"Books usually are challenged with the best intentions—to protect others, frequently children, from difficult ideas and information."

-American Library Association, "Banned Book FAQ"

According to the American Library Association, the most common reasons cited for why individuals think books should be banned include

• the book contains sexual content
• the book contains offensive language
• the book is generally objectionable for any age group

ALA holds the position that "parents—and only parents—have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children—and only their children—to library resources." However, book bans that remove access from the entire community constitute censorship that violates the First Amendment right to freedom of expression.

Watch this video from TED-Ed to explore why Maya Angelou’s memoir I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings became one of the most frequently banned books of all time.