Kentuckians challenged these 395 library books. Is your favorite listed?

Roughly 150 public libraries, library associations and bookstores this Saturday will observe Freedom to Read Day . Advocates have said the event is a reminder that while Banned Books Week might've ended last month, the fight against book censorship continues.

More than 10,000 books were banned or challenged in U.S. schools last year, according to a September report released by PEN America . The free speech advocacy group found efforts to censor books nearly tripled in 2023-2024, a significant jump from the 3,362 instances documented over the previous school year.

A separate report released by the American Library Association during Banned Books Week (September 22-28), gave contrasting data, however.

Is book censorship in the U.S. slowing down in 2024?

The ALA, through its Office of Intellectual Freedom , keeps track of attempts to censor books in both school, public and academic libraries. It reported there were 414 attempts to censor 1,128 library books during the first eight months of 2024.

These figures represented a slow-down in censorship, the ALA said, noting there were 695 attempts targeting 1,915 book titles during the same eight months in 2023.

Censorship at American public libraries has surged since 2021

"We must continue to stand up for libraries and challenge censorship wherever it occurs,” ALA president Cindy Hohl said during Banned Books Week in a prepared statement. "We urge everyone to join librarians in defending the freedom to read."

In 2014, the ALA logged 183 challenged book titles. Since 2021, the United States has witnessed a surge in calls to ban or challenge books , orchestrated largely by conservative groups and aided by Republican lawmakers .

Public libraries in 2023 experienced a 92% increase in the number of books targeted for relocation or removal from the previous year, according to the ALA.

What is Freedom to Read Day?

On Oct. 19, 2024, the ALA and ALA-funded Unite Against Book Bans campaign will celebrate libraries across the country and encourage civic participation with Freedom to Read Day, an event meant to draw attention toward fighting book censorship.

More than 100 events in 35 states are planned to highlight the role libraries play within their communities, according to an ALA news release , Many such events, the ALA said, will discuss the importance of local, state and federal elections.

"Librarians nationwide are facing verbal abuse, death threats , and, in some cases, even criminal charges and jail time , an ALA news release said. "As bastions of intellectual freedom, public libraries are at the forefront of this battle."

What books did Kentucky residents challenge in 2023?

Kentucky, according to an updated ALA report, challenged 395 books in libraries across the state — from Maia Kobabe's "Gender Queer: A Memoir" to John Green 's "Looking for Alaska."

The Courier Journal has provided a full list of challenged books toward the bottom of this article.

The majority of challenges were directed toward books with LGBTQ+ themes and characters, as well as books featuring people of color.

Leah Johnson: Removing LGBTQ+ literature is 'a removal of queer people from public life'

Indianapolis proprietor of Loudmouth Books , and bestselling Indy author Leah Johnson said the conversation of removing LGBTQ literature is getting more urgent every year.

"I know without a doubt that banning books is not about a removal of stories from shelves, it’s about a removal of Queer people from public life,” Johnson said during Banned Book Week.

Story continues after gallery.

The most challenged books of 2023

Is challenging a book the same thing as banning it?

No. That said, challenging a book can lead to it being banned. When a library book is challenged, writes the ALA , it can result in access to a book being retained, restricted, or withdrawn from a library entirely.

What's the difference between restricting and banning a book?

Restricting a book means librarians might relocate it to a section of the library intended for an older age group than the book is intended for, according to the ALA. In some cases this can mean requiring parental permission to check it out.

A book is banned, writes the ALA, when it's removed from a library collection entirely.

"All books give us windows into experiences unlike our own, and mirrors that reflect our experiences back to us," Johnson said. "Stories make us more empathetic, more human. And when access to those stories is limited, we’re stripping away crucial resources, especially for marginalized people to empower and be empowered."

Here's every book challenged last year in Kentucky's libraries.

