Bans + Challenges
Iowa Book Bans and Challenges
All Iowa Book Ban List
This is a list of every book removed removed from public school libraries across the state in response to SF 496.
Note that this list, while extensive, most certainly does not encompass all of the books removed under Iowa’s book-banning law. Several school districts who had not removed any books during the first round of records requests refused to cooperate with our inquiries the second time around. Other school districts told us that books had been removed, but there was no record. And still others told us that the books were thrown away, and no record kept. One thing we can be sure of: The impact is far greater than any of us can know.
Iowa Book Bans and Challenges 1982-2022
This list is still a work in progress, but we wanted to share what we have gathered so far.
2022
“This One Summer” – Mariko Tamaki
“Complete and utter garbage.”
1987
“The BFG” – Rhoald Dahl
Too sophisticated, does not teach moral values.
“The Witches” – Rhoald Dahl
Too sophisticated, does not teach moral values.
2021
“Gender Queer” – Maia Kobabe
Removed
Committee felt that the images overshadowed its message
“All Boys Aren’t Blue” – George M. Johnson
“Me Earl and the Dying Girl” – Jesse Andrews
“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” – Sherman Alexie
2008
“And Tango Makes Three” – Justin Richardson
Retained
Promotes homosexuality
2022
“Let’s Talk About It” – Erika Moen
Retained
Too graphic
1982
“A Way of Love, a Way of Life: A Young Person’s Introduction to What It Means to Be Gay” – Frances Hanckel
Book is a “morally corrupting force.”
1992
“The Outsiders” – SE Hinton
Glamorizes smoking and drinking and uses excessive violence and obscenities.
2022
“Red Hood” – Elana K. Arnold
Pulled while being reviewed.
“Sold” – Patricia McCormick
Pulled while being reviewed.
“Tricks” – Ellen Hopkins
Pulled while being reviewed.
2006
“What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?” – Peter Hedges
Banned, then overturned by the school board after student pushback.
Concerns over oral sex scene.
1993
“Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher” – Bruce Coville
Removed, and then overturned.
It was not forthright with the message it intended to represent.
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