Out of Darkness
by Ashley Hope Pérez
Out of Darkness is a work of historical young adult fiction, loosely based on an actual school explosion that took place in New London, Texas, in 1937. Ashley Hope Perez has taken the explosion as her backdrop and imagined a diverse cast of characters whose broken lives are utterly captivating and tragically entangled with the school and the explosion. The central story is that of two teenagers: Naomi, who is Mexican, and Wash, who is black. It's a gripping novel about race, segregation, love, and the forces that destroy people. Author Biography.
Genres
Banned or challenged 10 times across 10 jurisdictions.
Related Laws
This book has been banned or challenged under these laws.
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.
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Mar 25, 2022
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May 3, 2023
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May 17, 2023
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Jun 13, 2023
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Apr 23, 2024
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Jun 30, 2024
BanremovedManatee County School District, FL
Removed per FL Stat. 1006.28(2) — reported in the FL DoE 2023-2024 statewide report.
BanremovedMarion County School District, FL
Removed per FL Stat. 1006.28(2) — reported in the FL DoE 2023-2024 statewide report.
BanremovedVolusia County School District, FL
Removed per FL Stat. 1006.28(2) — reported in the FL DoE 2023-2024 statewide report.
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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 (10)
Manatee County School District, FL
school · school district
Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2023-2024 school year.
Reported Jun 30, 2024
Volusia County School District, FL
school · school district
Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2023-2024 school year.
Reported Jun 30, 2024
Lake Travis ISD, TX
school · school district
sexually explicit and inappropriate content, specifically a passage referring to anal sex
Reported Sep 27, 2022
Clay County School District, FL
school · school district
Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2022-2023 school year.
Reported Jun 30, 2023
Escambia County School District, FL
school · school district
Restricted from Escambia County school libraries pending review under Florida HB 1467 / HB 1069 instructional materials policies. Cited in PEN America v. Escambia County School District (filed May 16, 2023) as part of a pattern of restrictions disproportionately affecting books with LGBTQ+, Black, Brown, and Indigenous authors and stories.
Reported May 16, 2023
Fort Worth ISD, TX
school · school district
Under review by committee of master-certified librarians per FWISD book review process.
Reported Aug 28, 2023
Keller ISD, TX
school · school district
Removed under Keller ISD EFB policy review. Board overruled their own review committee decisions.
Reported Aug 16, 2022
Leander ISD, TX
school · school district
Community Curriculum Advisory Committee cited sexual content, graphic violence, and strong language
Marion County School District, FL
school · school district
Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2023-2024 school year.
Reported Jun 30, 2024
Wilson County Schools, TN
school · school district
Removed in October 2024 to comply with Tennessee HB 843 (2024 amendment to the Age-Appropriate Materials Act).
Reported Oct 24, 2024