All the lit that's 'unfit' to print

A children's novel titled Captain Underpants does not, on first impression, sound like a contender for the most dangerous book in America.

Two young boys in the fourth grade of an American high school hypnotise their headmaster, Mr Benjamin Krupp, and transform him into the titular superhero, who wears his underwear without any trousers. Together they fight evil, which often materialises in the shape of their nemesis, Dr Diaper.

In other words, Captain Underpants provides the sort of good, mildly irreverent fun that young boys and girls lap up in the playground every day.

However, according to a report issued by the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, Dav Pilkey's popular, long-running series inspired more complaints in 2012 than any other book in the US. The reasons given include: "offensive language" and "unsuited for age group".

In doing so, Captain Underpants beat stiff competition: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini ("homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit"); Beloved by Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison ("sexually explicit, religious viewpoint, violence"); and, it almost goes without saying, 50 Shades of Grey - although E.L. James' apparent transgressions ("offensive language, sexually explicit") are much the same reasons why the bonkbuster has sold millions around the world.

All of the above are in good company. Of Mice and Men, The Catcher in the Rye, The Color Purple and (for anti-family, occult/satanism, religious viewpoint, violence) Harry Potter are all regulars on the library association's top 10 most-challenged books. The list reminds us that censorship remains an issue in the 21st century, and that books still have the power to offend in a variety of ways.