Our #BannedBooksWeek Reading List: Part 4
September 28, 2017
Throughout Banned Books Week, September 24 – 30, Penguin Random House will be highlighting frequently banned and challenged books to help raise awareness of the importance of defending our right to express ourselves and read without censorship or interference. Keep reading for Banned Books reading list inspiration, and stay tuned all week for more recommendations.
THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL by Anne Frank
Challenge Reasons: Rebellion Against Parental Authority, Sexuality
Anne Frank’s THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL is among the most enduring documents of the twentieth century. Since its publication in 1947, it has been a beloved and deeply admired monument to the indestructible nature of the human spirit, read by millions of people and translated into more than fifty-five languages. This definitive edition contains entries about Anne’s burgeoning sexuality and confrontations with her mother that were cut from previous editions.
THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS by Rebecca Skloot
Challenge Reason: Pornography
Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells—taken without her knowledge in 1951—became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, and more. The first “immortal” human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years. If you could pile all HeLa cells ever grown onto a scale, they’d weigh more than 50 million metric tons—as much as a hundred Empire State Buildings.
ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY by Mildred D. Taylor
Challenge Reason: Offensive Language
It takes the events of one turbulent year to show Cassie that having land of their own is the Logan family’s lifeblood. The Logans possess something no one can take away. Set in Mississippi at the height of the Depression, this is the story of one family’s struggle to maintain their integrity, pride, and independence in the face of racism and social injustice. It is also the story of an independent girl who discovers over the course of an important year why having land of their own is so crucial to the Logan family, even as she learns to draw from her own sense of dignity and self-respect.
Also during Banned Books Week, head over to Out of Print Clothing to find out how you can contribute to hurricane relief efforts through book donations from Penguin Random House. For each piece of Banned Books merchandise sold on the Out of Print website during Banned Books Week, September 24 – 30, Penguin Random House will donate one book in support of hurricane relief efforts through First Book up to 10,000 books. Click here to start browsing and give back. Popular Company News
Andy Weir’s PROJECT HAIL MARY Premieres on the Big Screen, Starring Ryan Gosling
March 23, 2026
The highly anticipated film adaptation of Andy Weir's PROJECT HAIL MARY (Ballantine Books) hit the big screens on Friday, March 20! Project Hail Mary (2026) is…
Remembering John Flanagan: The Author Who Taught a Generation That Heroes Come in All Sizes
April 7, 2026
John Flanagan, author of the beloved and bestselling Ranger’s Apprentice, Brotherband, and Royal Ranger children’s books series, recently passed away. He was 81 years old. …
Penguin Random House Christian Publishing Group Acquires She Reads Truth
April 13, 2026
The Acquisition Builds PRH Christian’s Direct-to-Consumer Platform and Underscores Its Investment in Bible Resources Colorado Springs, CO (April 13, 2026)— Penguin Random House Christian Publishing Group,…
Penguin Random House Sends Letter to Congress Urging Opposition to H.R. 7661
April 13, 2026
Below please find a letter submitted to Congress today (April 13, 2026) by Penguin Random House in opposition to H.R. 7661. The letter raises concerns about…
Emma Brodie’s INTO THE BLUE Is Reese Witherspoon’s April Book Club Pick
April 8, 2026
Reese Witherspoon has selected INTO THE BLUE by Emma Brodie as her April 2026 Reese’s Book Club pick! INTO THE BLUE was published on Tuesday, April 7, 2026,…
#1 NYT Bestselling Author John Green Returns to Fiction With HOLLYWOOD, ENDING
April 1, 2026
Dutton Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, has announced the publication of HOLLYOOD, ENDING – the debut adult fiction novel by internationally bestselling and award-winning author John Green. …
Random House to Publish Gloria Steinem’s Memoir, AN UNEXPECTED LIFE
March 26, 2026
On March 25, 2026, her ninety-second birthday, Random House announces the forthcoming publication of AN UNEXPECTED LIFE: A Memoir (Random House) by writer and activist Gloria Steinem,…
Celebrating Instant #1 NYT Bestseller Sheinelle Jones and THROUGH MOM’S EYES
April 25, 2026
2026 is the year of Sheinelle Jones. Earlier this year, she was named co-host of the fourth hour of TODAY alongside Jenna Bush Hager. Last week, she…
There’s a Book for That: Poetry Prize Winners!
April 17, 2026
Let's continue our celebration of National Poetry Month with prize winners! From major awards for a single collection of poems like the Pulitzer or National Book…
