The Bible has joined a list of the most complained about books in the US, according to the American Library Association's (ALA) annual report.
Why are books challenged?
The ALA receives reports from libraries, schools and the media about attempts to ban books in communities across the US and compiles them into a list to help "inform the public about censorships and efforts that affect public institutions".
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Latest Videos FromThe Week
In 2015, there were a total of 275 official challenges to books, down from 311 the previous year and 462 in 2012. However, the association estimates that for every reported challenge, four or five remain unreported.
Over the last decade, the ALA says it has received reports over 5,000 challenges to books, with "sexually explicit" material cited as the most common reason. The vast majority of complaints are initiated by parents.
What is on this year's list?
John Green's young adult novel Looking for Alaska received the most complaints in 2015. Objections focused on its "offensive language" and "sexually explicit" scenes, says [1]The Guardian.
EL James's Fifty Shades of Grey came in second, attracting complaints that it was "sexually explicit" and "poorly written". Third place went to transgender picture book I Am Jazz, a collection of interviews with transgender teenagers, while Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out came in fourth.
However, it is the appearance of the Bible at sixth place that has caused the most controversy.
Why now?
Among the objections listed were challenges to the Bible's presence in libraries and schools over its "religious viewpoint".
The association's James LaRue suggested that some people "feel that if a school library buys a copy of the Bible, it's a violation of Church and state".
He added: "Sometimes there's a retaliatory action, where a religious group has objected to a book and a parent might respond by objecting to the Bible."
Top 10 most challenged books of 2015:
1. Looking for Alaska, John Green
2. Fifty Shades of Grey, EL James
3. I Am Jazz, Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings
4. Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out, Susan Kuklin
5. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon
6. The Bible
7. Fun Home, Alison Bechdel
8. Habibi, Craig Thompson
9. Nasreen's Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan, Jeanette Winter
10. Two Boys Kissing, David Levithan
