Just Shy of Ordinary

by Sass, A.J.

ISBN: 9780316506175Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Genres

Middle Grade

Banned or challenged 2 times across 2 jurisdictions.

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Timeline

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

0 law events3 ban events

25
Jul 1, 2025
Banremoved
DoDEA (Federal)
Removed from DoDEA libraries per White House executive orders.
25
Oct 23, 2025
Banunder legal challenge
DoDEA (Federal)
Judge Giles (E.D. Va.) orders restoration. ACLU v. DoDEA preliminary injunction.
26
Mar 16, 2026
Banrestricted to adult section
Rutherford County Library System, TN
Relocated from juvenile/children's section to Adult section by vote of the Rutherford County Library System Board on 2026-03-16. The library director recommended retaining most of these titles in JUV; the board overrode the director's recommendations. Director Luanne James was fired on 2026-03-30 for refusing to comply.

All ban records (2)

Rutherford County Library System, TN

public library · county

Moved to Adult SectionThe book was moved from a juvenile/children's section to the Adult section as a restriction. It remains in the collection but is no longer accessible to younger patrons browsing the kids' area.

Flagged on the Rutherford County Library System March 16, 2026 board meeting packet summary page with 'Age Appropriate Concerns' including mature themes about gender, LGBTQ content, sexual activities, sexual nudity, violence, profanity, and explicit alternate gender ideologies. The board vote cited compliance with the October 27, 2025 letter from Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett directing county libraries to review children's materials for age-appropriateness and comply with President Trump's executive order on 'defending women from gender ideology extremism'.

Reported Mar 16, 2026

DoDEA (Federal)

school · federal

Under Legal ChallengeA lawsuit has been filed challenging this ban or the law behind it.

Removed per executive orders targeting DEI, gender ideology, and 'radical indoctrination' content.

Reported Jul 14, 2025