US Schools Record Nearly 12,000 Book Bans, the Highest Ever in a Single Year, as 'Jane Eyre' and 'Lessons in Chemistry' Join the List

US public schools recorded nearly 12,000 book-ban instances during the 2025–2026 school year, the highest annual total since PEN America began tracking book censorship in 2021.

Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre and Bonnie Garmus' Lessons in Chemistry were among the titles recorded for the first time, alongside manga, young adult fiction, and other works. The latest figures bring PEN America's total to 34,000 book-ban instances since it began tracking in 2021.

Texas Overtakes Florida in Book Removals

Texas recorded more than 8,100 book-ban instances, while Florida recorded more than 3,200, according to PEN America. Texas overtook Florida as districts implemented Senate Bill 13, a 2025 law that introduced new requirements governing school library materials.

Florida had recorded the highest number of bans for three consecutive years. PEN America also identified political pressure and state legislation as factors driving removals. In Florida, the organisation said pressure from state officials on Hillsborough County Public Schools to remove 55 titles was followed by several other districts removing the same list.

The figures also show 7,370 unique titles banned, a record number that included more than 4,500 titles not previously recorded in PEN America's index. Book bans were recorded in 114 school districts, also a record high for a single school year.

From Jane Eyre to Lessons in Chemistry

The titles ranged from classic novels to contemporary fiction and manga. Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre and Bonnie Garmus' Lessons in Chemistry appeared among the newly recorded titles, alongside Sui Ishida's Tokyo Ghoul and Hajime Isayama's Attack on Titan, Volume 34.

Young adult books accounted for more than half of all bans, while manga and other graphic novels were also increasingly targeted for removal, according to reports. Themes involving race and racism, LGBTQ+ people and characters, people of colour, and sexual content continued to feature prominently among targeted works.

Stephen King Remains a Frequent Target

Stephen King was the most frequently banned author for the second consecutive year, with 312 ban instances affecting 81 titles. The Shining and The Green Mile were among the titles affected.

The most frequently banned title was Patricia McCormick's Sold, which was recorded in 25 ban instances. The 2006 novel follows a 13-year-old girl from Nepal who is sold into prostitution. McCormick said she was 'angry on behalf' of women she interviewed while researching the book, particularly those who had experienced sexual exploitation.

AI Enters the Book-Banning Process

PEN America also highlighted a growing role for AI in identifying books for removal, particularly in Texas. According to the organisation, some Texas school districts increasingly turned to AI tools to evaluate books as they sought to navigate unclear state requirements. Public records showed generative AI tools recommending some titles for removal because they had already been banned by other districts, which the organisation said could contribute to a 'snowball effect' as the same books were repeatedly flagged.

Philomena Polefrone, senior manager of PEN America's Freedom to Read programme, said vague laws and political directives had created 'chaos and fear', with districts sometimes removing books en masse with the help of 'crude AI tools'.

Book Bans Put Freedom to Read in Spotlight

The organisation said the latest figures highlight the expanding scale of restrictions on access to literature. 'Book bans impede the freedom to read,' PEN America said in its report, arguing that removals cut students off from 'a diversity of views, voices, perspectives, and literature.'

The findings were released during Banned Books Week, which runs from October 4–10, 2026, and focuses attention on censorship and access to books.