curated

Historically Banned Books

Books that were challenged, censored, or banned throughout history — and why they matter. From Huckleberry Finn to Harry Potter, these titles were targeted for profanity, politics, religion, or simply making people uncomfortable.

HootRated editorial selection

37 of 38 books rated

Cover of Goosebumps: Scary Summer

Goosebumps: Scary Summer

R. L. Stine

G2 Mild
Cover of The giving tree

The giving tree

Shel Silverstein

G3 Mild
Cover of Twelfth night

Twelfth night

Rosie Dickins

G3 Gentle
Cover of The Lorax

The Lorax

Seuss Dr.

G3 Gentle
Cover of Where the Wild Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are

Maurice Sendak

G3 Gentle
Cover of In the Night Kitchen

In the Night Kitchen

Maurice Sendak

G4 Gentle
Cover of Scary stories to tell in the dark

Scary stories to tell in the dark

Alvin Schwartz

G4 Mild
Cover of Charlotte's Web

Charlotte's Web

E. B. White

G4 Gentle
Cover of The All New Captain Underpants Extra Crunchy Book of Fun

The All New Captain Underpants Extra Crunchy Book of Fun

Dav Pilkey

G5 Gentle
Cover of The Outsiders

The Outsiders

S. E. Hinton

G5 Intense
Cover of Bridge to Terabithia

Bridge to Terabithia

Katherine Paterson

G5 Moderate
Cover of A Wrinkle in Time

A Wrinkle in Time

Madeleine L'Engle

G5 Mild
Cover of James and the giant peach

James and the giant peach

Roald Dahl

G5 Mild
Cover of The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games

Suzanne Collins

G5 Intense
Cover of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

J. K. Rowling

G6 Moderate
Cover of Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men

John Steinbeck

G6 Moderate
Cover of To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee

G6 Intense
Cover of A Separate Peace

A Separate Peace

John Knowles - undifferentiated

G6 Moderate
Cover of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Mark Twain

G6 Mild
Cover of The Catcher in the Rye

The Catcher in the Rye

J. D. Salinger

G6 Moderate
Cover of The Diary of a Young Girl

The Diary of a Young Girl

Anne Frank

G7 Intense
Cover of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Mark Twain

G7 Moderate
Cover of Animal Farm

Animal Farm

George Orwell

G7 Moderate
Cover of Gone with the Wind

Gone with the Wind

Margaret Mitchell

G7 Intense
Cover of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Ken Kesey

G7 Intense
Cover of The Color Purple

The Color Purple

Alice Walker

G7 Intense
Cover of The Grapes of Wrath

The Grapes of Wrath

John Steinbeck

G7 Intense
Cover of The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

G7 Intense
Cover of Beloved

Beloved

Toni Morrison

G8 Intense
Cover of Catch-22

Catch-22

Joseph Heller

G8 Intense
Cover of Fahrenheit 451

Fahrenheit 451

Ray Bradbury

G8 Moderate
Cover of Lord of the flies

Lord of the flies

William Golding

G8 Intense
Cover of Slaughterhouse-Five

Slaughterhouse-Five

Kurt Vonnegut

G8 Intense
Cover of Brave New World

Brave New World

Aldous Huxley

G9 Intense
Cover of The Merchant of Venice (Folger Shakespeare Library)

The Merchant of Venice (Folger Shakespeare Library)

William Shakespeare

G9 Moderate
Cover of Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary

Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary

Merriam-Webster

G10 Gentle
Cover of Ulysses

Ulysses

James Joyce

G12 Intense