The Most Banned Books in America (and Why)

Book banning reached record levels this past year, with nearly 12,000 titles across 114 school districts. Over 7,300 unique titles were affected, including more than 4,500 titles added to the index for the first time. This episode is a passionate defense of reading as self-care, civic right, and empathy-building practice. Using stories from library boards and high school libraries, Nicole contrasts thoughtful, community-based decisions about challenged books with the current trend of small pressure groups and even government officials unilaterally removing titles without reading them. She lists frequently banned books and explains why those stories—about identity, abuse, illness, and desire—are often targeted, and argues that removing these titles robs young readers of crucial mirrors and gateways into reading. The host issues a call to action: check out, buy, and preserve banned books to protect freedom to read.