U.S. Library Book Challenges Reach 4,235 in 2025

Challenges to books in U.S. libraries reached near-record levels in 2025, with the American Library Association documenting attempts to remove or restrict access to 4,235 unique titles, according to the group's annual report released on Monday. The report, part of the State of America's Libraries assessment, highlighted a surge in coordinated efforts driven by political activism, marking the second-highest number of challenges since the association began tracking them more than three decades ago. Only 2023's total of 4,240 exceeded this year's figure.

Patricia McCormick's 2006 novel "Sold," which depicts sex trafficking in India, topped the ALA's list of the 11 most targeted books for 2025. The selection included four titles tied for eighth place, reflecting widespread objections to themes such as LGBTQ+ content, sexual violence, and depictions of substance use. Other frequently challenged works encompassed Stephen Chbosky's coming-of-age story "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," Maia Kobabe's graphic memoir "Gender Queer," and Sarah J. Maas's fantasy novel "Empire of Storms." Ties for fifth place went to Malinda Lo's "Last Night at the Telegraph Club" and Ellen Hopkins's...