3 more books have been banned in Utah schools, bringing the total to 22
Jan 6, 2026, 1:23 PM | Updated: Jan 7, 2026, 9:05 am
A second grade student selects a book off the shelf. Daybreak Elementary Monday, Feb. 25, 2013. HB318 would limit the number of students in certain classes. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
(Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — Davis, Tooele and Washington County have removed at least three more books from their school bookshelves, triggering a statewide ban for the books in K-12 schools.
“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky and “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” by Gregory Maguire were both removed from K-12 schools in Utah. Both books have been adapted into popular films.
A third book “Nineteen Minutes” by Jodi Picoult has also been removed. The book follows the aftermath of a fictional school shooting.
Chbosky commented in a 2013 interview with the National Coalition Against Censorship that he was surprised to learn his book was being banned because it was being taught in schools.
The novel version of Wicked is quite different from it’s on-screen and Broadway adaptations. Author Maguire himself says the book is not suitable for children and purposely put more mature content in the first few pages to demonstrate the difference.
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