Hachette Books that Have Been Banned or Challenged
At Hachette, we believe that no one should censor or control what is available for others to read, especially when the books are directly tied to targeted identities in society. We strongly support our authors, as well as our various partners, in the fight against censorship and book bans. Find out more here and see some of our banned books below, beginning with Lawn Boy, our most banned and challenged book.
“Mike Muñoz Is a Holden Caulfield for a New Millennium.” —The New York Times Book Review
For Mike Muñoz, life has been a whole lot of waiting for something to happen. Not too many years out of high school and still doing menial work–and just fired from his latest gig as a lawn boy on a landscaping crew–he’s smart enough to know that he’s got to be the one to shake things up if he’s ever going to change his life. But how? He’s not qualified for much of anything. He has no particular talents, although he is stellar at handling a lawn mower and wielding clipping shears. But now that career seems to be behind him. So what’s next for Mike Muñoz?
Funny, biting, sweet, and ultimately inspiring novel, bestselling author Jonathan Evison’s coming-of-age novel evokes the lives of working class people with compassion and honesty.
LAWN BOY is #7 on the ALA’s recently released list of the Most Challenged Books of 2022. It was #2 on the Most Challenged Books of 2021.
Recent Banned Book Coverage including LAWN BOY:
- Washington Post – Feature: “A mom wrongly said the book showed pedophilia. School libraries banned it.”
- Fox News – Response to Washington Post Article
- BookRiot – Our Queerest Shelves Newsletter –Recommended Banned Read
- USA Today – Mention in “Book bans are on the rise. What are the most banned books and why?”
- CBS Sunday Morning – “War of Words: The fight over banning books” – Mention and jacket shown
- American Library Association – “Top 13 Most Challenged Books of 2022” – 7th Most Challenged Book
- Joe Biden’s Re-election Campaign Launch Video – Footage of cover/spine in stack of banned books
- Associated Press – “’Gender Queer’ tops library group’s list of challenged books” – Mention
- Literary Hub – Most Banned Books in 2022 – Mention
- LGBTQ Nation– “These are the most challenged & banned books in America right now”
- The Seattle Times – “Seattle Public Library to let young people nationwide borrow banned books”
- Nation World News – “Avalanche of book censorship in US libraries”
- Los Angeles Times – “The 15 Most Banned Books in America This School Year”
- The Washington Post – Banned Books Coverage
Follow Ari through their neighborhood as they try to find their words in this sweet, accessible introduction to gender-inclusive pronouns that is perfect for readers of all ages.
Whenever Ari’s Uncle Lior comes to visit, they ask Ari one question: “What are your words?” Some days Ari uses she/her. Other days Ari uses he/him. But on the day of the neighborhood’s big summer bash, Ari doesn’t know what words to use. On the way to the party, Ari and Lior meet lots of neighbors and learn the words each of them use to describe themselves, including pronouns like she/her, he/him, they/them, ey/em, and ze/zir. As Ari tries on different pronouns, they discover that it’s okay to not know your words right away—sometimes you have to wait for your words to find you.
Filled with bright, graphic illustrations, this simple and poignant story about finding yourself is the perfect introduction to gender-inclusive pronouns for readers of all ages.
“This is a wonderful read for younger students that will also provide insight and encourage discussion about the wider world … The simplicity of Yousafzai’s writing and the powerful message she sends, make this book inspirational for all.” —School Library Journal (starred review)
As a child in Pakistan, Malala made a wish for a magic pencil. She would use it to make everyone happy, to erase the smell of garbage from her city, to sleep an extra hour in the morning.
But as she grew older, Malala saw that there were more important things to wish for. She saw a world that needed fixing. And even if she never found a magic pencil, Malala realized that she could still work hard every day to make her wishes come true.
This beautifully illustrated volume tells Malala’s story for a younger audience and shows them the worldview that allowed Malala to hold on to hope even in the most difficult of times.
A gorgeous picture book that tells a whimsical origin story of the phases of the moon, from award-winning, bestselling author-illustrator Grace Lin
Pat, pat, pat…
Little Star’s soft feet tiptoed to the Big Mooncake.
