- Browse Books
- Events
- Services
- Book Blog
- 3/5/2023: Recent Memoirs + Biographies About Women
- Elaine's March 2023 column: Historical Fiction by and About Women
- 3/1/2023: Washington Post chooses 10 noteworthy books for March
- 3/1/2023: The New York Times Recommends New Books for March
- March 2023 Pre-Orders!
- 2/7/2023: Beautiful and Cute Little Books!
- February 2023 Seattle Times Catch Up!
- 1/12/2023: Books we're looking forward to this year!
- 1/5/23. The PNBA Award Winners have been announced!
- 12/1/2022: 2022 Staff Favorites!
- npr recent book reviews and author interviews
- Latest Book Club choices from Oprah, Reese, Jenna + GMA
- Links for Book People
You are here
Back to top2022 Banned Books Week!
Banned Books Week 2022 is officially September 18 - 24!
We are going to celebrate the Freedom to Read all month long.
There is a n
ew [amazing] window display [Hooray Michelle!] full of banned books.
We have some great totes, and stickers, available in the shop for you to proudly announce that you read what you want!
And you can buy this year's official t-shirt at Bonfire here!
How many banned books have you read? Fascinating check list to download here. [we have copies of the list in the shop, too!]
Don't miss the official Banned Books Website, here. So much great information about the books and so many events listed, most are virtual and free -- join as many as you wish!
We are having a Banned Books Week bookmark design contest, and we would love for you to submit a design!
All original designs should be drawn/painted/sketched on an 8.5" x 2" piece of paper or card and must include the words "I read dangerously!" somewhere on the front.
Submissions can be turned in at Edmonds Bookshop in person, or via email at: edmondsbookshop@msn.com, between now and September 22nd.
Winners will be announced on September 24th at the culmination of Banned Books Week!
Prizes will be given to the best bookmark design submitted by a youth (up to age 18) and an adult (18 and older).
Please include your name, age category and contact information on the back of your bookmark [or with your email entry].
This entire year has been crazy with people attempting to ban books all over the country -- some great articles of interest here:
January 30, 2022. Art Spiegelman sees the new ban of his book "Maus" as a ‘red alert.' Washington Post article here.
January 30, 2022. Challenges to books about sexual and racial identity are nothing new in American schools, but the tactics and politicization are. The article in The New York Times is here.
February 14, 2022. An amazing editorial from Kate Cohen: This book-banishing fervor is frightening. But for me, it has a thrilling subtext: Books are still deeply powerful things. The column here.
One of the best lines in her column: "The child who reads “damn” and knows what it means has heard it before. The child who reads “damn” and doesn’t is … just fine."
April 4, 2022. Library study finds ‘challenged’ books soared in 2021.The two most challenged books on the ALA’s top 10 list have been in the news often: Maia Kobabe’s graphic memoir about sexual identity, “Gender Queer,” and Jonathan Evison’s “Lawn Boy,” a coming-of-age novel narrated by a young gay man. Both have been singled out by Republican officials. The article here.
April 15, 2022. Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson wrote the 2005 children’s book “And Tango Makes Three,” which has been one of the most banned or challenged books in the United States. An Editorial Opinion from the authors: Avoiding our ‘gay penguins’ book? Better steer clear of these kids’ classics, too! The column here in The Washington Post.
Hilarious. Pointed. Awesome.
April 28, 2022. These are books school systems don’t want you to read, and why. The article in The Washington Post, here.
PEN Across America will mark Banned Books Week 2022 with a series of online and in-person events. All the information here.
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible.
Below is a partial list of the books that have appeared on the American Library Association's most challenged books over the past few years, as well as the books mentioned in all of the above articles...... we have most in stock at the shop. The rest are usually just a few days away...
Event Date:
Sunday, September 18, 2022 - 12:00pm to Saturday, September 24, 2022 - 6:00pm
Address:
111 5th Ave. South
Edmonds, WA 98020
Books:
$19.99
ISBN: 9781549304002
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Oni Press - May 28th, 2019
Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content, and because it was considered to have sexually explicit images.
$24.99
ISBN: 9781637150726
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Oni Press - July 5th, 2022
Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content, and because it was considered to have sexually explicit images.
$16.99
ISBN: 9781616209230
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Algonquin Books - March 19th, 2019
Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to be sexually explicit.
$18.99
ISBN: 9780374312718
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) - April 28th, 2020
Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content, profanity, and because it was considered to be sexually explicit.
$12.99
ISBN: 9780823445035
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Holiday House - September 10th, 2019
Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted for depictions of abuse and because it was considered to be sexually explicit.
