Polk County
Schools
The book lists for Polk County Schools identify titles containing sexually explicit material, themes of gender confusion, or content related to self-harm, suicide, violence, or racism. No database exists to confirm whether these books are present in classrooms, so we encourage community members to ask teachers and administrators if these books are available or used for instruction.
Some ebooks are listed in the online card catalog, and certain districts allow students to access ebooks through platforms like Sora, Libby, or other online providers using their school ID. The Pavement Education Project (PEP) lacks information on whether safeguards are in place to protect students from accessing age-inappropriate or graphic content. We recommend contacting school administrators to confirm if your child’s school provides ebook access and what protections are implemented.
We strive to keep our book lists current. If you notice any updates needed, please reach out to us.
The Content Based Rating System was inspired by the widely accepted MPA rating system. This rating system is meant to be a quick guide for busy parents who want to know what objectionable material is found between a book's covers. While it is a great tool, it does not meet the standards needed for schools to use for evaluating materials for student use.
2/2026
Polk Central Elementary
Are You There God? by Judy Blume Rated 2
Drama by Raina Telgemeier 3 copies Rated 2
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos Rated 2
Saluda Elementary
Apple Crush y Lucy Knisley NR
Drama by Raina Telgemeier Rated 2
Sunny View Elementary
Are You There God? by Judy Blume Rated 2
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos Rated 2
Tryon Elementary
Apple Crush by Lucy Knisley NR 1
Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle NR
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos Rated 2
You Don't Need to Know Everything, Jilly P! by Alex Gino Rated 1
Polk County Middle
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous Rated 3
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou Rated 3
Night by Elie Wiesel Rated 3
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson Rated 3
Polk County Early College: no books found
Polk County High
All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir Rated 3
All the Things We Do in the Dark by Saundra Mitchell Rated 3
America by E.R. Frank Rated 3
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Rated 4
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green Rated 3
Another Day by David Levithan Rated 3
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein Rated 3
Bag of Bones by Stephen King Rated 5
Beartown by Fredrik Backman Rated 3
Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter Rated 3
The Bluest Eye Toni Morrison Rated 4
Breathless by Jennifer Niven Rated 4
Chosen by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast Rated 3
Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare Rated 3
Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas Rated 3
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas Rated 4
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas 4
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas Rated 4
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas Rated 4
Darkness Before Dawn Sharon M. Draper Rated 3
Eleanor and Park Rainbow Rowell Rated 3
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Johathan Safran Foer Rated 3
The Fault in Our Stars Jby ohn Green 3 1 lost/1 video
The Freedom Writers Diary The Freedom Writers with Erin Gruwell 4 1
The Hate U Give Angie Thomas 2 copies Rated 3
Heroine Mindy McGinnis Rated 3
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Rated 4
Kingdom of the Wicked Keri Maniscalco Rated 3
The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini Rated 4
A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee Rated 3
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry Rated 4
Looking for Alaska by John Green Rated 3
Lucky by Alice Sebold Rated 5
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews Rated 3
Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany Jackson Rated 3
Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu Rated 3
9 Days 9 Nights by Katie Cotugno Rated 3
Night by Elie Wiesel 3 copies Rated 3, 1 text 1 audio
100 Sideways Miles by Andrew Smith Rated 3
Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez Rated 3
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline Rated 3
Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson Rated 3
Scythe by Neal Shusterman 3 copies Rated 3
Shine by Lauren Myracle Rated 4
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater Rated 3
Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson Rated 3
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson 1, text 1 video Rated 3
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins Rated 3
A Swift Pure Cry by Siobhan Dowd Rated 3
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood Rated 3
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher 2 copies Rated 3
This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki Rated 3
To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han Rated 3
Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas Rated 3
Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi 2 copies Rated 3
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli Rated 3
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen Rated 4
Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens Rated 3
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the
West by Gregory Maguire Rated 4
