Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes Most Banned Book

A recent report by PEN America highlights a significant rise in book bans within U.S. schools, revealing over 10,000 instances in the 2023-2024 academic year—an alarming 200% increase from the previous year. Jodi Picoult's novel 'Nineteen Minutes,' which addresses school shootings, has emerged as the most banned book, primarily due to objections to a particular passage discussing date rape. Picoult argues that the bans stem from a misunderstanding of her work's themes, which aim to promote awareness about bullying and its consequences. Most bans have occurred in states like Florida and Iowa, where restrictive legislation on school literature has been enacted. The report also emphasizes that the majority of banned titles belong to BIPOC and LGBTQ+ authors, raising concerns about censorship and its implications for critical thinking and empathy in education. PEN advocates for the freedom to read as essential for students' development and societal progress.