A-B; Books that Kentuckians challenged, from '19 Love Songs' to 'Burned'

• "19 Love Songs" by David Levithan
• "The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime that Changed Their Lives" by Dashka Slater
• "A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix" by C.B. Lee
• "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée
• "A Hero for Wondla" by Tony DiTerlizzi
• "A High Five for Glenn Burke" by Phil Bildner
• "A Lesson in Vengeance" by Victoria Lee
• "A Million Quiet Revolutions" by Robin Gow
• "A Queer History of the United States for Young People" by Michael Bronski
• "A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities" by Mady G
• "A Scatter of Light" by Malinda Lo
• "A Song Only I Can Hear" by Barry Jonsberg
• "Aaron Slater, Illustrator" by Andrea Beaty
• "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie

• "Activist: A Story of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Shooting" by Lauren Hogg
• "Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Gennifer Choldenko
• "All American Boys" by Jason Reynolds
• "All Are Welcome" by Alexandra Penfold
• "All Because You Matter" by Tami Charles
• "All Boys Aren't Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto" by George M. Johnson

• "All That's Left in the World" by Erik J. Brown
• "All the Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven
• "All the Things We Do in the Dark" by Saundra Mitchell
• "Allegedly" by Tiffany Jackson
• "Almost Flying" by Jake Maia Arlow
• "Almost Perfect" by Brian Katcher
• "Ana on the Edge" by A.J. Sass
• "And Tango Makes Three" by Justin Richardson

And Tango Makes Three: Facing lawsuit, Florida school board returns banned books to shelves

• "And They Lived…" by Steven Salvatore
• "Anne Frank: The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography" by Sidney Jacobson
• "AntiRacist Baby" by Ibram X. Kendi
• "Any Way the Wind Blows" by Rainbow Rowell
• "Are you my Mother?" by P. D. Eastman
• "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" by Benjamin Alire Saenz
• "Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World" by Benjamin Alire Saenz
• "Assassination Classroom (series)" by Yusei Matsui
• "The Assassin's Blade" by Sarah J. Maas
• "Autoboyography" by Christina Lauren
• "Ballet Kids" by Holly Sterling
• "Banned Book Club" by Hyun Sook Kim
• "The Bare Naked Book" by Kathy Stinson
• "Bath Haus: A Thriller" by P.J. Vernon
• "Battle Dragons [Series]" by Alex London
• "Be Prepared" by Vera Brosgol
• "Beautiful" by Amy Lynn Reed
• "Beetle & The Hollowbones" by Aliza Layne
• "Before We Disappear" by Shaun David Hutchinson
• "Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender Teen)" by Jazz Jennings
• "Being LGBTQ" by Don Nardo
• "Being You: A First Conversation About Gender" by Megan Madison
• "Beyond Magenta: Transgender and Nonbinary Teens Speak Out" by Susan Kuklin
• "The Big Questions Book of Consent" by Donna Freitas
• "The Black Flamingo" by Dean Atta
• "The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person" by Frederick Joseph
• "Blended" by Sharon M. Draper
• "Bodies are Cool" by Tyler Feder
• "Boys Run the Riot" by Keito Gaku
• "Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World" by Pénélope Bagieu
• "The Breakaways" by Cathy G. Johnson
• "Breathless" by Jennifer Niven
• "Burned" by Ellen Hopkins

C-D; Books that Kentuckians challenged, from 'Call Me By Your Name' to 'Dune: House Atreides'

