Audiobook list · Updated November 2026
15 Banned Books to Listen to as Audiobooks
Banned books are challenged in schools and libraries every year, for reasons that range from language and sexual content to race, politics and LGBTQ+ themes. Whatever you think of those objections, listening to the audiobooks is a good way to judge them for yourself.
These 15 audiobooks have all been challenged or banned in the US. Under each one I note why, who reads it and how long it runs. If you like dystopian stories, try my dystopian audiobooks list, and for more LGBTQ+ stories see the best queer audiobooks.
By Kristy Ramirez · Originally published May 2023 · Updated November 2026
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Read my affiliate disclosure.
Jump to a topic
Young Adult
Teen narrators, big feelings and some of the most challenged books of recent years.
The Poet X
Xiomara, a teenager in Harlem, finds her voice through slam poetry while pushing against her strict mother and the attention her body draws. A novel in verse that suits audio, read by the author. Challenged for profanity, sexual situations and its questioning of religion. Rated 4.8 on Audible.
Looking for Alaska
Miles leaves home for boarding school in search of what a poet called the Great Perhaps, and falls for the magnetic Alaska Young. John Green’s award-winning debut is funny, then devastating. Challenged for sexual content. Rated 4.6 on Audible.
The Hate U Give
Starr Carter watches a police officer shoot her unarmed best friend, then has to decide what to say while moving between her neighborhood and her private school. Bahni Turpin’s performance is a big part of its appeal. Challenged for language and its portrayal of police. Rated 4.8 on Audible.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Charlie writes letters about his first year of high school: new friends, first love and a past he is still working through. A teen favorite for decades. Challenged for drug use, sexual content and offensive language. Rated 4.8 on Audible.
Classics and Modern Classics
Books that have been taught, loved and challenged for generations.
The Color Purple
Celie writes letters to God through decades of abuse and poverty in the South, and slowly finds her strength with the help of the women around her. Alice Walker reads her own Pulitzer winner. Challenged for sexual content, violence and abuse. Rated 4.8 on Audible.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Scout Finch grows up in 1930s Alabama while her father, the lawyer Atticus Finch, defends a Black man falsely accused of a crime. Sissy Spacek’s reading is a listener favorite. Challenged over racial slurs and its handling of race. Rated 4.8 on Audible.
The Bluest Eye
Pecola, a young Black girl in 1941 Ohio, longs for blue eyes and the beauty she thinks they would bring. Hard to hear and hard to forget, with Morrison herself among the readers. Challenged for sexual abuse. Rated 4.6 on Audible.
The Handmaid’s Tale
In the theocratic Republic of Gilead, Offred is a handmaid, valued only for her ability to bear children. Atwood’s dystopian novel is read by Claire Danes with quiet intensity. Challenged for sexual content and vulgarity.
1984
Winston Smith lives under constant watch by Big Brother and the Thought Police, and a forbidden love affair puts his life at risk. Orwell’s novel about power and truth still feels current. Challenged for sexual content and its political themes. Rated 4.6 on Audible.
The Kite Runner
Amir and Hassan grow up as friends in Kabul until a betrayal splits them. Decades later, Amir returns to try to make it right. Hosseini reads his own novel. Challenged for sexual content and explicit language. Rated 4.6 on Audible.
The Things They Carried
Linked stories about a platoon in the Vietnam War, told through what the soldiers carried, from gear to grief. Bryan Cranston reads O’Brien’s Pulitzer finalist. Challenged for violence, sexual content and language. Rated 4.3 on Audible.
Memoir, Nonfiction and Poetry
True stories and verse, read by the people who wrote them.
All Boys Aren’t Blue
George M. Johnson’s memoir-manifesto about growing up Black and queer in New Jersey, written with teen readers in mind. Honest, funny and warm. Challenged for LGBTQ+ content and sexual situations. Rated 4.7 on Audible.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You
Jason Reynolds’s remix of Ibram X. Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning traces how racist ideas formed and spread in America. Written for young readers. Challenged over its discussion of race and racism. Rated 4.8 on Audible.
The Glass Castle
Jeannette Walls recalls growing up with brilliant, unreliable parents who moved the family constantly and left the children to fend for themselves. Challenged for profanity, alcoholism, abuse and sexual content. Rated 4.6 on Audible.
Milk and Honey
Rupi Kaur’s poetry collection moves through hurt, love, loss and healing in four sections. Kaur performs it herself in just over an hour. Challenged for sexual content and themes of assault.
Banned Book Audiobooks: Common Questions
What are the most banned books?
Many books on this list have appeared on the American Library Association’s lists of most challenged books, including The Hate U Give, Looking for Alaska, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and All Boys Aren’t Blue. The ALA publishes its list each year at ala.org/bbooks.
Are banned books available as audiobooks?
Yes. Every book on this list is available on Audible, and several are read by their own authors, including Elizabeth Acevedo, Alice Walker, Khaled Hosseini and Jeannette Walls.
What is the difference between a challenged book and a banned book?
A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict a book, usually by a parent or group. A ban is when the book is actually removed. The American Library Association tracks challenges and publishes a list of the most challenged books each year.
Why are books banned?
The reasons given vary. The most common are sexual content, profanity, violence, LGBTQ+ themes and the way a book handles race. I note the reason given for each book above.
When is Banned Books Week?
Banned Books Week is held each fall, usually in early October, and highlights the freedom to read. The American Library Association publishes its most challenged books list each year.
Can I listen to banned books for free?
Many of these are available through library apps like Libby, depending on your library. My guide to the best audiobook services compared covers other ways to listen.
- 20 Best Dystopian Audiobooks, Picked by Indie Booksellers
- Best Queer Audiobooks to Listen, Learn, and Love
- The Best Audiobooks, According to Reddit
- The Best Audiobooks of All Time
- 20 Great Audiobooks for Your First Listen
- 16 of the Best Celebrity Memoir Audiobooks Read by Their Authors
- Best Audiobook Services Compared
Never run out of audiobooks to listen to
One email a week: the best current audiobook deals and one editor’s pick.