Little Star loves the delicious Mooncake that she bakes with her mama. But she’s not supposed to eat any yet! What happens when she can’t resist a nibble?
In this stunning picture book that shines as bright as the stars in the sky, Newbery Honor author Grace Lin creates a heartwarming original story that explains phases of the moon.
Lola is fierce on the field, but when a soccer game during recess gets too competitive, she accidentally hurts her classmate Juan Gomez. Now everyone is calling her Mean Lola Levine! Lola feels terrible, but with the help of her family, her super best friend, Josh Blot, and a little “pencil power,” she just might be able to turn it all around.
In this first book in a series, young readers will be inspired by Lola’s big heart and creative spirit as she learns to navigate the second grade in true Lola style!
The moon is missing from the remote Village of Clear Sky, but only a young boy named Rendi seems to notice! Rendi has run away from home and is now working as a chore boy at the village inn. He can’t help but notice the village’s peculiar inhabitants and their problems.
But one day, a mysterious lady arrives at the Inn with the gift of storytelling, and slowly transforms the villagers and Rendi himself. As she tells more stories and the days pass in the Village of Clear Sky, Rendi begins to realize that perhaps it is his own story that holds the answers to all those questions.
Newbery Honor author Grace Lin brings readers another enthralling fantasy featuring her marvelous full-color illustrations. Starry River of the Sky is filled with Chinese folklore, fascinating characters, and exciting new adventures.
Set in a summer camp, this sweet and sharp screwball comedy set in a summer camp for queer teens examines the nature of toxic masculinity and self-acceptance.
Sixteen-year-old Randy Kapplehoff loves spending the summer at Camp Outland, a camp for queer teens. It’s where he met his best friends. It’s where he takes to the stage in the big musical. And it’s where he fell for Hudson Aaronson-Lim—who’s only into straight-acting guys and barely knows not-at-all-straight-acting Randy even exists.
This year, however, it’s going to be different. Randy has reinvented himself as ‘Del’—buff, masculine, and on the market. Even if it means giving up show tunes, nail polish, and his unicorn bedsheets, he’s determined to get Hudson to fall for him.
But as he and Hudson grow closer, Randy has to ask himself: How much is he willing to change for love? And is it really love anyway, if Hudson doesn’t know who he truly is?
“The Girl Who Fell from the Sky can actually fly.” —The New York Times Book Review
Rachel, the daughter of a Danish mother and a black G.I., becomes the sole survivor of a family tragedy after a fateful morning on their Chicago rooftop.
Forced to move to a new city, with her strict African American grandmother as her guardian, Rachel is thrust for the first time into a mostly black community, where her light brown skin, blue eyes, and beauty bring a constant stream of attention her way. It’s there, as she grows up and tries to swallow her grief, that she comes to understand how the mystery and tragedy of her mother might be connected to her own uncertain identity.
This searing and heart-wrenching portrait of a young biracial girl dealing with society’s ideas of race and class is the winner of the Bellwether Prize for best fiction manuscript addressing issues of social justice.
The inspiring and critically acclaimed all-American story of faith, family, hard work, and perseverance by Olympic fencer, activist, New York Times bestselling author, and Time “100 Most Influential People” honoree Ibtihaj Muhammad
At the 2016 Olympic Games, Ibtihaj Muhammad smashed barriers as the first American to compete wearing hijab, and she made history as the first Muslim American woman to win a medal. But before she was an Olympian, activist, and entrepreneur, Ibtihaj was a young outsider trying to find her place.
Growing up in suburban New Jersey, Ibtihaj was often the only African American Muslim student in her class. When she discovered and fell in love with fencing, a sport most popular with affluent young white people, she stood out even more. Rivals and teammates often pointed out Ibtihaj’s differences, telling her she would never succeed. Yet she powered on, rising above bigotry and other obstacles on the path to pursue her dream.
Ibtihaj’s inspiring journey from humble beginnings to the international stage is told in her own words and enhanced with helpful advice and never-before-published photographs. Proud is an all-American tale of faith, family, hard work, and self-reliance.
