The US school book bans reached a record level during the 2025-26 academic year, with 11,982 book bans documented across the country, according to a new PEN America report. The restrictions affected 7,370 unique titles and more than 4,000 authors, illustrators and translators, making it the highest number of bans recorded in a single academic year.
The latest figures bring the total number of book bans documented by PEN America since 2021 to nearly 34,000. The report was released during Banned Books Week, which focuses on concerns surrounding censorship and access to literature.
Texas Records More Than 8,100 Book Removals
Texas recorded the highest number of book removals during the 2025-26 school year, with more than 8,100 bans. The state had not previously topped the annual list, with Florida holding the position for three consecutive years.
The rise in Texas has been linked to Senate Bill 13 (SB13), which introduced restrictions concerning certain categories of books available in public schools.
Florida also continued to report substantial removals. Across the country, 114 school districts recorded book bans during the academic year, indicating that the issue has expanded geographically.
AI Screening Adds a New Dimension
The growing use of AI-based screening tools has also entered the book-ban debate. Such systems can scan large collections and flag books based on particular words, themes or categories.
PEN America indicated that the combination of AI screening tools and new state-level regulations may have contributed to the sharp increase in titles being reviewed and removed.
From Jane Eyre to Tokyo Ghoul
The restrictions are affecting books across genres and generations. More than 4,500 titles were banned for the first time during the latest academic year.
Among them was Charlotte Brontë’s classic Jane Eyre. Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Speak and Crank were also among frequently challenged titles.
Popular manga has also entered the debate, with Tokyo Ghoul among the titles affected.
Stephen King remained the author whose works were banned most frequently for the second consecutive year, with his books involved in 312 removal instances.
Race, Sexuality and Gender Remain Key Issues
Challenges continue to focus heavily on themes involving race and racism, sexuality, sexual content and gender identity.
Young adult literature has been particularly affected, with more than 90% of banned young adult titles identified as fiction.
The debate has increasingly moved beyond assigned classroom reading to books students independently choose from school libraries. Critics argue that broad removals can restrict access to different perspectives and experiences, while supporters say schools should have greater control over materials accessible to children.
PEN America has warned that continued restrictions could limit students’ access to diverse ideas, cultures and viewpoints, keeping the debate over censorship, parental rights and student reading choices firmly in focus.
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