Forbidden Pages: A Catalog of Resistance in Our Modern Panem

In our previous discussion of censorship and the parallels to Panem’s authoritarian control, we explored how book banning represents a fundamental threat to intellectual freedom. Like artifacts smuggled between districts, banned books carry forbidden knowledge across artificial boundaries. Today, we catalog these acts of resistance – the books that authorities have deemed too dangerous for public consumption, both in recent years and throughout history.

The New Contraband: Recently Banned Books (2021-2025)

As districts in our modern Panem continue to restrict access to knowledge, these titles have faced significant challenges and bans in multiple school districts and states:

Fiction

• “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas – Challenged for its depiction of police brutality, drug use, and profanity.
• “Gender Queer: A Memoir” by Maia Kobabe – Currently among the most banned books in America, challenged for LGBTQ+ content and illustrations.
• “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M. Johnson – A memoir-manifesto containing essays about growing up Black and queer, banned in numerous districts.
• “Lawn Boy” by Jonathan Evison – Challenged for LGBTQ+ content and alleged sexual explicitness.
• “Out of Darkness” by Ashley Hope Pérez – A historical novel set in 1930s Texas, challenged for depictions of racism and sexual content.
• “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison – Though published in 1970, it faces renewed challenges for its handling of sexual abuse and racism.
• “This Book is Gay” by Juno Dawson – An informational book about sexuality and gender, banned for LGBTQ+ content.
• “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” by Jesse Andrews – Challenged for profanity and sexual references.
• “Drama” by Raina Telgemeier – A graphic novel banned for including gay characters.
• “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie – Continues to face challenges for profanity, sexual references, and depictions of bullying.

Non-Fiction

• “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You” by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi – Challenged for discussions of racism and alleged “divisiveness.”
• “Maus” by Art Spiegelman – The Pulitzer Prize-winning Holocaust graphic novel, removed from some curricula for nudity and profanity.
• “Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness” by Anastasia Higginbotham – Challenged for discussions of race and racism.
• “An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States” by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz – Challenged for its critical examination of American history.
• “Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out” by Susan Kuklin – Banned for LGBTQ+ content and discussions of gender identity.
• “All American Boys” by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely – Challenged for addressing police brutality and racism.
• “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man” by Emmanuel Acho – Restricted for its discussions of race in America.

The Classic Contraband: Historically Significant Banned Books

The Capitol’s fear of free thought is nothing new. These classics have weathered censorship storms throughout history and continue to shape our understanding of resistance:

Fiction

• “1984” by George Orwell – Banned for its political themes and criticism of totalitarianism.
• “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley – Challenged for sexual content and political themes.
• “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee – Repeatedly challenged for racial themes and language.
• “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker – Banned for sexual content, homosexuality, and portrayal of Black men.
• “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood – Banned for sexual content and criticism of religious fundamentalism.
• “Beloved” by Toni Morrison – Challenged for sexual content, violence, and discussions of racism.
• “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding – Banned for violence and pessimistic outlook on human nature.
• “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck – Challenged for profanity, racism, and violence.
• “Slaughterhouse-Five” by Kurt Vonnegut – Banned for profanity, sexual content, and anti-war themes.
• “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger – Challenged for profanity and sexual references.

Non-Fiction

• “Night” by Elie Wiesel – Challenged for violence and difficult content about the Holocaust.
• “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou – Banned for sexuality, homosexuality, and rape scenes.
• “A People’s History of the United States” by Howard Zinn – Challenged for political bias and anti-American sentiment.
• “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank – Challenged for sexual content and homosexual references.
• “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson – Attacked and suppressed for its critique of the chemical industry.
• “The Origin of Species” by Charles Darwin – Banned for challenging religious explanations of creation.
• “Black Boy” by Richard Wright – Challenged for language, sexual content, and anti-white sentiment.

Patterns of Control: What Gets Banned and Why

In analyzing both contemporary and historical bans, several patterns emerge that reveal the Capitol’s true fears:

1. Challenges to Authority: Books questioning governmental, religious, or societal power structures consistently face censorship.
2. Honest Depictions of Marginalized Experiences: Works authentically portraying LGBTQ+, racial minority, or other marginalized experiences are disproportionately targeted.
3. Sexual Awakening and Identity: Content addressing sexuality, particularly adolescent sexuality or non-heteronormative relationships, triggers censorship.
4. Historical Truths: Works confronting uncomfortable historical realities—slavery, genocide, colonialism—are frequently challenged.
5. Linguistic Authenticity: Books using authentic language, including profanity or regional dialects, face bans for “inappropriate language.”

The Mockingjay Effect: How Banning Amplifies

Ironically, like the mockingjay pin that became a symbol of rebellion in Panem, banned books often gain greater prominence and readership precisely because of attempts to suppress them. Recent data suggests that sales of challenged books typically surge following high-profile banning attempts.

When Tennessee banned “Maus” in 2022, for instance, it temporarily became the bestselling book on Amazon. Similarly, many of the most frequently challenged books have gone on to become part of cultural canon, widely read and celebrated precisely because they dare to speak uncomfortable truths.

Reading as Resistance: How to Access and Support Banned Books

Unlike the districts of Panem, we still have numerous avenues to circumvent censorship:

• Support Your Local Library: Libraries are frontline defenders against censorship. Donate, volunteer, and attend board meetings.
• Banned Books Week: Participate in this annual celebration (typically in September) through events, readings, and discussions.
• Digital Access: Organizations like the Internet Archive, Project Gutenberg, and digital libraries provide access to many banned classics.
• Independent Bookstores: Support stores that prominently feature and celebrate banned books.
• Book Clubs: Form or join banned book clubs to discuss these works and their continued relevance.
• Social Media Advocacy: Share information about banned books and censorship attempts using hashtags like #BannedBooks and #FReadom.

In the dystopian world of Panem, the Capitol maintained control partly by keeping districts ignorant of each other and their shared history. Today’s book banning follows a similar pattern—attempting to erase uncomfortable truths and diverse perspectives from our collective consciousness.

But like the mockingjay’s song, banned books continue to carry their messages across boundaries, reminding us that the freedom to read is inseparable from the freedom to think. By reading, sharing, and discussing these banned works, we participate in a quiet but powerful form of resistance.

As Katniss Everdeen might tell us: sometimes the most revolutionary act is simply refusing to play by their rules. Pick up a banned book today—it might just be your first step toward rebellion.