It’s an important week for libraries—and readers, too. In addition to showing love for our nation’s libraries during National Library Week (April 7 - 13), the American Library Association (ALA) has designated a day of action. This year, Monday April 8 is the second annual Right to Read Day, where library lovers and advocates everywhere can raise their voice for the right to read.

A response to increasing book censorship efforts nationwide, readers are encouraged to take individual action to defend, protect, and celebrate the right to read freely. Book banning, according to the ALA, is the act of removing materials from a school or library’s physical or digital collection as a result of objections about the book’s ideas or information — and it’s growing at a pace that’s never been seen before.

The ALA reported the highest number of attempted book bans in 2023 since the data has been collected. The New York Times also reported that censorship efforts are continuing to rise sharply in public libraries.

To mark Right to Read Day, ALA has released its list of the most challenged books of 2023:

• Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
• All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson
• This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
• Flamer by Mike Curato
• The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
• Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
• Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
• Let's Talk About It: The Teen's Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan
• Sold by Patricia McCormick

Find these books and more at your local library through Libby, the library reading app.

As this important conversation continues, there are many ways you can be part of the movement and support your local library and library workers on the ground. For more suggestions on how to get involved and take action in your community, visit the Right to Read Day website.

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