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Banned Books

Explore a list of banned & censored books of yesterday and today.

Art Spiegelman's "Maus"

Art Spiegelman's Pulitzer Prize—winning graphic novel is a cat-and-mouse retelling of the Holocaust, a bold reinvention of the comic book that has generated widespread acclaim and, more recently, controversy.

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Maus I & II Paperback Box Set

by Art Spiegelman

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Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History

by Art Spiegelman

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The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale

by Art Spiegelman

The Books They Don't Want You to Read

Express your love for literature and celebrate the freedom to read with banned books-themed gifts.

B&N Reads

Books Build Empathy: A Guest Post from George M. Johnson, Author of All Boys Aren’t Blue and the Honorary Chair of Banned Books Week 2022

Guest Author

Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us: Banned Books Week 2022

BN Editors

Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us: Banned Books Week 2021

Elani Wilson

Browse Banned Books

What are Banned Books?

Books were being banned in countries across the world long before the first public libraries appeared in parts of America. Typically, books were banned on moral, religious, or political grounds. They were believed to be obscene or too controversial to be read by society. Although we usually think of classics like George Orwell’s 1984 when referring to books that were banned, there are still many books being challenged and censored every year. Books that explore race, sexuality, and new concepts and ideas are still often prohibited by certain communities, although they can easily be purchased in most bookstores. Even Pulitzer Prize winning books like Art Spiegelman’s Maus, world-wide bestsellers like Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, and household staples like Harry Potter have recently been challenged and restricted. The good news is that we have an extensive list of banned books that are available to read today. Explore our list of the top banned & challenged books in libraries and schools at Barnes & Noble.

Top Banned & Challenged Books

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Maus by Art Spiegelman
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
1984 by George Orwell
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi
The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut