Illustration of a chopping block with books stacked on top, an axe embedded in the books, and the words "Books On The Chopping Block" written on the chopping block in a field with mountains and cloudy sky in the background.

Books on the Chopping Block

Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.

Books on the Chopping Block is our annual 60-minute performance of dramatic readings of short excerpts taken from these books. City Lit has teamed up with the ALA in celebration of Banned Books Week since 2006, performing at special events, libraries and bookstores in and around Chicago... and virtually this year.​​

City Lit Executive Artistic Director Brian Pastor says, “The freedom to read is essential to a civilized society. For many marginalized communities, the freedom to read represents the freedom to be themselves. City Lit is proud to continue its BOOKS ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK program at a time when attempts at book banning are at an all-time high. We are pleased to ally ourselves with the American Library Association in this important work.”​

All the books in the list are available from your local library and to buy from Bookshop.org (if you click on the books below and buy copies City Lit gets a small cut!).

This year’s events

BANNED BOOKS WEEK: October 4th-10th, 2026.

We will be adding events all the time, so check back!

Tuesday, October 6th, 2026
DePaul Theatre University Library, evening TBD
2350 N Kenmore Ave
Chicago, IL 60614

Wednesday, October 7th, 2026
Northbrook Public Library. 7:00pm.
1201 Cedar Lane, Northbrook, IL

Thursday, October 8th, 2026
Women & Children First, Bookstore 7:00pm.
5233 N. Clark St. ,Chicago, IL 60640

 
 
 

Click on the books below to buy from Bookshop.org (City Lit gets a small cut!).

Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2025

See the Top 11 List HERE and ALA report here

Number of books challenged in 2025 was just over 4,235 which is the second highest ever (the record of 4,240 was in 2023). For context in 2018 only 258 books were challenged.

  • Of the unique titles challenged in 2025, 1,671 (39%) represent the lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ people and people of color.

  • In 2025, 92% of all book challenges were initiated by pressure groups, government officials and decision makers, up from 72% in 2024. Less than 3% of challenges originated from individual parents.

Here is this year's list»