• "Call Me By Your Name" by André Aciman
• "Calvin" by J.R. Ford
• "Camp Quiltbag" by Nicole Melleby
• "Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship" by Irene Latham
• Can't Take That Away" by Steven Salvatore
• "Captain Underpants and the Sensational Saga of Sir Stinks A-Lot" by Dav Pilkey
• "The Cardboard Kingdom" by Chad Sell
• "Carry On: The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow" by Rainbow Rowell
• "Catwoman: Soulstealer" by Sarah J. Maas
• "Cemetery Boys" by Aiden Thomas
• "Change Sings" by Amanda Gorman
• "Check, Please! #hockey" by Ngozi Ukazu
• "Check, Please! Vol. 2: Sticks & Scones" by Ngozi Ukazu
• "Chosen" by P.C. Cast
• "Cinderella is Dead" by Kalynn Bayron
• "Clap When You Land" by Elizabeth Acevedo
• "Clara Lemlich [She Persisted Series]" by Deborah Heligman
• "Class Act" by Jerry Craft
• "Clockwork Princess" by Cassandra Clare
• "Concrete Rose" by Angie Thomas
• "Cool for the Summer" by Dahlia Adler
• "Crank" by Ellen Hopkins
• "Critical Perspectives on Gender Identity" by Nicki Peter Petrikowski
• "The Crown of Midnight" by Sarah J. Maas
• "Cut" by Patricia McCormick

'No one wants to be censored': People are supporting 'book sanctuaries' despite politics

• "Damsel" by Elana K. Arnold
• "Darius the Great" by Jamie Poolos
• "Darius the Great Deserves Better" by Adib Khorram
• "The Dead and the Dark" by Courtney Gould
• "Dear Martin" by Nic Stone
• "Dear Sweet Pea" by Julie Murphy
• "The Deep & Dark Blue" by Niki Smith
• "Defining Sexual Consent: Where the Law Falls Short" by New York Times Educational Publishing
• "Diary of a Misfit: A Memoir and a Mystery" by Casey Parks
• "The Difference Between You and Me" by Madeleine George
• "Disarmed" by Sarah Rees Brennan
• "Doll Bones" by Holly Black
• "Doodleville" by Chad Sell
• "Drama" by Raina Telgemeier
• "Dress Codes for Small Towns" by Courtney C Stevens
• "The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend" by Kody Keplinger
• "Dune: House Atreides [Series]" by Brian Herbert

E-F; Books that Kentuckians challenged, from 'Eleanor & Park' to 'From Archie to Zack'

• "Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell
• "Ellen Outside the Lines" by A.J. Sass
• "Embrace" by Jessica Shirvington
• "Emergency Contact" by Mary H.K. Choi
• "Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass 5)" by Sarah J. Maas
• "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Puberty—and Shouldn't Be Googling" by Morris Katz
• "Everything You Need to Know about Bisexuality" by Greg Baldino
• "Everything You Need to Know About Nonbinary Gender Identities" by Anita Louise McCormick
• "The Extraordinaries" by T.J. Klune
• "Fallout" by Ellen Hopkins
• "The Family Book" by Todd Parr
• "Fangirl" by Rainbow Rowell
• "Felix Ever After" by Kacen Callender
• "The Female of the Species" by Mindy McGinnis
• "Fence: Striking Distance" by Sarah Rees Brennan
• "Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun" by Jonny Garza Villa
• "The First to Die at End" by Adam Silvera
• "Flamer" by Mike Curato

• "Flash Fire" by T.J. Klune
• "Fly on the Wall" by Remy Lai
• "Forbidden" by Tabitha Suzuma
• "Forever" by Judy Blume
• "Forever for a Year" by B.T. Gottfred
• "Forget Me Not" by Alyson Derrick
• "Foul is Fair" by Hannah Capin
• "Frankie & Bug" by Gayle Forman
• "Freakboy" by Kristin Elizabeth Clark
• "Fred Gets Dressed" by Peter Brown
• "Friday I’m in Love" by Camryn Garrett
• "From Archie to Zack" by Vincent X. Kirsch

G-H; Books that Kentuckians challenged, from 'Gabi, a Girl in Pieces' to 'Hurricane Child'

• "Gabi, a Girl in Pieces" by Isabel Quintero"
• "Gender Equality and Identity Rights" by Marie des Neiges Léonard
• "Gender Identity" by Anika Abraham
• "Gender Identity" by Olivia Ghafoerkhan
• "Gender in the 21st Century" by M. M. Eboch
• " Gender Queer: A Memoir " by author and cartoonist Maia Kobabe

