'Looking for Alaska' Is Banned in Some Places in the United States for an Odd Reason
John Green has spoken out against the conditions that surround his successful coming-of-age novel.
Published Dec. 18 2025, 1:36 p.m. ET
Some teenagers love to engage with stories that allow them to connect with the world around them. Looking for Alaska is one popular coming-of-age tale written by John Green, the famous author behind The Fault in Our Stars.
Why is Looking for Alaska banned across the United States? Here's what we know about the reasoning behind why the novel is unavailable in certain school districts. In a world in which reading could become a threatened hobby for young people, some don't want the youth getting their hands on the unconventional love story.
Why is 'Looking for Alaska' banned?
According to a report by IndyStar, Looking for Alaska is banned in some school districts because of the sexual and LGBTQ+ content it tackles as part of its narrative. The book aimed at teenagers tells the story of Miles and the titular Alaska, two teens who fall in love over time.
The ban rages on. Out of the 346 books that were banned in the state of Indiana in 2024, Looking for Alaska was placed at a high spot on the list. Some conservatives want the youth to stay away from the story John was trying to tell.
John has a response ready for anyone who challenges his book. The author said: "It comes back to the question not of what's appropriate or what you should be reading, but you not telling me what I should be reading."
'Looking for Alaska' was turned into a television series.
When a novel becomes successful enough all around the world, movie studios and television networks become interested in producing adaptations. As one of John's biggest hits, Looking for Alaska became a limited television series for Hulu.
Kristine Froseth is the actor behind the titular character. Before she was cast as Alaska Young, the performer was seen as Veronica in Sierra Burgess Is a Loser.
John's books are known for being adapted to the screen whenever they reach a certain level of success. Paper Towns and The Fault in Our Stars made it to the big screen years before Hulu got the chance to work on Looking for Alaska.
There is an audience for what John has to say. The issue is the way in which some groups attempt to ban his work, instead of giving readers the opportunity to determine if they actually like the stories or not.
Fortune favors the bold. John will continue to work on the launch of his new books, regardless of what people have to say about the content he writes about. The last major fiction novel published by the author was Turtles All the Way Down.
Looking for Alaska is a story about love and grief. Experienced through the perspective of a confused teenager, the novel is an emotional story aimed at young members of the audience.