This post is sponsored by the Johnson County Library.
Banned books are great conversation starters. Even once your kid can read on their own, consider reading these books WITH your kids so you can have discussions about them. We’ve put together a list of frequently banned picture, elementary, middle school, and high school books as well as a note about the book’s themes.
The Johnson County Library has over a dozen locations with a convenient system to put books on hold. Some even have drive-thru pickup windows!
Mom Pro Tip: Many of these books also have television, movie, or theater adaptations.
Picture Books
- And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson (love, family, acceptance)
- The Family Book by Todd Parr (family diversity and inclusivity)
- Separate is Never Equal, Sylvia Mendez & Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh (injustice, equal rights, desegregation)
- Something Happened in Our Town, a Child’s Story About Racial Injustice by Marianne Celano (identifying racial injustice, responding to traumatic events)
Elementary School
- Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (friendship, imagination, grief and loss)
- Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume (puberty, growing up, religion)
- Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor (racial injustice, family, resilience)
- The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey (good vs. evil, silliness, creativity)
- Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (The Holocaust, growing up, acts of courage)
Middle School
- The Giver by Lois Lowry (dystopia, individuality, coming of age)
- Maus A Survivor’s Tale by Art Spiegelman (The Holocaust, survivors guilt, identity)
- Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (The Holocaust, growing up, isolation)
- Drama by Raina Telgemeier (exploring your passions, inclusivity, friendship)
- The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins (dystopia, inequality, survival)
High School
- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (censorship, technology and media, intellectual freedom)
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (police brutality, racism, finding your voice)
- To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee (racial injustice, growing up, courage)
- Looking for Alaska by John Green (coming of age, grief, hope)
- The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (feminism, patriarchy, religion)
For more recommendations, ask a librarian at the Johnson County Library for their expert guidance!
