Read, Watch or Listen

A new PEN America report reveals a significant increase in U.S. school book bans, with over 6,800 instances recorded in the 2024-25 school year across 23 states. LGBTQ+ titles, international bestsellers, and teen romantasy novels are among the most targeted. The trend, particularly concentrated in Florida, Texas, and Tennessee, is compared to Cold War-era censorship, with a noted rise in 'everyday banning' and pre-emptive removal of books.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.