Banned Index
← Back to home
Cover of Identical

Identical

by Ellen Hopkins

ISBN: 9781416950066Margaret K. McElderry Books

Do twins begin in the womb? Or in a better place? Kaeleigh and Raeanne are identical down to the dimple. As daughters of a district-court judge father and a politician mother, they are an all-American family—on the surface. Behind the facade each sister has her own dark secret, and that's where their differences begin. For Kaeleigh, she's the misplaced focus of Daddy's love, intended for a mother whose presence on the campaign trail means absence at home. All that Raeanne sees is Daddy playing a game of favorites—and she is losing. If she has to lose, she will do it on her own terms, so she chooses drugs, alcohol, and sex. Secrets like the ones the twins are harboring are not meant to be kept—from each other or anyone else. Pretty soon it's obvious that neither sister can handle it alone, and one sister must step up to save the other, but the question is—who?

Genres

YA Verse NovelYA Fiction

Banned or challenged 9 times across 9 jurisdictions.

Buy on Bookshop.orgAffiliate link — we may earn a small commission at no cost to you

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.

14 law events6 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. 23

    Jun 13, 2023

    LawTexas HB 900

    Signed by the Governor

  7. 23

    Jun 30, 2023

    Banremoved

    Clay County School District, FL

    Removed per FL Stat. 1006.28(2) — reported in the FL DoE 2022-2023 statewide report.

  8. 24

    Apr 23, 2024

    LawTennessee HB 0843

    Signed by Governor.

  9. 24

    May 1, 2024

    LawTennessee HB 0843

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2024

  10. 24

    Jun 30, 2024

    Banremoved

    Indian River County School District, FL

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

    Banremoved

    Volusia County School District, FL

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

  11. 24

    Aug 14, 2024

    Banreinstated

    Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, AK

    Returned to library shelves per Judge Sharon Gleason's August 7, 2024 preliminary injunction order (to be completed by 2024-08-14). The November 4, 2024 settlement confirmed this return + a $89,000 payment to plaintiffs, with 7 of the original 56 titles staying permanently off district library shelves.

  12. 24

    Oct 24, 2024

    Banremoved

    Wilson County Schools, TN

    Pulled from Wilson County Schools libraries in October 2024 to comply with Tennessee HB 843.

  13. 25

    May 6, 2025

    LawTexas SB 13

    SB 13 heads to House floor. Texas Freedom Network hosts Read-In protest inside Texas Capitol chamber steps, with students, educators, parents, bookstore owners opposing the bill.

  14. 25

    May 31, 2025

    LawTexas SB 13

    Gov. Greg Abbott signs SB 13 into law. Establishes school library advisory councils (majority parents), requires removal of "profane," "indecent," or "sexually explicit" content.

  15. 25

    Jun 20, 2025

    LawTexas SB 13

    Signed by the Governor

  16. 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.

  17. 25

    Sep 1, 2025

    LawTexas SB 13

    SB 13 takes effect for 2025-2026 school year. New Braunfels ISD begins removing 1,540+ books under the law.

  18. 26

    Jan 20, 2026

    Banreinstated

    Elizabeth School District, CO

    Elizabeth School District abandons appeal to 10th Circuit on eve of oral arguments. 10th Circuit notes district's action was "not well-taken." Case returns to district court for trial.

  19. 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

Platform availability

3 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 (9)

Volusia 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

Texas Department of Criminal Justice

prison · state

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

PAGES 150, 238, AND 393 INCEST (FTH/DGHTR)

Reported Mar 21, 2025

Elizabeth School District, CO

school · school district

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

Temporarily suspended by Board Curriculum Review Committee

Reported Aug 12, 2024

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

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

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

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

New Braunfels ISD, TX

school · school district

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

SB 13 non-compliant

Reported Jan 1, 2026

Wilson County Schools, TN

school · school district

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

Removed in October 2024 to comply with Tennessee HB 843 (2024 amendment to the Age-Appropriate Materials Act).

Reported Oct 24, 2024