American Library Association Reports Second-Highest Year for Book Challenges in 2025

The American Library Association (ALA), a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to American libraries and librarians, has released its annual list of the most frequently challenged books in U.S. libraries for 2025.

The ALA documented 4,235 unique titles being challenged in 2025, representing the second-highest year on record for library challenges, following 2023's record of 4,240 challenges.

In total, the organization documented 713 attempts to censor library materials and services across the United States in 2025, with 487 of those challenges targeting books.

Most Challenged Books of 2025

The 11 most frequently targeted books according to the ALA include:

• Sold by Patricia McCormick
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
• Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
• Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
• Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo (tie)
• Tricks by Ellen Hopkins (tie)
• A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
• A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (tie)
• Identical by Ellen Hopkins (tie)
• Looking for Alaska by John Green (tie)
• Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout (tie)

Characteristics of the Challenges

The ALA's data reveals key trends in the nature of the challenges documented in 2025.

• Content Focus: 40% of challenged materials in 2025 contained representations of LGBTQ+ people and people of color.
• Source of Challenges: 92% of all book challenges to libraries originated from pressure groups, government officials, and local decision makers. Specifically:
  • 20.8% came from pressure groups
  • 70.9% from government officials and other decision makers
  • 2.7% from parents
  • 1.4% from individual library users
• Among government-related challenges, 31% came from elected officials and 40% from board members or administrators.

Where Challenges Occurred

Challenges were directed at several types of institutions:

• 51% of challenges targeted public libraries
• 37% involved school libraries
• The remaining challenges targeted school curriculums and higher education

ALA Definitions

The ALA provides specific definitions for key terms in its reporting:

• A "ban" is defined as the removal of materials from a library.
• A "challenge" is defined as an attempt to have a library resource removed or access to it restricted.