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Book bans are at an all-time high with controversial literature being ripped from classrooms and libraries across the country. Over the past year, the American Library Association tracked more than 1,500 individual book challenges or removals — the largest number since they began compiling book ban lists 20 years ago. Most of these targeted titles were by or about Black or LGBTQIA+ persons, creating a real threat to the diverse books children and teens usually have access to. "We support individual parents' choices concerning their child's reading and believe that parents should not have those choices dictated by others. Young people need to have access to a variety of books from which they can learn about different perspectives. So, despite this organized effort to ban books, libraries remain ready to do what we always have: make knowledge and ideas available so people are free to choose what to read," ALA President Patricia "Patty" Wong said in a statement. To combat the unprecedented number of attempts to ban books, the ALA is also launching Unite Against Book Bans, a national initiative focused on empowering readers everywhere to stand together in the fight against censorship. Here are some of the most frequently banned books in the US in the past year… 1. "Gender Queer: A Memoir" by Maia Kobabe Over the past year, Maia Kobabe's illustrated book "Gender Queer: A Memoir" has been banned in 30 school districts across the country. In the memoir, Maia, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, shared eir journey as a gender nonbinary person. Maia reflects on eir road to self-discovery from adolescence to adulthood and all the familiar teenage problems along the way. Opponents of the book took issue with the book's LGBTQIA+ content as well as illustrations considered sexually explicit. Maia has since fought back, saying that it is necessary for queer youth to be able to find reliable literature. "Queer youth are often forced to look outside their own homes, and outside the education system, to find information on who they are. Removing or restricting queer books in libraries and schools is like cutting a lifeline for queer youth, who might not yet even know what terms to ask Google to find out more about their own identities, bodies and health," Maia wrote in an op-ed for The Washington Post. 2. "Lawn Boy" by Jonathan Evison Jonathan Evison's novel "Lawn Boy" follows a young Mexican American working on a landscaping crew in Washington while coming to terms with his sexual identity. The semi-autobiographical coming-of-age novel was originally penned for adults but found a large fanbase among younger readers, even earning it the coveted Alex Prize issued by the Young Adult Library Services Association. Critics condemned the book for its LGBTQIA+ content as well as a sexual encounter scene between two young men that was considered sexually explicit. Despite Jonathan receiving hate mail and death threats from those trying to ban his book, he considers it an honor to be listed among the "great literature" that has been banned in the past. "When I look at the wealth of great literature that unenlightened souls have sought to ban through the ages, how could I feel anything but pride to be listed among them? To those who would ban my book and burn me at the stake because they are ashamed of their own past experiences, or uncomfortable with any non-binary sexual identifications, I hope you find healing," Jonathan wrote. 3. "All Boys Aren't Blue" by George M. Johnson "All Boys Aren't Blue" has been banned in 21 school districts across the US based on the content of George M. Johnson's "memoir-manifesto" about growing up as a queer Black person in New Jersey and Virginia. The book contains essays chronicling George's adolescence — from experiencing young love to darker moments like the bullying they experienced and their molestation by a family member. Those against the book argued against its LGBTQIA+ discussions, profanity, and content they considered to be sexually explicit. George has fought back against bans, explaining that children will be exposed to heavy topics whether or not the book is on shelves. "Books with heavy topics are not going to harm children. Children still have to exist in a world full of these heavy topics, and are going to be affected by them whether they read the book or not. Having [this] book, though, gives them the tools, the language, the resources and the education so that when they are having to deal with a heavy topic, they have a roadmap for how to handle it," George told Time. 4. "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez Sixteen school districts across the country have banned "Out of Darkness," a historical fiction novel set in an East Texas oil town during the 1930s. The book follows a blossoming teenage romance between a Mexican American girl and a Black boy, divided by racism and classism, and it all lead up to the disastrous events of the 1937 New London School explosion. The novel has been challenged since its release due to its depictions of abuse and content considered to be sexually explicit. In one instance, a mother shared her disdain for the novel at a recorded school board meeting, where she yelled as she argued that the book promoted anal sex. In actuality, the scene she references is more of a commentary on how some of the town's white teens harbor violent sexual fantasies about the young Mexican American girl. "I wrote ['Out of Darkness'] for brave, big-hearted readers ready to embrace some painful aspects of our country's history. I believe that it should be available in libraries that serve teenagers along with the other young adult books that have recently been banned," Ashley said in a YouTube video. 5. "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas Angie Thomas' novel "The Hate U Give" may have earned critical acclaim and been turned into a movie but that hasn't stopped critics from speaking out against the award-winning book. The novel, which was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, follows 16-year-old Starr Carter whose life is upended when she witnesses the fatal shooting of her unarmed childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Critics of the novel called out the book for its violence, use of profanity and the idea that it promoted an "anti-police message" and "indoctrination of a social agenda." Meanwhile, Angie says the message about police brutality is too important not to be discussed. "We have to have discussions about police brutality…Honestly, there is a fear among some parents — I'll just say it: white parents — who say, 'I'm not sure my child is ready for this.' The fact is, Black parents are [needing] to have these conversations with their 9 and 10-year-olds about the subject matter in this book. I need white children to be aware of that," the author told EW. 6. "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie Sherman Alexie's semi-autobiographical novel "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" follows the journey of 14-year-old Arnold Spirit Jr. as he grows up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. The promising young cartoonist attends a public high school in a nearby farm town but faces ostracization from his nearly all-white classmates as well as those on the reservation who consider him a traitor. Over the 15 years since the book has been released, it has been banned and challenged for its sexual references and use of both profanity and a derogatory term. Sherman has fought back against these claims, explaining that he regularly receives letters from teens who praise the book and the story. "I write books for teenagers because I vividly remember what it felt like to be a teen facing everyday and epic dangers. I don't write to protect them. It's far too late for that. I write to give them weapons — in