Cover to Cover: An Analysis of Titles Banned in the 23-24 School Year

In the 2023-2024 academic year, PEN America recorded 10,046 cases of school book bans in the US. A recently published report analyzes the unique titles affected, more than 4,000 of them, applying 37 variables concerning the type of book and its content. The results show that the bans are removing entire identities from library shelves: “36% of all banned titles featured characters or people of color and a quarter (25%) included LGBTQ+ people or characters. Of titles with LGBTQ+ people or characters, over a quarter (28%) feature trans and/or genderqueer characters.” With the analysis of graphics and illustrations, certain identity-targeting becomes even more blatant: “73% of all graphic and illustrated titles feature LGBTQ+ representation, people or characters of color, or discuss race or racism.”