$14.99
ISBN: 9780062498540
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Balzer + Bray - May 3rd, 2022
Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity, violence, and because it was thought to promote an anti-police message and indoctrination of a social agenda.
$16.99
ISBN: 9780316013697
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - April 1st, 2009
Reasons: This was the most-challenged book in the United States from 2010 to 2019 due to profanity, sexual content and the topics it covers — alcoholism, suicide, bullying and racism. It is semi-autobiographical and heavily based off of the experiences of Sherman Alexie’s own experiences as a teenager.
And due to allegations of sexual misconduct by the author.
$11.99
ISBN: 9781419719608
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Harry N. Abrams - April 21st, 2015
Reasons: Banned and challenged because it was considered sexually explicit and degrading to women.
$16.00
ISBN: 9780307278449
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Vintage - May 8th, 2007
Reasons: Banned and challenged because it depicts child sexual abuse and was considered sexually explicit.
$12.99
ISBN: 9781728254326
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Sourcebooks Fire - September 7th, 2021
Reasons: Banned, challenged, relocated, and restricted for providing sexual education and LGBTQIA+ content.
$7.99
ISBN: 9781338843415
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Scholastic Press - April 19th, 2022
Reasons: Challenged, banned, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content, conflicting with a religious viewpoint, and not reflecting “the values of our community.”
$18.99
ISBN: 9780316453691
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - March 10th, 2020
Reasons: Banned and challenged because of author’s public statements, and because of claims that the book contains “selective storytelling incidents” and does not encompass racism against all people.
$12.99
ISBN: 9781481463348
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books - August 29th, 2017
Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity, drug use, and alcoholism, and because it was thought to promote anti-police views, contain divisive topics, and be “too much of a sensitive matter right now.”
$10.99
ISBN: 9780312674397
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Square Fish - May 10th, 2011
Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted because it was thought to contain a political viewpoint and it was claimed to be biased against male students, and for the novel’s inclusion of rape and profanity.
$16.99
ISBN: 9781433828546
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Magination Press - March 1st, 2018
Reasons: Challenged for “divisive language” and because it was thought to promote anti-police views.
$16.99
ISBN: 9780060935467
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Harper Perennial Modern Classics - July 5th, 2005
Reasons: Banned and challenged for racial slurs and their negative effect on students, featuring a “white savior” character, and its perception of the Black experience.
$17.99
ISBN: 9780061120084
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Harper Perennial Modern Classics - May 23rd, 2006
Reasons: Banned and challenged for racial slurs and their negative effect on students, featuring a “white savior” character, and its perception of the Black experience.
$15.00
ISBN: 9780140186420
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Penguin Classics - February 1st, 1994
Reasons: Banned and challenged for racial slurs and racist stereotypes, and their negative effect on students.
$18.99
ISBN: 9781452173801
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Chronicle Books - March 18th, 2018
Reasons: challenged and vandalized for LGBTQIA+ content and political viewpoints, for concerns that it is “designed to pollute the morals of its readers,” and for not including a content warning.
$25.95
ISBN: 9781609806064
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Triangle Square - July 28th, 2015
Reasons: challenged, banned, and relocated for LGBTQIA+ content; for discussing gender identity and sex education; and for concerns that the title and illustrations were “inappropriate.”
$17.99
ISBN: 9781499805529
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: little bee books - May 1st, 2018
Reasons: challenged and restricted for featuring a gay marriage and LGBTQIA+ content; for being “a deliberate attempt to indoctrinate young children” with the potential to cause confusion, curiosity, and gender dysphoria; and for conflicting with a religious viewpoint.
$17.99
ISBN: 9780803741072
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Dial Books - September 4th, 2014
Reasons: challenged and relocated for LGBTQIA+ content, for a transgender character, and for confronting a topic that is “sensitive, controversial, and politically charged.”
On back order at our supplier. Scheduled to be back in stock by the end of September.
$15.95
ISBN: 9780385490818
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Anchor - March 16th, 1998
Reasons: banned and challenged for profanity and for “vulgarity and sexual overtones.”
$23.95
ISBN: 9780385539241
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Nan A. Talese - March 26th, 2019
Reasons: banned and challenged for profanity and for “vulgarity and sexual overtones.”
$12.99
ISBN: 9781338801897
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Graphix - December 7th, 2021
Reasons: challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and for concerns that it goes against “family values/morals.”
$18.99
ISBN: 9780689878459
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - June 1st, 2005
Reason: challenged and relocated for LGBTQIA+ content.
