Thirteen Reasons Why
by Jay Asher
Censorship Status
Banned in Various US schools
Reason: Suicide themes, potential to inspire copycat behavior
A young adult novel about a teenager's suicide and the reasons behind it.
Why Thirteen Reasons Why Was Banned
Censorship Concerns
This book was banned for challenging established norms and authority.
Specifically, Thirteen Reasons Why was targeted for: Suicide themes, potential to inspire copycat behavior. The book's themes and content were deemed threatening to the social, political, or religious order in Various US schools.
Why Read Thirteen Reasons Why Today?
- ✓ Historical Significance: Understand why this book was considered dangerous enough to ban.
- ✓ Intellectual Freedom: Support the right to read diverse perspectives and challenging ideas.
- ✓ Critical Thinking: Engage with ideas that authorities didn't want people to consider.
- ✓ Cultural Understanding: Gain insight into the fears and concerns of different societies and eras.
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The Perks of Being a Wallflower
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Reported banned 85 times in 2024 alone, this coming-of-age novel about a sensitive teenager has become a major target for Republican parents and school boards. Its honest portrayal of teen sexuality, homosexuality, drug use, and mental health issues challenges conservative views of what teenagers should read about their own experiences.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
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This award-winning novel about teenage friendship in the face of terminal illness has faced multiple bans and was used illustratively in Connecticut political debates about book censorship. Its honest portrayal of how teenagers actually speak and think about death and sexuality has made it controversial among conservative parents.
Don't Let This Story Be Silenced
Support intellectual freedom by reading the books that challenged the powerful. Get your copy of Thirteen Reasons Why today and discover why it's still being banned.
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