As banned book week draws to a close, I thought we would take a look at books written by women that have been on a banned reading list. This rarely happens nationally in America anymore but frequently happens in High schools around the coutry.

Forever by Judy Blume

Judy Blume’s books geared to women and young adult readers have faced a lot of controversy over the years. Blume writes in a frank way that people may find offensive. Forever is about a high school girl who loses her virginity and the emotional rollercoaster associated with this big event in a teens life.

Harry Potter series by JK Rowling

We all know about the controversies stirred by Harry Potter especially in communities in the Southern states of America that are adamantly against anything the shows witches and witchcraft in a positive light even if it is a fiction book written for children and young adults. Many schools have tried to get lovable Harry Potter banned from school libraries where children would have easy access to reading the books away from the watchful eyes of their parents.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson


While this book seems gloomy it is a rather good piece of literature. The novel has been banned or attempted to be banned due death being a major theme of this story. Some other reasons have been offensive language and scenes of witchcraft.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

I discovered this book when I was in 5h grade and absolutely loved it. Many schools and parents have tried to ban this book due to the supernatural aspects and the fights of good verses evil throughout the book. It is a wonderful fantasy book for children in my opinion.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriett Beecher Stowe

When this book was published in1851, it was criticized by slavery supporters and described as a false depiction of slavery. The importance and relevance of this novel has survived the censorship it has experienced to allow current generations to learn from their ancestors’ mistakes.

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

An empowering tale of a married woman who discovers herself and throws societies bonds of what a proper woman should do to the wind to live her life the way she wants it. She has an affair and attempts suicide to ensure she is slave to no one ever again. The sex scenes are what normal call for the banning of this book.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I read this when I was a sophmore in high school and we had to watch the movie. There were a few parents in my own community who didn’t want us to be able to read this due to the racist scenes in the story. There is also a descriptive rape scene in the telling of the story.

The 10 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2008
• And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
• His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman
• TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series) by Lauren Myracle
• Scary Stories (series) by Alvin Schwartz
• Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
• Gossip Girl (series) by Cecily von Ziegesar
• Uncle Bobby's Wedding by Sarah S. Brannen
• The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
• Flashcards of My Life by Charise Mericle Harper

Source: Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association