Utah has banned seven additional books from all public schools across the state, marking the largest single group of titles prohibited at one time since the state's sensitive materials law went into effect. The new additions bring the total number of books prohibited in Utah public schools to 44.
New Prohibited Book Titles
The newly prohibited titles include several New York Times bestsellers. According to reporting from KPCW and Fox13 News, the seven books added to the statewide prohibited list are "House of Earth and Blood" by Sarah J. Maas, "Perfect" by Ellen Hopkins, "Identical" by Ellen Hopkins, "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" by Jesse Andrews, "Kingdom of the Cursed" by Kerri Maniscalco, "Storm and Fury" by Jennifer Armentrout, and "The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue" by V.E. Schwab.
Repeat Authors Targeted
The wave of bans includes authors who already had multiple titles restricted under the state law. Sarah J. Maas previously had six books on the statewide banned list, while Ellen Hopkins already had four books prohibited. Jesse Andrews also had one book previously included on the banned list.
Largest Single Wave of Bans
The scale of this action is significant for the state. As reported by KPCW and Fox13 News, this represents the most books banned in a single instance since the implementation of the state's sensitive materials law. This latest enforcement action brings the cumulative count of prohibited titles in the public school system to 44.
Statewide Impact
The decision follows a period of heightened scrutiny regarding library materials in Utah schools. While the specific legislative process for this specific group of seven books was not detailed in the reports, the resulting bans apply to all public schools throughout the state.
Reporting Context
The Salt Lake Tribune provided the original reporting on the matter, with the details disseminated through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations across Utah.
