This page tells you a little bit more information about who challenges books, where they are challenged, and the reasons given for challenging them.
“When you tear out a man’s tongue, you are not proving him a liar; you’re only telling the world that you fear what he might say.” - George R. R. Martin
The American Library Association estimates that 82-97% of book challenges ("silent challenges") go unreported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom. This is for a variety of reasons including the fear of losing their job, public criticism and attacks, and more. The Top 10 List of Banned & Challenged Books as well as the information on why they were challenged and who challenged the books as seen on this page is based on what is reported to the ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom. "Public Challenges" are challenges that are reported and verified by a third party.
The following word cloud shows the most common reasons complaintants gave for challenging a book in order to remove access to it in 2016.
The following chart shows the most common type of initiator for two different time periods: 1990-99 and 2000-09.
