Educators assume the role of gatekeepers when they make literature selections for adolescent classrooms. Their taken-for-granted assumptions, or figured worlds, about adolescent and youth literature may inform their decisions to either select or preemptively censor books. In this qualitative study, the authors examined the figured worlds of six preservice and inservice middle and secondary educators as they read and discussed controversial youth literature (i.e., challenged or banned books). Three themes emerged in the analysis: figured worlds about youth, figured worlds about "appropriate" literature, and figured worlds about how adolescents should access controversial literature. These figured worlds may shape which books these participants would choose to include or exclude from their classrooms. The authors conclude by sharing suggestions that educators may use to deconstruct their own figured worlds and promote wider access to a diverse range of literature for adolescent readers.