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Cover of The Carnival at Bray

The Carnival at Bray

by Jessie Ann Foley

ISBN: 9780606382243Turtleback

his promising debut, set in the heyday of grunge, tells the story of Maggie Lynch, a displaced Chicagoan and grunge music fan, living in a quiet town (Bray) on the Irish Sea. Maggie was uprooted from her friends, her music scene, and her beloved Uncle Kevin when her romantically fickle mother married her latest boyfriend, resulting in a move to his hometown. During her time of difficult adjustment to Ireland, Maggie falls in love with Eion the very moment a devastating loss hits her family, leading to rebellion and a journey to Rome to see Nirvana and fulfill Uncle Kevin's wish for her.

Genres

YA Fiction

Banned or challenged 12 times across 12 jurisdictions.

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Related Laws

This book has been banned or challenged under these laws.

⚠ Challenger signal

Also flagged by 3 challenger groups

These groups have publicly targeted this book for removal. This is NOT a confirmed ban — it’s a signal that the book is on one or more challenger lists, which often precedes formal challenges in specific districts. See methodology for how we distinguish targeting from enforcement.

Timeline

Unified view of laws affecting this book and jurisdictions where it’s been removed or challenged, in chronological order.

17 law events10 ban events
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Platform availability

11 platforms tracked

Availability at online retailers and library platforms, refreshed by our daily scanner. “Pending review” means the scanner saw the title unavailable but a human hasn’t confirmed whether it’s a stockout or a real removal.

All ban records (12)

Clay County School District, FL

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2022-2023 school year.

Reported Jun 30, 2023

Katy ISD, TX

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed from Katy ISD libraries to comply with Texas HB 900 (READER Act, 2023), which requires book vendors to assign content ratings to library materials and prohibits 'sexually explicit' content in school libraries. Some sections of HB 900 were partially struck down by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Reported Aug 1, 2024

Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, AK

school · school district

ReinstatedThe book was previously removed but has been returned to shelves.

Challenged by school board; reviewed per court order in Case 3:23-cv-00265-SLG

Washington School District, UT

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed as 'objective sensitive material' per Utah HB 0029 (2022); statewide prohibition triggered under Utah HB 0374 (2024).

Reported Mar 2, 2026

Bay County School District, FL

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2023-2024 school year.

Reported Jun 30, 2024

Davis School District, UT

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed as 'objective sensitive material' per Utah HB 0029 (2022); statewide prohibition triggered under Utah HB 0374 (2024).

Reported Mar 2, 2026

Fort Worth ISD, TX

school · school district

Under ConsiderationA board or committee is actively reviewing whether to remove this book.

Under review by committee of master-certified librarians per FWISD book review process.

Reported Aug 28, 2023

Granite School District, UT

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed as 'objective sensitive material' per Utah HB 0029 (2022); statewide prohibition triggered under Utah HB 0374 (2024).

Reported Mar 2, 2026

Indian River County School District, FL

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2023-2024 school year.

Reported Jun 30, 2024

Manatee County School District, FL

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2023-2024 school year.

Reported Jun 30, 2024

Martin County School District, FL

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2022-2023 school year.

Reported Jun 30, 2023

New Braunfels ISD, TX

school · school district

Temporarily RemovedThe book has been pulled from shelves pending a formal review.

SB 13 compliant but restricted to grades 9-12

Reported Jan 1, 2026