Most US book bans target children’s literature featuring diverse characters and authors of color

By Katherine Spoon, University of Colorado Boulder and Isabelle Langrock, Sciences Po A display of banned books sits in a Barnes & Noble bookstore in Pittsford, N.Y.AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey Book bans in U.S. schools and libraries during the 2021-22 school year disproportionately targeted children’s books written by people of color – especially women of color – according to a peer-reviewed study we published. They also tended to feature characters of color. In addition, we found book bans were more common in right-leaning counties that were becoming less conservative over time. These findings were based on a comprehensive review of a then-record 2,532 bans that took effect in 32 states during the 2021-22 school year and compiled by PEN America, a nonprofit that defends the freedom of expression. The bans involved 1,643 unique book titles. We combined this with data on counties, sales of restricted books and author demographics. While much has been written about the rise in book bans, there has been little empirical work done on their content, causes and consequences. In our review, we found that 59% of banned books were children’s books featuring diverse characters or nonfiction books about historical figures and social movements. The top banned...