The number of public-school book bans nationwide increased by 33% between the 2021-22 school year and the 2022-23 school year, according to a new PEN America study.

The study, Banned in the USA: The Mounting Pressure to Censor, found 3,362 book bans that will affect 1,557 different titles throughout the 2022–2023 academic year and will influence the works of 1,480 authors, illustrators, and translators.

Florida topped Texas this year in terms of the number of books taken off the shelf, according to the study by PEN America, defines itself as a nonprofit organization that protects free expression in the United States and around the world. Driving these bans are the proliferation of legislative initiatives to limit teaching about subjects like race, gender, American history, and LGBTQ+ identities, as well as the rise of “educational intimidation” mandates that demand intrusive monitoring of teachers and librarians.

Related: Alabama library controversies over ‘inappropriate’ children’s books draws scrutiny from Kay Ivey

A schoolbook ban is defined by PEN America as any action taken against a book based on its content, as a result of parent or community challenges, administrative decisions, or in response to direct or threatened action by legislators or other governmental officials, that results in a previously accessible book being either completely removed from availability to students, or access to a book being restricted or diminished.

In Florida, there were 1,406 examples of book bans, followed by 625 in Texas, 333 in Missouri, 281 in Utah, and 186 in Pennsylvania, according to PEN America. On these occasions, books were either banned from libraries or classrooms, or from both, or they were restricted while the matter was being investigated.

Over 75% of the banned publications are young adult, middle grade, chapter, or picture books, which are expressly written and selected for younger audiences, according to the study.

During the 2022-23 school year, nearly half of all book bans (48%) deal with violence or physical abuse, including books about sexual assault; 30% include characters of color and themes of race and racism; 30% represent LGBTQ+ identities; and 6% include a transgender character. The research highlights the growing student resistance to book bans nationwide as one encouraging trend.

Youth opposition to book bans has taken the form of demonstrations, speaking out during school board meetings, and the founding of national organizations devoted to safeguarding the availability of reading in schools.

“The toll of the book banning movement is getting worse. More kids are losing access to books, more libraries are taking authors off the shelves, and opponents of free expression are pushing harder than ever to exert their power over students as a whole,” said Suzanne Nossel, Chief Executive Officer of PEN America.

Alabama isn’t mentioned in the study.

Contrary to other states, Alabama doesn’t have any banned books because it’s up to the individual libraries to decide.

But two bills were enacted into law in Alabama in 2022 that forbid textbooks and literature that impute fault, blame, have a tendency to suppress others, or create the need to feel guilt or anguish to persons solely because of their race or sex, but Alabama does not have the authority to decide which books are permitted in specific libraries.

Read more: Book bans are a local affair in Alabama schools. That could change.

These Alabama authors made list of ‘most banned’ books