• "The Gender Quest Workbook: A Guide for Teens & Young Adults Exploring Gender Identity" by Rylan Jay Testa
• "Ghost Boys" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
• "Gilded" by Marissa Meyer
• "The Girl from Earth's End" by Tara Dairman
• "The Girl from Sea" by Molly Ostertag
• "Glass" by Ellen Hopkins
• "Goodnight Racism" by Ibram X. Kendi
• "Gossip Girl SERIES" by Cecily von Ziegesar
• "Grandad's Camper" by Harry Woodgate
• "The Great Nijinsky: God of Dance" by Lynn Curlee
• "Grown" by Tiffany Jackson
• "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas
• "Heartstopper" by Alice Oseman
• "The Heartstopper Yearbook" by Alice Oseman
• "Heartstopper. Volume 2" by Alice Oseman
• "Heartstopper. Volume 3" by Alice Oseman
• "Heartstopper. Volume 4" by Alice Oseman
• "Heat Wave" by T.J. Klune
• "Heir of Fire" by Sarah J. Maas
• "Her Royal Highness" by Rachel Hawkins
• "Here's to Us" by Becky Albertalli
• "Heroine" by Mindy McGinnis
• "Ho'onani: Hula Warrior" by Heather Gale
• "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros
• "The House that Whispers" by Lin Thompson
• "How Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity" by Michael Cart
• "How I Resist: Activism and Hope for a New Generation" by Maureen Johnson
• "How it All Blew Up" by Arvin Ahmadi
• "How to Be a (Young) Antiracist" by Ibram X. Kendi
• "How to Excavate a Heart" by Jake Maia Arlow
• "Hurricane Child" by Kacen Callender

I-J; Books that Kentuckians challenged, from 'I Am Jazz' to 'The Juneteenth Story'

• "I Am Jazz" by Jessica Herthel
• "I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" by Erika Sanchez
• "I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark" by Debbie Levy
• "I Kissed Shara Wheeler" by Casey McQuiston
• "I Was Born for This" by Alice Oseman
• "Icebreaker" by A.L. Graziadei
• "Identical" by Ellen Hopkins
• "If I Was Your Girl" by Meredith Russo
• "If There's No Tomorrow" by Jennifer L Armentrout
• "If You Could Be Mine" by Sara Farizan
• "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson
• "I'm So (not) Over You" by Kosoko Jackson
• "Impulse" by Ellen Hopkins
• "In Deeper Waters" by F. T. Lukens
• "In Memoriam" by Alice Winn
• "In Our Mothers' House" by Patricia Polacco
• "Infinity Son" by Adam Silvera
• "Introducing Teddy: A Gentle Story About Gender and Friendship" by Jessica Walton
• "It Feels Good to be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity" by Theresa Thorn
• "It's Not the Stork!: A Book about Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families, and Friends" by Robie H. Harris
• "Itty-Bitty Kitty Corn" by Shannon Hale
• "Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts)" by L.C. Rosen
• "Jay's Gay Agenda" by Jason June
• "Julian at the Wedding" by Jessica Love
• "Julián is a Mermaid" by Jessica Love
• "Juliet Takes a Breath" by Gabby Rivera
• "Juliet Takes a Breath: Graphic Novel Adaptation" by Gabby Rivera
• "The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating End of Slavery in United States" by Alliah L. Agostini

K-L; Books that Kentuckians challenged, from 'Kate in Waiting' to 'Lunch From Home'