At Armstead Academy, everyone knows everything about everyone. Well, everyone thinks they know everything . . .
Leila has made it most of the way through Armstead Academy without having a crush on anyone, which is a relief. As an Iranian American, she’s different enough; if word got out that Leila liked girls, life would be twice as hard. But when beautiful new girl Saskia shows up, Leila starts to take risks she never thought she would. As she carefully confides in trusted friends about Saskia’s confusing signals, Leila begins to figure out that all her classmates are more complicated than they first appear to be, and some are keeping surprising secrets of their own
“An empowering romance featuring a lovable, awkward protagonist who just needs a little nudge of confidence to totally claim her multifaceted identity.” —Booklist, starred review
“Farizan exceeds the high expectations she set with her debut, If You Could Be Mine, in this fresh, humorous, and poignant exploration of friendship and love.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Funny, heartwarming, and wise.” —Kirkus Reviews
• A 2015 ALA Top Ten Rainbow List Title
• A 2015 YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
Mateo Garcia and his younger sister, Sophie, have been taught to fear one word for as long as they can remember: deportation. Over the past few years, however, the fear that their undocumented immigrant parents could be sent back to Mexico started to fade. Ma and Pa have been in the United States for so long, they have American-born children, and they’re hard workers and good neighbors. When Mateo returns from school one day to find that his parents have been taken by ICE, he realizes that his family’s worst nightmare has become a reality. With his parents’ fate and his own future hanging in the balance, Mateo must figure out who he is and what he is capable of, all as he’s forced to question what it means to be an American.
Daniel Aleman’s Indivisible is a remarkable story—both powerful in its explorations of immigration in America and deeply intimate in its portrait of a teen boy driven by his fierce, protective love for his sister and his parents.
Mr. Griffin is the strictest teacher at Del Norte High, with a penchant for endless projects and humiliating students. Even straight-A student Susan can’t believe how mean he is to her crush, Dave, and to the charismatic Mark Kinney. So when Dave asks Susan to help a group of students teach Mr. Griffin a lesson of their own, she goes along with them. After all, it’s a harmless prank, right?
But things don’t go according to plan. When one “accident” leads to another and people begin to die, Susan and her friends must face the awful truth: one of them is a killer.
The book that inspired the global film phenomenon, starring Kristin Stewart and Robert Pattinson.
Fall in love with the addictive, suspenseful love story between a teenage girl and a vampire that redefined romance for a generation, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephenie Meyer.
Isabella Swan’s move to Forks—a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington—could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Bella’s life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn.
So far, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Isabella, the person Edward holds most dear. The lovers find themselves balanced precariously on the point of a knife—between desire and danger.
Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires. This is a love story with bite.
Praise for The Twilight Saga
“This tale of tortured demon lovers entices” —Kirkus Reviews
“Piles on the suspense and romance.” —USA Today
“A literary phenomenon.” —New York Times
“In the tradition of Anne Rice. . . this dark romance is gripping.” —Booklist (starred review)
A New York Times bestseller
A New York Times “Editor’s Choice”
An Amazon best of #Booktok Book
Who Am I Without Him? is a Booklist Top Ten Romance Novel for Teens and is “breaking new and necessary ground”
in twelve short stories about guys and girls falling in and out of love and relationships, testing out ways to communicate with one another, respect each other — and respect themselves.
This is a complex, often humorous, and always on-point exploration of today’s teens determined to find love and self-worth . . . any way they know how.
Note: this is potentially going to be in a bind-up with You Don’t Even Know Me.
Harriet Price is the perfect student: smart, dutiful, over-achieving. Will Everhart is a troublemaker who’s never met an injustice she didn’t fight. When their swim coach’s inappropriate behavior is swept under the rug, the unlikely duo reluctantly team up to expose his misdeeds, pulling provocative pranks and creating the instantly legendary Amelia Westlake — an imaginary student who helps right the many wrongs of their privileged institution. But as tensions burn throughout their school — who is Amelia Westlake? — and between Harriet and Will, how long can they keep their secret? How far will they go to make a difference? And when will they realize they’re falling for each other?
