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Cover of Bag of Bones

Bag of Bones

by Stephen King

ISBN: 9780684835419Simon & Schuster

Bag of Bones is a 1998 horror novel by American writer Stephen King. It focuses on an author who suffers severe writer's block and delusions at an isolated lake house four years after the death of his wife. It won the 1999 Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel, the 1999 British Fantasy Award for Best Novel, and the 1999 Locus Award for Best Dark Fantasy/Horror Novel. The book re-uses many basic plot elements of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, which is directly referenced several times in the book's opening pages; however, the relation of these elements (including a wife who is dead as the book opens, her posthumous effect on future romance, a drowning, and house haunted by the memories of previous inhabitants) to the plot and characters is markedly different. When the paperback edition of Bag of Bones was published by Pocket Books on June 1, 1999 (ISBN 978-0671024239).

Genres

Adult FictionHorror

Banned or challenged 5 times across 5 jurisdictions.

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Related Laws

This book has been banned or challenged under these laws.

⚠ Challenger signal

Also flagged by 1 challenger group

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.

12 law events5 ban events
  1. 22

    Mar 22, 2022

    LawFlorida H 1467

    Signed by Officers and presented to Governor

  2. 22

    Mar 25, 2022

    LawFlorida H 1467

    Approved by Governor

  3. 23

    May 3, 2023

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Ordered enrolled

  4. 23

    May 16, 2023

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Signed by Officers and presented to Governor

  5. 23

    May 17, 2023

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Approved by Governor

  6. 24

    Jun 30, 2024

    Banremoved

    Clay County School District, FL

    Removed per FL Stat. 1006.28(2) — reported in the FL DoE 2023-2024 statewide report.

  7. 24

    Sep 17, 2024

    LawUtah HB 0029

    Canyons School District (UT) adopts revised Policy 600.06 implementing HB 29 and HB 374 requirements. Policy establishes dual-track review for objective and subjective sensitive material, 10/45/60/45-day timelines, 2-challenge-per-parent-per-year limit, 3-strikes rule for unsuccessful challengers, 5-year cool-down after successful defense, and HB 29 statewide removal threshold. Notable: 'The District will not give deference to sensitive material reviews conducted by other educational entities.'

  8. 25

    Aug 13, 2025

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Federal Judge Carlos Mendoza (U.S. Middle District of FL) rules in Penguin Random House v. Gibson that HB 1069 provision targeting "descriptions of sexual conduct" is unconstitutionally overbroad. Named 23 books and stated "none of these books are obscene." The mandate to remove books with even a single reference to prohibited subject matter violates students' First Amendment right of free access to ideas. Parts requiring a process for challenging books were NOT struck down.

  9. 26

    Jan 6, 2026

    LawUtah HB 0029

    ACLU of Utah files federal lawsuit on behalf of authors Elana K. Arnold, Ellen Hopkins, Kurt Vonnegut estate, and two Utah high schoolers. 59-page complaint calls HB 29 "modern-day book burning" and challenges it as violating First Amendment rights. Defendants: USBE, AG Derek Brown, Salt Lake City/Davis/Washington County school districts.

  10. 26

    Feb 13, 2026

    LawUtah HB 0029

    Bag of Bones by Stephen King meets statewide 3-district threshold (districts: Davis, Granite, Jordan, Tooele).

    Banremoved

    Davis School District, UT

    Removed by Davis School District and added to the USBE statewide sensitive materials list. Statewide prohibition triggered under HB 0374 (2024).

    Banremoved

    Granite School District, UT

    Removed by Granite School District and added to the USBE statewide sensitive materials list. Statewide prohibition triggered under HB 0374 (2024).

    Banremoved

    Jordan School District, UT

    Removed by Jordan School District and added to the USBE statewide sensitive materials list. Statewide prohibition triggered under HB 0374 (2024).

    Banremoved

    Tooele School District, UT

    Removed by Tooele School District and added to the USBE statewide sensitive materials list. Statewide prohibition triggered under HB 0374 (2024).

  11. 26

    Mar 13, 2026

    LawUtah HB 0029

    Proposed expansion HB 197 (School Materials Amendments) fails in Senate. Would have required automated content filters and immediate bans on "plausible" complaints. See law #140.

  12. 26

    Apr 8, 2026

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Jacksonville group proposed banning three books from Duval County Public Schools, citing violation of state law regarding sexual content

  13. 26

    Apr 17, 2026

    LawUtah HB 0029

    Utah statewide banned book list grows to 32 titles under HB 29's 3-district threshold. Four new books added: The Bluest Eye (Toni Morrison), Life is Funny (E.R. Frank), The Haters (Jesse Andrews), and People Kill People (Ellen Hopkins). Reported by Davis and Jordan districts (all four); Washington County SD reported 3 of 4; Tooele County reported People Kill People. The Bluest Eye (Toni Morrison) is the most historically significant addition — a Nobel laureate's Pulitzer-Prize-nominated work now on Utah's statewide prohibited list.

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 (5)

Tooele 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 Feb 13, 2026

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 Feb 13, 2026

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 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 Feb 13, 2026

Jordan 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 Feb 13, 2026