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Nineteen Minutes (Jodi Picoult)
A 2007 novel about a school shooting, named the most commonly banned book in US schools in 2023-24 by PEN America. Removed in 50+ districts; not banned nationwide.
- Status
- Banned
- Country
- USA
- Category
- Books
- Banned since
- 2008
- Last checked
- 18/10/2026
Nineteen Minutes is a 2007 novel by Jodi Picoult about a school shooting in a fictional New Hampshire high school. The story follows the events before and after the attack and deals with bullying, family and teenage relationships.
The book is not banned across the United States. It has been removed or restricted at school district and library level. In its report on the 2023-24 school year, PEN America named it the most commonly banned book in US schools, removed in 50 or more school districts.
Why it was challenged: complaints have focused on sexual references, profanity and violence, including bullying and suicide. Picoult has said the objections centre on a single page that refers to a date rape, not on the school shooting itself.
Current situation: the outcome depends on the district. In 2008, a school board in Beardstown, Illinois kept the book but required parental permission to check it out. In August 2024, the Elizabeth School District in Colorado removed it with other titles; in March 2025 a federal judge ordered the district to restore access to all 129 affected books. Picoult has said her books have been banned in dozens of districts, and in 2023 a Florida county removed 20 of her novels from school libraries.
Other titles often removed in the same wave include The Bluest Eye and Gender Queer; see our full list of banned and challenged books.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the book Nineteen Minutes banned?
Complaints focus on sexual references, profanity and violence, including bullying and suicide. Author Jodi Picoult says the objections centre on one page that refers to a date rape. It is not banned nationwide; PEN America found it removed in 50 or more school districts in 2023-24.
Is Nineteen Minutes banned in the US?
Not by law across the country. It has been removed or restricted by individual school districts and libraries. PEN America named it the most commonly banned book in US schools for the 2023-24 school year.
What is the book Nineteen Minutes about?
It is a 2007 novel by Jodi Picoult about a school shooting in a fictional New Hampshire high school. It follows the events before and after the attack and explores bullying, family and teenage relationships.
Which school districts have removed Nineteen Minutes?
Examples include the Elizabeth School District in Colorado (2024, later ordered restored by a federal judge in March 2025) and Menomonee Falls High School in Wisconsin. A school in Beardstown, Illinois kept it but required parental permission.
Has Jodi Picoult responded to the book bans?
Yes. She has publicly criticised the removals and said her books have been banned in dozens of school districts. She argues the reasons given are weak and that many students found the book helpful.