LibGuides: Banned Books: Banned or Challenged Award Winners

Award Winning Books That Have Been Banned or Challenged

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Call Number: PS3551.L35774 A27 2007
Why: strong language and racial slurs, as well as topics of alcohol, poverty, bullying, violence, and sexuality.
2007 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Call Number: PS 3563 .O8749 B436 1998
Why: Violence, sexuality
Pulitzer Prize Winner
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Call Number: PS3573.A425 C6 1992
Why: explicit sexuality, profanity, violence, and portrayal of drug use
Pulitzer Prize Winner
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
Call Number: PS3555.L625 I5 1994
Why: Profanity, violence, sexuality
National Book Award
#19 on Modern Library's 100 Best Novels
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Call Number: PS3608.O832 K58 2007
Why: sexually explicit content, offensive language, and age inappropriateness.
Boeke Prize in 2004
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Call Number: PS3562.E353 T6 1982
Why: Conflicts with values of the community.
Pulitzer Prize Winner