This week has been Banned Books Week. Celebrate your right to read with these banned speculative fiction books by female authors.
The Handmaid’s Tale — Margaret Atwood This feminist dystopian novel was banned in 2006 for being too sexually explicit and offensive to Christians.
The Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth’s Children’s series) — Jean M. Auel The Earth’s Children Series are historical fiction novels set pre-history. The novel was banned in 1992 when a Middle School parent objected to a rape scene.
The Hunger Games Trilogy — Suzanne Collins This YA dystopian series was banned in 2011 for being “anti-ethnic, anti-family, insensitivity, offensive language, occult/satanic, violence, religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group.”Â
Like Water for Chocolate — Laura Esquivel Esquivel’s magical realism novel was banned in 2012 as not suitable for high school sophomores due to sexual content.
A Wrinkle in Time — Madeleine L’engle This classic fantasy story has been challenged every decade since its publication in 1962 due to occult themes and anti-Christian ideas.
Take a look at this list of 75 Banned Science Fiction and Fantasy Books for a bigger picture at what’s been banned. How many of these and other banned books have you read?