Yes, Legendborn Is Banned!
ISBN: 9781534441613
📖 Why You Should Read This Book
Deonn reimagines Arthurian legend with a Black protagonist uncovering the truth about magic, race, and her mother's death. It's brilliant and overdue.
Legendborn follows Bree Matthews, a Black teenager who enrolls in an early college program at UNC Chapel Hill after her mother’s death. When she witnesses a magical attack, she’s drawn into the Legendborn, a secret society of students who claim to be descendants of King Arthur’s knights. As Bree digs deeper, she discovers that her own family’s history is intertwined with a different, older magic, one rooted in her Black Southern heritage.
The novel has been challenged for its depictions of violence, occult and magical themes, and sexual content. Its exploration of how white institutions have co-opted and erased Black history, told through the lens of Arthurian legend, has made it both a Coretta Scott King Honor Book and a target for removal from school libraries.
Why Was It Banned?
Where Was It Banned?
Read It Anyway
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Legendborn banned?
Yes, Legendborn by Tracy Deonn has been banned or challenged in 7 documented instances across 3 states in the United States, including Texas, Florida, Utah. It remains one of the most frequently challenged books in America.
Why was Legendborn banned?
Legendborn has been challenged and banned for the following reasons: Violence, Occult/Witchcraft, Sexual Content. These challenges have come from school boards, libraries, and parent groups seeking to restrict access to the book.
Where is Legendborn banned?
As of 2025, Legendborn has been banned or challenged in Texas, Florida, Utah. Notable bans include Keller ISD (2022), Brevard County Public Schools (2023), Alpine School District (2022).