The New York Times writes, "This week is Banned Books Week, in which the American Library Association highlights its annual Top Ten List of Most Challenged Books: effectively a curated snapshot of the American state of mind."

Every year the American Liberties Association produces a list of the Top Ten Most Challenged Books, otherwise known as "Banned Books Week." The list does not necessarily list books that have actually been banned. “Every year since 1990, hundreds of complaints by parents, educators and the public have poured into the association’s online reporting system. There were 323 challenges to published books recorded in 2016.” Thus, this list portrays the top ten most challenged books of the year and the reasons that these books were most complained about. This year’s list included the following:

1. "This One Summer" by Mariko Tamaki

The challengers, who remain anonymous, claim this book has various LGBTQ characters, portrays drug use and contains profanity.

2. "Drama" by Raina Telgemeier

Similar to the first one, the main complaints toward this book revolved around the inclusion of LGBTQ characters, claiming that it was sexually explicit and portrayed ‘an offensive political viewpoint.’

3. "George" by Alex Gino

This book is challenged mainly on the basis that it portrays a transgender child and sexuality.

4. "I Am Jazz" by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings

A second book that is also challenged on the basis of a transgender character, along with additional issues of sexuality, language, and political viewpoints.

5. "Two Boys Kissing" by David Leviathan

As the title may give away, the issue was mainly with LGBTQ characters and the picture of two boys kissing that is shown on the front cover.

6. "Looking For Alaska" by John Green

This book takes a different turn; though it still has to do with sexuality and not LGBTQ characters, people believed it would lead to sexual experimentation.

7. "Big Hard Sex Criminals" by Matt Fraction

There were complaints simply because it is sexually explicit.

8. "Make Something Up: Stories You Can't Unread" by Chuck Palahniuk

With the usual sexually explicit content and profanity, this book is also called “disgusting and all around offensive.”

Well, now I definitely have to read it.

9. "Little Bill" (series) by Bill Cosby

The whole Bill Cosby being a rapist thing was the main reason for this one.

10. "Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell

This one is just good old offensive language.

Overall, these lists are often indicative of the issues facing American society at the time. The fact that a majority of these books were challenged mainly due to the portrayal of gay, lesbian and transgender characters is revealing but not surprising. Prejudices and homophobia are the images of American society that are seen throughout this list, a state that the current political climate is only contributing to. That being said my favorite reasoning still holds as the “disgusting and all around offensive” nature of Chuck Palahniuk’s writing.