Bans + Challenges
Iowa Book Bans and Challenges
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.
Norwalk Community School District Book Removal List
The Norwalk Community School District has put out a list of books to be removed at each school. It appears that teachers and librarians are being instructed to ADD to the censorship list.
This is the second list we are aware of at this time.
Annie’s Foundation Norwalk FOIA Request
Urbandale Community School District Censored Book List
Find the Google Drive containing the original list of 385 books “quarantined” by the Urbandale School District in an effort to comply with SF496 (the book banning law passed in 2023). Also includes the revised book removal list issued on August 3 with 65 books.
To be clear, “quarantined” books is a cute term for BANNED and CENSORED books. There is no other way to describe the state-mandated removal of hundreds of books from public spaces.
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