• "Kate in Waiting" by Becky Albertalli
• "King and the Dragonflies" by Kacen Callender
• "Kingdom of Ash" by Sarah J. Maas
• "Kiss Number 8" by Colleen AF Venable
• "La deseñsenza de Cameron Post" by Emily M. Danforth
• "Last Night at the Telegraph Club" by Malinda Lo
• "Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me" by Mariko Tamaki
• "The League of Super Feminists" by Mirion Malle
• "Leah On the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli
• "The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School" by Sonora Reyes
• "Let Me Play: The Story of Title IX, the Law that Changed the Future of Girls in America" by Karen Blumenthal
• "Let's Talk About It: The Teen's Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human" by Erika Moen
• "LGBTQ In America" by Barbara Sheen
• "LGBTQ Rights and Activism" by Stephen Currie
• "LGBTQ+ Athletes Claim the Field: Striving for Equality" by Kirstin Cronn-Mills
• "Light It Up" by Kekla Magoon
• "Like a Love Story" by Abdi Nazemian
• "The List of Things That Will Not Change" by Rebecca Stead
• "Little & Lion" by Brandy Colbert
• "The Little Witch's Book of Spells" by Ariel Kusby
• "Living Dead Girl" by Elizabeth Scott
• "The Long Run" by James Acker
• "Long Way Down" by Jason Reynolds
• "Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel" by Jason Reynolds
• "Looking for Alaska" by John Green

• "The Lost Book of White" by Cassandra Clare
• "The Lotterys Plus One" by Emma Donoghue
• "Love at First Set: A Novel" by Jennifer Dugan
• "The Love Interest" by Cale Dietrich
• "Loveless" by Alice Oseman
• "Lucky" by Alice Sebold
• "The Lucky list" by Rachael Lippincott
• "Lunch From Home" by Joshua David Stein

M-N; Books that Kentuckians challenged, from 'The Magic Fish' to 'The Nowhere Girls'

• "The Magic Fish" by Trung Le Nguyen
• "Magnolia Flower" by Ibram X. Kendi
• "Male/Female Roles" by Auriana Ojeda
• "Male/Female Roles: Opposing Viewpoint" by Bruno Leone
• "Mama and Mommy and me in the Middle" by Nina LaCour
• "Man o' War" by Cory McCarthy
• "Meet Cute [Anthology]" by Jennifer L Armentrout
• "Meet Cute Diary" by Emery Lee
• "Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy" by Rey Terciero
• "Melissa (previously published as George)" by Alex Gino
• "The Midnight Lie" by Marie Rutkoski
• "The Minus-One Club" by Kekla Magoon
• "The Miseducation of Cameron Post" by Emily M. Danforth
• "The Modern Wiccan's Guide to Living" by Cerridwen Greenleaf
• "Monday's Not Coming" by Tiffany Jackson
• "Money Boy" by Paul Yee
• "More Happy Than Not" by Adam Silvera
• "Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress" by Christine Baldacchino
• "My Body, My Choice: The Fight for Abortion Rights" by Robin Stevenson
• "My Dear Henry: A Jekyll & Hyde Remix" by Kalynn Bayron
• "My Princess Boy" by Cheryl Kilodavis
• "Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S.: (as told to his brother)" by David Levithan
• "The Nerdy and the Dirty" by B.T. Gottfred
• "Nick and Charlie: A Heartstopper Novella" by Alice Oseman
• "No Way, They Were Gay?: Hidden Lives and Secret Loves" by Lee Wind
• "Not My Problem" by Ciara Smyth
• "Nothing Burns as Bright as You" by Ashley Woodfolk
• "The Nowhere Girls" by Amy Lynn Reed

O-P; Books that Kentuckians challenged, from 'Obie is Man Enough' to 'Pumpkinheads'

• "Obie is Man Enough" by Schuyler Bailar
• "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone
• "Once Upon a Tim" by Stuart Gibbs
• "One Life" by Megan Rapinoe
• "Only Mostly Devastated" by Sophie Gonzales
• "Openly Straight" by Bill Konigsberg
• "Operatic" by Kyo Maclear
• "Our Dreams at Dusk: Shimanami Tasogare" by Yuhki Kamatani
• "Our Skin: A First Conversation About Race" by Megan Madison
• "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez
• The Pants Project" by Cat Clarke
• "Paris Daillencourt is About to Crumble" by Alexis J. Hall
• "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson
• "The Passing Playbook" by Isaac Fitzsimmons
• "The Past and Other Things that Should Stay Buried" by Shaun David Hutchinson
• "People Kill People" by Ellen Hopkins
• "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky

