. Athletic Shorts, by Chris Crutcher
Reasons: homosexuality and offensive language

 

8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: homosexuality, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group

 

9. Beloved, by Toni Morrison
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group

 

10. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicity, and violence

 

2005

1. It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health, by Robie H. Harris
Reasons: abortion, homosexuality, nudity, religious viewpoint, sex education, unsuited to age group

 

2. Forever, by Judy Blume
Reasons: offensive language, sexual content

 

3. The Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger
Reasons: sexual content, offensive language, unsuited to age group

 

4. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
Reasons: sexual content, offensive language

 

5. Whale Talk, by Chris Crutcher
Reasons: racism, offensive language

 

6. Detour for Emmy, by Marilyn Reynolds

Reason: sexual content

 

7. What My Mother Doesn’t Know, by Sonya Sones

Reasons: sexual content, being unsuited to age group

 

8. Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey
Reasons: anti-family content, unsuited to age group, violence

 

9. Crazy Lady!, by Jane Leslie Conly
Reason: offensive language

 

10. It’s So Amazing! A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families, by Robie H. Harris
Reasons: sex education, sexual content

 

2004

1. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
Reasons: offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence

 

2. Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Meyers
Reasons: offensive language, racism, violence

 

3. Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture, by Michael A. Bellesiles
Reasons: inaccurate, political viewpoint

 

4. Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit

 

5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: homosexuality, offensive language, sexually explicit 

 

6. What My Mother Doesn’t Know, by Sonya Sones
Reasons: offensive language, unsuited to age group, sexually explicit

 

7. In the Night Kitchen, by Maurice Sendak
Reasons: nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit

 

8. King & King, by Linda deHaan
Reason: homosexuality

 

9. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou
Reasons: homosexuality, offensive language, racism, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

 

10. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
Reasons: offensive language, racism, violence

 

2003

1. Alice (series), by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Reasons: sexual content, offensive language, unsuited to age group

 

2. Harry Potter (series), by J.K. Rowling 
Reasons: occult/Satanism

 

3. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck 
Reason: offensive language

 

4. Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture, by Michael Bellesiles
Reason: inaccuracy

 

5. Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Myers 
Reason: drugs, offensive language, racism, sexual content, violence

 

6. Go Ask Alice, by Anonymous 
Reason: drugs

 

7. It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris 
Reason: homosexuality, nudity, sexual content, sex education

 

8. We All Fall Down, by Robert Cormier 
Reason: offensive language, sexual content

 

9. King & King, by Linda de Haan 
Reason: homosexuality

 

10. Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson
Reason: occult/Satanism, offensive language

 

2002

1. Harry Potter, by J.K. Rowling
Reasons: occult/Satanism, violence

 

2. Alice (series), by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Reasons: homosexuality, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

 

3. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

 

4. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence

 

5. Taming the Star Runner, by S.E. Hinton
Reason: offensive language

 

6. Captain Underpants, by Dav Pilkey
Reasons: offensive language, unsuited to age group

 

7. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
Reason: offensive language

 

8. Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson
Reasons: occult/Satanism, offensive language, violence

 

9. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred D. Taylor
Reason: offensive language

 

10. Julie of the Wolves, by Jean Craighead George
Reasons: unsuited to age group, violence

 

2001

1. Harry Potter, by J.K. Rowling
Reasons: anti-family, occult/Satanism, religious viewpoint, violence

 

2. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
Reasons: offensive language, racism, unsuited to age group, violence

 

3. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence

 

4. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit

 

5. Summer of My German Soldier, by Bette Greene
Reasons: offensive language, racism, sexually explicit

 

6. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
Reasons: offensive language, unsuited to age group

 

7. Alice (series), by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Reasons: sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

 

8. Go Ask Alice, by Anonymous
Reasons: drugs, offensive language, sexually explicit

 

9. Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Myers
Reason: offensive language

 

10 Blood and Chocolate, by Annette Curtis Klause
Reasons: sexually explicit, unsuited to age group