$8.99
ISBN: 9781481446952
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Little Simon - June 2nd, 2015
Reason: challenged and relocated for LGBTQIA+ content.
$10.99
ISBN: 9780590353427
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Scholastic Paperbacks - October 1st, 1999
Reasons: banned and forbidden from discussion for referring to magic and witchcraft, for containing actual curses and spells, and for characters that use “nefarious means” to attain goals.
*actual curses and spells??! OK -- who got what spell or curse to work?? You must share!
$10.99
ISBN: 9780439064873
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Scholastic Paperbacks - September 1st, 2000
$10.99
ISBN: 9780439136365
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Scholastic Paperbacks - October 1st, 2001
$12.99
ISBN: 9780439139601
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Scholastic Paperbacks - September 1st, 2002
$12.99
ISBN: 9780439358071
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Scholastic Paperbacks - September 1st, 2004
$12.99
ISBN: 9780439785969
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Scholastic Paperbacks - September 1st, 2006
$14.99
ISBN: 9780545139700
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Scholastic Inc. - July 1st, 2009
$12.99
ISBN: 9781728254326
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Sourcebooks Fire - September 7th, 2021
A nonfiction handbook for LGBTQ+ teens.
Reasons: People challenged, banned, restricted and hid the book to avoid attracting controversy. They were worried about its LGBT+ content and trans characters. Challengers said schools and libraries should not ‘put books in a child’s hand that require discussion’. They also complained about sexual references.
$33.90
ISBN: 9780679748403
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Pantheon - October 19th, 1993
Why critics object: In January [2022], a Tennessee school district banned use of the text in middle school classes. Officials cited profanity, nudity (of cartoon animals) and depiction of violence and suicide. One school board member pointed to scenes in which a father talks with his son about losing his virginity and where a woman cuts herself with a blade.
$35.00
ISBN: 9780679406419
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Pantheon - November 19th, 1996
Why critics object: In January [2022], a Tennessee school district banned use of the text in middle school classes. Officials cited profanity, nudity (of cartoon animals) and depiction of violence and suicide. One school board member pointed to scenes in which a father talks with his son about losing his virginity and where a woman cuts herself with a blade.
$16.00
ISBN: 9780807083697
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Beacon Press - February 1st, 2004
$18.95
ISBN: 9780807049396
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Beacon Press - July 23rd, 2019
$38.00
ISBN: 9780593230572
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: One World - November 16th, 2021
Why critics object: Conservatives, including former president Donald Trump, say it paints an overly negative view of American history. The project also has been criticized by some historians for certain factual errors, such as an assertion that protecting the institution of slavery was a prime motivator for the colonists who declared independence from Britain.
$11.99
ISBN: 9780525555278
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Dutton Books for Young Readers - December 28th, 2021
Why critics object: A teen lesbian romance set in 1954 between a Chinese American teen and a white classmate.
$16.00
ISBN: 9780375714573
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Pantheon - June 1st, 2004
Reason for ban: Upsetting imagery
This autobiographical coming-of-age tale set in Iran spans the country’s Islamic Revolution and the devastating effects of its war with Iraq as its narrator discovers boys, booze and punk rock.In 2013, the book was banned in all public schools in Chicago, claiming it was “offensive, vulgar and promoted controversial racial and political issues."
$32.00
ISBN: 9780593230251
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Random House - August 4th, 2020
While researching the reasons "Caste" is being targeted by book banners: there was not a lot of information out there. It’s probably because the book isn’t at all obscene.
The book showed up on a Texas lawmaker’s list of books that “discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress because of race or sex.” To date, there have not been any claims of obscenity or reasons to remove this book from school other than it makes some people uncomfortable. That’s the definition of a good book that everyone should read.
$12.99
ISBN: 9780062691194
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Quill Tree Books - February 5th, 2019
Why critics object: A petition last fall signed by some 400 parents alleged that the book was “wrought with critical race theory,” which holds that systemic racism is woven into this country’s institutions. The critics alleged that the book teaches children that White privilege comes with microaggressions that should be kept in check. The objections prompted a school district temporarily to pull “New Kid” from school libraries and to cancel an event with the author. The online event was later rescheduled.
$14.99
ISBN: 9781536207217
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Candlewick - May 18th, 2021
Why critics object: They say the book is too graphic and sexually explicit for children. In 2019, Arizona Republican state Rep. Kelly Townsend unsuccessfully called on schools systems and libraries to remove the books from their shelves, citing its “drawn depictions of teenagers engaged in sexual intercourse.”
Files:
