John Green’s Book Ranks First in PEN America’s List of Most Banned Books
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By Olivia Sinclair
John Green, the bestselling author of “Looking For Alaska,” has found his book at the top of PEN America’s 50 Most-Banned Books list for the 2024-2025 school year. This list also includes renowned titles like “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood, “Beloved” by Toni Morrison, and “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker. Since the inception of compiling this list in 2021, “Looking For Alaska” has faced bans a staggering 147 times.
PEN America, an organisation dedicated to safeguarding free expression, has been actively monitoring the issue of book bans across the country. The latest report indicates that during the 2024-2025 academic year alone, a total of 3,752 unique book titles were affected by bans in 87 different school districts nationwide. The scale of these bans highlights a concerning trend in the education system.
John Green, a prolific writer with over 50 million books sold worldwide, expressed his disappointment at the frequent challenges and bans faced by his works. In response to the censorship, Green stressed the importance of intellectual freedom as a fundamental principle of American society. He voiced his concerns over the restrictions placed on what individuals, especially children, can read, emphasising the detrimental impact on societal values.
“Looking For Alaska,” a coming-of-age tale centred around protagonist Miles Halter’s experiences in Alabama, deals with themes of guilt, love, and grief. Green, in an interview with PEN, criticised the increasing number of challenges against his book as alarming and counterproductive. He underscored the significance of allowing diverse perspectives and narratives to flourish in literary spaces without constraints.
The list compiled by PEN America features other award-winning novels, such as “Beloved” by Toni Morrison, “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker, and “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood. These books, known for their thought-provoking content, have been instrumental in shaping discussions on important social issues. The alarming rise in book bans, totalling 6,870 instances in the previous school year, has predominantly affected states like Florida, Texas, and Tennessee.
PEN America attributes the surge in banned books to governmental interventions, citing Executive Orders aimed at influencing educational curricula and restricting access to certain materials. The impact of these policies on students’ intellectual development and exposure to diverse perspectives has raised concerns among educators and advocates for free speech.
Kasey Meehan, director of PEN America’s Freedom to Read programme, raised awareness about the repercussions of limiting students’ access to acclaimed literary works. Meehan highlighted the need to uphold the freedom to read and promote critical thinking among students to foster a democratic society that values diverse viewpoints.
In conclusion, the prevalence of book bans, particularly targeting acclaimed and culturally significant works, underscores the ongoing struggle for intellectual freedom and open discourse in education. The efforts by organisations like PEN America to document and address these challenges serve as a reminder of the importance of protecting the right to access a wide range of literary material in academic settings.