The right to read freely is the bedrock of a well-functioning democracy and a well-rounded liberal arts education. It's vital that we resist the modern movement to demonize and ban certain books and authors. To learn more about this issue, visit any of the organizations listed below.
The American Library Association's Banned and Challenged Books
Here at Wells we are proud to have books in our collection from a wide variety of authors, representing a range of human experiences and perspectives. Browse the list below to see what titles we have on our shelves that you might have trouble finding at libraries where they have been banned or challenged.
| All American Boys by Jason Reynolds | Education Curriculum Center, Long Library First Floor, 814 R462a |
| Beloved by Toni Morrison | 813 M879be |
| Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya | 813 A536bl |
| Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas | Recreational Reading Collection, 818.6 T452c |
| Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell | Recreational Reading Collection, 818.6 R881e |
| Fun Home by Alison Bechdel | 741.597B B391f |
| Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling | Education Curriculum Center, Long Library First Floor, 827 R884h, Year 1 |
| Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi | 818.6 G996h |
| I am not your perfect Mexican daughter by Erika L.Sánchez | Recreational Reading Collection, 818.6 S211i |
| Kiss Number 8 by Colleen A. F. Venable | Education Curriculum Center, Long Library First Floor, 818.6 V447k |
| Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki | Education Curriculum Center, Long Library First Floor, 818.6 T153ℓ |
| Looking for Alaska by John Green | Recreational Reading Collection, 813 G787ℓ |
| Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews | Education Curriculum Center, Long Library First Floor, 818.6 A563m |
| New Kid by Jerry Craft | Recreational Reading Collection, 741.5 C885n |
| Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck | 813 S819o |
| Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire | Education: Misc. 370.1 F86p 2000 |
| Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years by Bill Bigelow and Bob Peterson | Secondary Social Studies 970.01 R43b 1998 |
| Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson | Education Curriculum Center, Long Library First Floor, 818.6 A544s |
| Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi | 305.8 K33 |
| The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie | Education Curriculum Center, Long Library First Floor, 818.6 A384a |
| The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison | 813 M879b 2007 |
| The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon | 827 H127c |
| The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls | 362.2 W21ya |
| The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood | 819 A88h2 |
| The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas | Recreational Reading Collection, 818.6 T454h |
| The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | 813 H82k |
| The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky | 813 C495 |
| The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo | Recreational Reading Collection, 818.6 A174p |
| Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher | Recreational Reading Collection, 813 A813t |
| To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee | 813 L478t 2002 |
The Digital Public Library of America has announced that readers across the country can now access digital versions of banned books in the Palace e-reader app. You can visit this link for more information and to sign up: https://dp.la/news/dpla-launches-the-banned-book-club-to-ensure-access-to-banned-books
Looking to take action? Start by signing the petitions below!
Take Action for Libraries Petitions
United Against Books Bans Petition
