Inside the ALA’s list of the 150 most banned books of the last 35 years.

The American Library Association (ALA), a major U.S.

organization promoting libraries and intellectual freedom, released a list of the 150 most challenged books documented between 1990 and 2025.

This list was published in honor of Banned Books Week, an annual event highlighting censorship and the importance of free access to literature.

The ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom tracks challenged books, which are titles requested to be removed or restricted from libraries or schools.

In 2025 alone, the ALA recorded 4,235 challenged titles, the second-highest number ever documented.

The list includes a wide range of genres and age groups, reflecting diverse themes and controversies.