• "Pet" by Akwaeke Emezi
• "Playing a Part" by Daria Wilke
• "The Poet X" by Elizabeth Acevedo
• "Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag" by Rob Sanders
• "Prince & Knight" by Daniel Haack
• "The Prince and the Dressmaker" by Jen Wang
• "The Pronoun Book: She, He, They, and Me!" by Cassandra Jules Corrigan
• "Pumpkinheads: A Graphic Novel" by Rainbow Rowell, Faith Erin Hicks and Sarah Stern

Q-R; Books that Kentuckians challenged, from 'Queen of Shadows' to 'Rumble'

• "Queen of Shadows" by Sarah J. Maas
• "The Queer Principles of Kit Webb: A Novel" by Cat Sebastian
• "Queer: The Ultimate LGBTQ Guide for Teens" by Kathy Belge
• "Queerfully and Wonderfully Made: A Guide for LGBTQ+ Christian Teens" by Leigh Finke
• "Radio Silence" by Alice Oseman
• "Rainbow Boy" by Taylor Rouanzion
• "Ramona Blue" by Julie Murphy
• "The Real Riley Mayes" by Rachel Elliott
• "Red Hood" by Elana K. Arnold
• "The Red Scrolls of Magic" by Cassandra Clare
• "Redwood and Ponytail" by K.A. Holt (Kari Anne)
• "The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise" by Dan Gemeinhart
• "Reproductive Rights" by Anne C. Cunningham
• "Rick" by Alex Gino
• "Rise to the Sun" by Leah Johnson
• "Rumble" by Ellen Hopkins

More: Her novel was challenged as 'obscene.' Leah Johnson will keep telling Black, queer stories

S-T; Books that Kentuckians challenged, from 'Salvage the Bones' to 'Two Boys Kissing'

• "Salvage the Bones" by Jesmyn Ward
• "Sawkill Girls" by Claire Legrand
• "Scars" by C.A. Rainfield
• "Scattered Showers" by Rainbow Rowell
• "See-Saw: First Book of Nursery Songs" by Ailie Busby
• "Self Made Boys: A Great Gats" by remix
• "Sex and Sexuality" by New York Times Educational Publishing
• "Sex Plus: Learning, Loving, and Enjoying Your Body" by Laci Green
• "Sexual Consent" by Marty Gitlin
• "She Gets the Girl" by Rachael Lippincott
• "Shiver" by Maggie Stiefvater
• "Shout" by Laurie Halse Anderson
• "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli
• "The Sky Blues" by Robbie Couch
• "So This is Ever After" by F. T. Lukens
• "Sold" by Patricia McCormick

• "Some Girls Do" by Jennifer Dugan
• "Sophia Hartley and the Facts of Life" by Stephanie Greene
• "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson
• "Speak: The Graphic Novel" by Laurie Halse Anderson
• "Spin Me Right Round" by David Valdes Greenwood
• "Spinning" by Tillie Walden
• "Stamped (for Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You" by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, adapted by Sonja Cherry-Paul
• "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You" by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds
• "Starfish" by Lisa Fipps
• "The State of Us" by Shaun David Hutchinson
• "Stonewall: Breaking Out in the Fight for Gay Rights" by Ann Bausum
• "The Sublime Ms. Stacks" by Robb Pearlman
• "The Sun and her Flowers" by Rupi Kaur

• "Take the Mic" by Jason Reynolds
• "Talk - Conversations about Race, Love and Truth" by Wade Hudson
• "Teenage Pregnancy and Parenting" by Lisa Frick
• "Teens and LGBT Issues" by Christine Wilcox
• "That is My Dream!: A Picture Book of Langston Hughes's "Dream Variation"" by Langston Hughes
• "That's Betty!: The Story of Betty White" by Gregory Bonsignore
• "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera
• "They Went Left" by Monica Hesse
• "Thirst" by Varsha Bajaj
• "This Book is Anti-Racist" by Tiffany Jewell
• "This Book is Gay" by Juno Dawson

