Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.
Books on the Chopping Block is our annual 60-minute performance of dramatic readings of short excerpts taken from these books. City Lit has teamed up with the ALA in celebration of Banned Books Week since 2006, performing at special events, libraries and bookstores in and around Chicago...and virtually this year.
City Lit Executive Artistic Director Brian Pastor says, "The freedom to read is essential to a civilized society. For many marginalized communities, the freedom to read represents the freedom to be themselves. City Lit is proud to continue its BOOKS ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK program at a time when attempts at book banning are at an all-time high. We are pleased to ally ourselves with the American Library Association in this important work."
All the books in the list are available via Bookshop.org and if you click on this link and buy copies City Lit gets a small cut!
Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2024:
See the Top 10 List HERE and ALA report here
Number of books challenged in 2024 was just over 5,000 which is down from the record of 9,021 in 2023. For context in 2018 only 258 books were challenged.
Also noted by the American Libraries Association (ALA-headquartered in Chicago) most challenges come from politicians not general members of the public.
Here's this year's list
2 (1). Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
1 (2). All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
3= (4). The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
3= (6). The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
5 (7=). “Tricks,” by Ellen Hopkins
6=. “Looking for Alaska,” by John Green
6= (7=). “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,” by Jesse Andrews
8=. “Crank,” by Ellen Hopkins
8.= (10). “Sold,” by Patricia McCormick
10 (5). “Flamer,” by Mike Curato
2025 Events Schedule
To be announced...
If you are a library and would like to schedule a performance, please contact Katy Nielsen at knielsen@citylit.org.
Trailer - Books on the Chopping Block 2021
Full Video of 2021 Books on the Chopping Block
