9 Banned Books to Add to Your Wish List

You probably already have a very long list of books you want to read... but I'm afraid you will have to add at least a couple more to your collection.

Banned books are usually the most important, they challenge gender roles, challenge the concept of reality, and ignore the concept of censorship. However, sometimes banned books have been banned for good reason. Which books are which are always up for debate. A very interesting and often heated debate.

1. 'The Kingdom of Little Wounds'—By Susann Cokal

"On the eve of Princess Sophia’s wedding, the Scandinavian city of Skyggehavn prepares to fete the occasion with a sumptuous display of riches. Yet beneath the veneer of celebration, a shiver of darkness creeps through the palace halls. A mysterious illness plagues the royal family, threatening the lives of the throne’s heirs, and a courtier’s wolfish hunger for the king’s favors sets a devious plot in motion."—Good Reads

The story takes place in the palace at Skyggehavn, where things are not as safe as it had originally appeared to be. It is said right in the description that the story includes "power-lust," "deception," and "survival." Which is why the book is commonly banned for being a "very, adult tale" about secrets, sex and power.

• The Kingdom of Little Wounds has a 3.5 out of 5 star rating on Good Reads.

2. 'Bang'—By Barry Lyga

"Sebastian Cody did something horrible, something no one—not even Sebastian himself—can forgive. At the age of four, he accidentally shot and killed his infant sister with his father’s gun. Now, ten years later, Sebastian has lived with the guilt and horror for his entire life. With his best friend away for the summer, Sebastian has only a new friend—Aneesa—to distract him from his darkest thoughts. But even this relationship cannot blunt the pain of his past. Because Sebastian knows exactly how to rectify his childhood crime and sanctify his past. It took a gun to get him into this."—Barry Lyga

In the description of the novel, it's hard to miss this: "A CHUNK OF OLD MEMORY, ADRIFT IN A POOL OF BLOOD." Banned for graphic imagery, cursing, and gun violence.

• Bang has a 4/5 star rating on Good Reads.

3. 'Eleanor and Park'—By Rainbow Rowell

"Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough... Eleanor. Park... He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises... Park."—Good Reads

Star-crossed lovers.

• Eleanor and Park has a 4/5 star rating on Good Reads.

4. 'Looking for Alaska'—By John Green

"Before. Miles 'Pudge' Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave 'the Great Perhaps' even more (Francois Rabelais, poet). He heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. Then... After. Nothing is ever the same."—Good Reads

From my understanding, Looking for Alaska is often banned because it makes adults feel awkward while reading it... but not the teens themselves?

• Looking for Alaska has a 4/5 star rating on Good Reads.

5. 'The Black Witch'—By Laurie Forest

"Elloren Gardner is the granddaughter of the last prophesied Black Witch, Carnissa Gardner, who drove back the enemy forces and saved the Gardnerian people during the Realm War. But while she is the absolute spitting image of her famous grandmother, Elloren is utterly devoid of power in a society that prizes magical ability above all else."—Good Reads

If you are ever curious why this book has been banned so many times, just read this passage from The Black Witch right here: "The Kelts are not a pure race like us. They're more accepting of intermarriage, and because of this, they're hopelessly mixed."

• The Black Witch has a 3.8/5 star rating on Good Reads.

6. 'Into the River'—By Ted Dawe

"When Te Arepa Santos is dragged into the river by a giant eel, something happens that will change the course of his whole life. The boy who struggles to the bank is not the same one who plunged in, moments earlier. He has brushed against the spirit world, and there is a price to be paid... Years later, far from the protection of whanau and ancestral land he finds new enemies. This time, with no-one to save him, there is a decision to be made... he can wait on the bank, or leap forward into the river."—Good Reads

Into the River has been banned by NewZealand. Now, everyone in New Zealand just wants to read it more... however, when they try, they find the ban is strongly enforced and they actually can't get a copy. The author posted on reddit about the Ban:

"It won the top NZ book prize in 2013 (NZ Post Book of the Year) and it recently drew the attention of a fundamentalist Christian group named Family First whose actions led to the book being banned from sale as of 6th September 2015."—Ted Dawe

• Into the River has a 3.5/5 star rating on Good Reads.

7. 'The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian'—By Sherman Alexie

"Bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot."—Good Reads

This book has been banned for a few reasons; however, it's commonly said to be banned for "language," "sexual content," "alcohol use," and other "grown-up themes."

• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian has a 4/5 star rating on Good Reads.

8. 'Just One Day'—By Gayle Forman

"When sheltered American good girl Allyson 'LuLu' Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left."—Good Reads

Banned and often challenged, Just One Day is accused of being inappropriate for "inappropriate language," "a graphic sex scene," "underage drinking," and "date rape."

• Just One Day has a 4/5 star rating on Good Reads.

9. 'Two Boys Kissing'—By David Levithan

"New York Times bestselling author David Levithan tells the based-on-true-events story of Harry and Craig, two 17-year-olds who are about to take part in a 32-hour marathon of kissing to set a new Guinness World Record—all of which is narrated by a Greek Chorus of the generation of gay men lost to AIDS. The story touches on important subject matter such as "teen boys dealing with languishing long-term relationships, coming out, navigating gender identity, and falling deeper into the digital rabbit hole of gay hookup sites—all while the kissing former couple tries to figure out their own feelings for each other."—Good Reads

Often banned with the accusation of strong subject matter including "violence, depression, death, and suicide."

• Two Boys Kissing has a 4/5 star rating on Good Reads.

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About the Author

I started blogging about two years ago and my collection of blogs and articles is getting pretty impressive. I’ve taken online classes for writing and even some classes about the art of blogging itself. It would be really awesome if you join the adventure and maybe even help me think of what to write about next. If you would like to submit some feedback or ideas, you can always tweet me on twitter.

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Work Cited

“Bang.” Barry Lyga Dot Com, barrylyga.com/novel/bang/.

“Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell.” Goodreads, Goodreads, 26 Feb. 2013, www.goodreads.com/book/show/15745753-eleanor-park.

“The Black Witch (The Black Witch Chronicles, #1) by Laurie Forest.” Goodreads, Goodreads, 2 May 2017, www.goodreads.com/book/show/25740412-the-black-witch.

“The Kingdom of Little Wounds by Susann Cokal.” Goodreads, Goodreads, 8 Oct. 2013, www.goodreads.com/book/show/17316589-the-kingdom-of-little-wounds.

“Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan.” Goodreads, Goodreads, 27 Aug. 2013, www.goodreads.com/book/show/17237214-two-boys-kissing.

“r/IAmA - I'm Ted Dawe, the Author of Into the River, the First Book to Be Banned in NZ for 22 Years. AMA!” Reddit, www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/3l0ses/im_ted_dawe_the_author_of_into_the_river_the/.