Fifty Shades of Grey and Holy Bible tops one of the most challenged books in public schools

According to a list of the most challenged books which has just been released by the American Library Association, these books were challenged by readers on the grounds of containing too much sex and violence (or for legal and moral issues raised) and the Bible finished sixth on a list topped by John Green's Looking for Alaska, which has been cited for "offensive language" and sexual content.

The runner-up, challenged for obvious reasons, was E L James' raunchy romance Fifty Shades of Grey.

The Bible made the line-up for 2015 in sixth place, the ALA said, with users objecting to its presence in libraries and schools over its “religious viewpoint”.

James La Rue, director of the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, speculated that sometimes people who objected to the bible might have done so out of hate.

“And sometimes it’s retaliatory action... a religious group objects to a book and a parent responds by objecting to the Bible." said LaRue.

I Am Jazz, a transgender picture book by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings, was No3, followed by another transgender story, Susan Kuklin's Beyond Magenta.

"Many of the books deal with issues of diversity," LaRue said. "And that often leads to challenges."

See full list of top 10 most challenged books of 2015:

1. Looking for Alaska by John Green

2. Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James

3. I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings

4. Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin

5. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

6. The Holy Bible

7. Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

8. Habibi by Craig Thompson

9. Nasreen’s Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan by Jeanette Winter

10. Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

READ: 10 most challenged and controversial African literature books