figures come from 66 school districts in 21 states
Supplementary notes
Original question: "Who are the intended readers of the books that are being banned?"
Picture books are for children aged 0-5; chapter books for children aged 6-8; middle grade for children aged 9-12; young adult for children aged 13-17; and adult books aimed at general adult audiences (not specifically written for children) including classic novels.
Citation formats
Book titles banned in schools in the U.S. H2 2024, by intended readers
Between July 2023 and june 2024, the majority of book titles banned schools in the United States were young adult books intended for teenagers aged 13 to 17 years old, with ** percent of titles banned in that period aimed at that audience. Picture books aimed at infants and children aged up to five years old were less likely to be banned than books targeting middle graders.
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PEN America. (November 1, 2024). Distribution of book titles banned in school classrooms and libraries in the United States from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2022, by intended readers [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 29, 2026, from /statistics/1310289/book-titles-banned-us-schools-by-category/
PEN America. "Distribution of book titles banned in school classrooms and libraries in the United States from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2022, by intended readers." Chart. November 1, 2024. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 29, 2026. /statistics/1310289/book-titles-banned-us-schools-by-category/
PEN America. (2024). Distribution of book titles banned in school classrooms and libraries in the United States from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2022, by intended readers. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 29, 2026. /statistics/1310289/book-titles-banned-us-schools-by-category/
PEN America. "Distribution of Book Titles Banned in School Classrooms and Libraries in The United States from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2022, by Intended Readers." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 1 Nov 2024, /statistics/1310289/book-titles-banned-us-schools-by-category/
PEN America, Distribution of book titles banned in school classrooms and libraries in the United States from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2022, by intended readers ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/1310289/book-titles-banned-us-schools-by-category/ (last visited July 29, 2026)
Distribution of book titles banned in school classrooms and libraries in the United States from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2022, by intended readers [Graph], PEN America, November 1, 2024. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1310289/book-titles-banned-us-schools-by-category/