• "This Day in June" by Gayle E. Pitman
• "This is Kind of an Epic Love Story" by Kacen Callender
• "This is my Family: A First Look at Same Sex Parents" by Pat Thomas
• "This One Summer" by Jillian Tamaki
• "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
• "Tiger Eyes" by Judy Blume
• "Too Bright to See" by Kyle Lukoff
• "Tower of Dawn" by Sarah J. Maas
• "Traffick" by Ellen Hopkins
• "Trans Teen Survival Guide" by Fox Fisher
• "Tricks" by Ellen Hopkins
• "Troublemakers" by Catherine Barter
• "The Truth About Sexual Behavior and Unplanned Pregnancy" by Elissa Howard-Barr
• "Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March" by Lynda Blackmon Lowery
• "Twelfth" by Janet Key
• "Twisted" by Laurie Halse Anderson
• "Two Boys Kissing" by David Levithan

U-V; Books that Kentuckians challenged, from 'Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man' to 'The Visitors'

• "Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man" by Emmanuel Acho
• "The Undefeated" by Kwame Alexander
• "Unicorns are the Worst!" by Alex Willan
• "Unplanned Pregnancies" by Alexis Burling
• "Unravel Me" by Tahereh Mafi
• "The Upside of Unrequited" by Becky Albertalli
• "Vampire Academy" by Richelle Mead
• "The Visitors" by Greg Howard

W-Y; Books that Kentuckians challenged, from 'Wayward Son' to 'You Too? 25 Voices Share Their #MeToo Stories'

• "Wayward Son" by Rainbow Rowell
• "We are not Broken" by George M. Johnson
• "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson
• "We Deserve Monuments" by Jas Hammonds
• "We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices" by Wade Hudson
• "Welcome to St. Hell: My Trans Teen Misadventure" by Lewis Hancox
• "What about Will" by Ellen Hopkins
• "What Are Your Words?: A Book About Pronouns" by Katherine Locke
• "What Girls Are Made Of" by Elana K. Arnold
• "What if it's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
• "What's Happening to My Body? Book for Girls" by Lynda Madaras
• "What's Happening to My Body? for Boys" by Lynda Madaras
• "What's the T" by Juno Dawson
• "When I Was the Greatest" by Jason Reynolds
• "When You Trap a Tiger" by Tae Keller
• "Who has What?: All About Girls' Bodies and Boys' Bodies" by Robie H. Harris
• "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by David Levithan
• "Wings of Fire (series)" by Tui T. Sutherland
• "Wintergirls" by Laurie Halse Anderson
• "The Witch Boy" by Molly Ostertag
• "Woke: A Young Poet's Call to Justice" by Mahogany Browne

Banned Books Week: Most challenged titles and how publishers are pushing back

• "The Year I Stopped Trying: A Novel" by Katie Heaney
• "Yesterday is History" by Kosoko Jackson
• "Yo, Simon, Homo Sapiens [aka: Con Amor, Simon]" by Becky Albertalli
• "Yolk" by Mary H.K. Choi
• "You Do You: Figuring Out Your Body, Dating, and Sexuality" by Sarah Mirk
• "You Don't Know Everything, Jilly P!" by Alex Gino
• "You Don't Live Here: Forget the Directions, Follow Your Heart" by Robyn Schneider
• "The You I've Never Known" by Ellen Hopkins
• "You Too? 25 Voices Share Their #MeToo Stories" by Janet Gurtler

Banned Books Week: How can you get your hands on challenged books in Kentucky?

Contributing: Thao Nguyen , USA TODAY, Mike Trautmann, Des Moines Register; Douglas Soule, USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida.

John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com . Follow him on Twitter at JTuftsReports .

This story was updated to add a video.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentuckians challenged these 395 library books. Is your favorite listed?