Top 10: Banned Books of 2010 and Decade (Read for Yourself!)

I was helping out at my school book fair last year, and I pointed out And Tango Makes Three to my son’s Kindergarten teacher as she was looking for good books to put in her pile. “This one is banned because the parents of the penguin are gay,” I told her. “I heard it was really good.”

She was offended that a picture book would be banned for homosexuality so, of course, she added it to her pile. I felt like we scored a minor victory that day. The reality is that every year, there IS a child in her class that has gay parents so a book like And Tango Makes Three is an important addition to her classroom library.

We seem to have more two-mom families than two-dads at our school. My kids have come home from Kindergarten and ask why their friend has two moms and my reply is, “Because moms rock.” My kids agree with that though they wish they had two moms too! Our first two-mom family introduced us to It’s OK to Be Different by Todd Parr which is a great book for understanding our differences at a preschool or Kindergarten.

I am going to make a point of reading these banned and challenged picture and chapter books if only to understand where on the continuum they belong in my children’s hands. How about you? How do you feel about banned or challenged books? Please comment!

According to the American Library Association ALA, the following books are the 10 Most Challenged Books of 2010.

After the title and author of each book are the reasons cited for the challenges:

20 Banned or Challenged Books to READ!

1. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson

This is the only picture book on the Top 10 list.

Reasons: homosexuality, religious viewpoint, and unsuited to age group

2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

*Sherman Alexie has been accused of sexual misconduct by numerous women.

Reasons: offensive language, racism, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, and violence

3. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Reasons: insensitivity, offensive language, racism, and sexually explicit

4. Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Reasons: drugs, offensive language, and sexually explicit

5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Reasons: sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, and violence

6. Lush by Natasha Friend

Reasons: drugs, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group

7. What My Mother Doesn’t Know by Sonya Sones

Reasons: sexism, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group

8. Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich

Reasons: drugs, inaccurate, offensive language, political viewpoint, and religious viewpoint

9. Revolutionary Voices edited by Amy Sonnie

Reasons: homosexuality and sexually explicit

10. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Reasons: religious viewpoint and violence

(Source: American Library Association)

The Top 10 of The 100 Most Challenged Books of the Decade

(2000-2009)

1. Harry Potter (series), by J.K. Rowling

2. Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

3. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

4. And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell

5. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

6. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

7. Scary Stories (series) by Alvin Schwartz

8. His Dark Materials (series) by Philip Pullman

9. ttyl, l8r, g8r (series) by Lauren Myracle

10. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

(See the ALA Web site for the entire list.)

p.s. Related posts:

Top 10 Must-Read Banned Books for Kids

Top 10: Challenged or Banned Books

My Books Recs for Banned Book Week September 23-29

Top 10: Banned or Challenged Books to READ!

To examine any of the items listed, please click on image of item.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Follow PragmaticMom’s board Multicultural Books for Kids on Pinterest.

Follow PragmaticMom’s board Children’s Book Activities on Pinterest.

My books:

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Barbed Wire Between Us by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación

⭐ Starred review from Kirkus
⭐ Starred review from Publishers Weekly
⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal
Kirkus: The Most Anticipated Children’s Books of Spring 2026

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Fortune Cookies for Everyone! (Smithsonian): The Surprising Story of the Tasty Treat We Love to Eat

California Eureka Non-Fiction Gold Award
Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)

The Traveling Taco: The Amazing and Surprising Journey of Many of Your Favorite Foods

California Eureka Non-Fiction Silver Award
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
Reading Rockets’ Summer Reading Guide 2025

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court

ALSC Notable Children’s Book
2025 Carter G. Woodson Book Award Middle Level Honoree
Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
2024 Julia Ward Howe Prize for Children’s Literature Winner
California Eureka Non-Fiction Award Honor Book
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year 2025
Recommended Reading for the Social Justice Literature Award 2025 (International Literacy Association)
Pennsylvania Mountain Laurel Book Award Nominee 2026-27
Junior Library Guild Gold Selection