Award-winning author Erin Gough’s Amelia Westlake Was Never Here is a funny, smart, and all-too-timely story of girls fighting back against power and privilege — and finding love while they’re at it.
A stunning, heartbreaking debut novel about grief, love, and family, perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson and Celeste Ng.
Leigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: When her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird.
Leigh, who is half Asian and half white, travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time. There, she is determined to find her mother, the bird. In her search, she winds up chasing after ghosts, uncovering family secrets, and forging a new relationship with her grandparents. And as she grieves, she must try to reconcile the fact that on the same day she kissed her best friend and longtime secret crush, Axel, her mother was taking her own life.
Alternating between real and magic, past and present, friendship and romance, hope and despair, The Astonishing Color of After is a stunning and heartbreaking novel about finding oneself through family history, art, grief, and love.
“Emily X.R. Pan’s brilliantly crafted, harrowing first novel portrays the vast spectrum of love and grief with heart-wrenching beauty and candor. This is a very special book.”– John Green, bestselling author of The Fault in Our Stars and Turtles All the Way Down
.Antonio Marez is six years old when Ultima comes to stay with his family in New Mexico. She is a curandera, one who cures with herbs and magic. Under her wise wing, Tony will probe the family ties that bind and rend him, and he will discover himself in the magical secrets of the pagan past–a mythic legacy as palpable as the Catholicism of Latin America. And at each life turn there is Ultima, who delivered Tony into the world… and will nurture the birth of his soul.
The people who are creating national public policy, running billion-dollar tech enterprises, and winning Olympic medals. Andrew Gelwicks interviews the leaders who have forged their own paths and changed the world, showing how you can too.
From Troye Sivan to Margaret Cho, George Takei to Billie Jean King, Shangela to Adam Rippon, each person credits their queer identity with giving them an edge in their paths to success. Their stories brim with the hard-won lessons gained over their careers. You’ll learn how to:
- Channel anger in a positive way — using it as rocket fuel to succeed
- Leverage your difference to beget new ideas and strategies
- Bridge generational gaps
- Access resources to conquer denial, internalized homophobia, and doubt
- Use your sensitivity and attunement to read the room, deciding when to fit in and when to stand out
- Find a queer tribe and learn to help and lean on one another
Don’t miss Alvarez’s new novel, The Cemetery of Untold Stories, available now!
It is November 25, 1960, and three beautiful sisters have been found near their wrecked Jeep at the bottom of a 150-foot cliff on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. The official state newspaper reports their deaths as accidental. It does not mention that a fourth sister lives. Nor does it explain that the sisters were among the leading opponents of Gen. Rafael Leónidas Trujillo’s dictatorship. It doesn’t have to. Everybody knows of Las Mariposas—the Butterflies.
In this extraordinary novel, the voices of all four sisters–Minerva, Patria, María Teresa, and the survivor, Dedé–speak across the decades to tell their own stories, from secret crushes to gunrunning, and to describe the everyday horrors of life under Trujillo’s rule. Through the art and magic of Julia Alvarez’s imagination, the martyred Butterflies live again in this novel of courage and love, and the human costs of political oppression.
“Alvarez helped blaze the trail for Latina authors to break into the literary mainstream, with novels like In the Time of the Butterflies and How the García Girls Lost Their Accents winning praise from critics and gracing best-seller lists across the Americas.”—Francisco Cantú, The New York Times Book Review
“This Julia Alvarez classic is a must-read for anyone of Latinx descent.” —Popsugar.com
“A gorgeous and sensitive novel . . . A compelling story of courage, patriotism and familial devotion.” —People
“Shimmering . . . Valuable and necessary.” —Los Angeles Times
“A magnificent treasure for all cultures and all time.” —St. Petersburg Times
“Alvarez does a remarkable job illustrating the ruinous effect the 30-year dictatorship had on the Dominican Republic and the very real human cost it entailed.”—Cosmopolitan.com
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