Reading list: Virginia
Virginia had the second most book challenges in 2023 according to the ALA (https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/book-ban-data)

The books on this list were taken from Richmond.com (https://richmond.com/news/local/education/book-banning-debate-reignites-in-virginia/article_1acec7f8-fa67-11ed-91bc-7bba29ca3932.html)

Metadata for books included:

"Gender Queer: A Memoir" By Maia Kobabe
This is one of the most banned book in the U.S. This graphic novel depicts Kobabe’s personal journey with gender identity and sexual orientation. This book discusses the authors journey from the confusion of adolescent crushes to the struggles of coming out, bonding with friends over erotic gay fanfiction and facing traumas.

"All Boys Aren’t Blue" by George M. Johnson
This is a young adult nonfiction "memoir-manifesto" by the journalist and activist author. The book consists of a series of essays following Johnson's journey growing up as a queer Black man in New Jersey and Virginia. It is another of the most commonly banned books due to discussions of sexuality, gender.

"Lawn Boy" By Jonathan Evison
The YA story is about a character named Mike trying to understand a sexual encounter he had as a 10-year-old at a youth group meeting with another 10-year-old boy. This has been widely banned for perceived profanity, pornography and homosexuality.
Out of Darkness By Ashley Hope Pérez
This novel is set in the 1930s and chronicles a love affair between two teenagers, a young Mexican American girl and an African American boy in East Texas. This has been banned because of sexually explicit content and themes of interracial relationships.

"The Hate U Give" By Angie Thomas
This best-selling debut novel follows a teenage girl who, after witnessing her Black friend killed by the police, grapples with the aftermath of his death. The novel eventually became a film in 2018 and is a sobering story of racism, police brutality and activism. This is another book frequently banned for discussing racism by police.

"Out of Darkness" By Ashley Hope Pérez
This novel is set in the 1930s and chronicles a love affair between two teenagers, a young Mexican American girl and an African American boy in East Texas. This has been banned because of sexually explicit content and themes of interracial relationships.

"Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie
This graphic novel is about Native youth Arnold Junior, his life on the Spokane Indian Reservation and his decision to go to a nearly all-white public high school away from the reservation. It is often banned due to issues of race and racism.

"Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" by Jesse Andrews
This is a novel about a socially awkward high school senior who, along with his friend and fellow amateur filmmaker, befriends a classmate who is dying of leukemia. Though the novel is very popular, it has been frequently banned due to complaints about sexually explicit content as well as discussions of death and dying deemed inappropriate.

"The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison
Toni Morrison’s first novel, this book tells the story of Pecola Breedlove, an eleven-year-old African American girl who is convinced that she is ugly and that the only way to change her rough circumstances is to have lighter skin and blue eyes. This is often banned because of discussions of race as well as sexuality and abuse.

"Beyond Magenta" by Susan Kucklin
For this collection of essays, the author met and interviewed six transgender or gender-neutral young adults, describing their sense of identity before, during, and after transitioning. This is often banned because of conversations about gender identity and sexuality.