Each year the American Library Association compiles a list of the top ten most frequently challenged books in school and public libraries.  A challenge is defined as a formal, written complaint, filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness.  For the year 2012, 464 challenges were reported.  (It is estimated that for every challenge reported, 4 or 5 go unreported.)

The top ten challenged books for 2012 are:

1.  Captain Underpants (series) by Dav Pilkey – Reasons:  Offensive language, unsuited for age group.
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie – Reasons: Offensive language, racism, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group
3. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher – Reasons:  Drugs/alcohol/smoking, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited for age group
4. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James – Reasons:  Offensive language, sexually explicit
5. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson – Reasons:  Homosexuality, unsuited for age group
6. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini – Reasons:  Homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit
7. Looking For Alaska by John Green – Reasons:  Offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group
8. Scary Stories (series) by Alvin Schwartz – Reaons:  Unsuited for age group, violence
9. The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls – Reasons:  Offensive language, sexually explicit
10. Beloved by Toni Morrison – Reasons:  Sexually explicit, religious viewpoint, violence