Don't read these: The most frequently challenged books of 2016

The top four most frequently challenged books from 2016
The top four most frequently challenged books from 2016
Courtesy of publishers

The American Library Association has released its annual list of the most frequently challenged books.

For the first time, Bill Cosby appears on the list — not because of the content of his books, but because people are objecting to Cosby himself, who is expected to stand trial on sexual assault charges.

Aside from Cosby's, many of the other frequently challenged books share a common theme: the representation of LGBT characters. Half of the list features gay characters or transgender characters. "I Am Jazz," at No. 4 on the list, was co-written by Jazz Jennings, a transgender teenager who has become a national voice for transgender rights.

Often, the books that land on the list are extremely successful titles: "This One Summer," at the top of the challenged list, was a New York Times best-seller and a Caldecott Honor Book. Three books — "Looking for Alaska," "I Am Jazz" and "Two Boys Kissing" — were also on last year's list.

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The Library Association compiles the list based on challenges made to schools and libraries. The reasons for the challenges are listed below.

The most frequently challenged books of 2016

1) "This One Summer" by Mariko Tamaki

Reasons: Challenged because it includes LGBT characters, drug use and profanity, and it was considered sexually explicit with mature themes

2) "Drama" by Raina Telgemeier

Reasons: Challenged because it includes LGBT characters, was deemed sexually explicit, and was considered to have an offensive political viewpoint

3) "George" by Alex Gino

Reasons: Challenged because it includes a transgender child, and the "sexuality was not appropriate at elementary levels"

4) "I Am Jazz" by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings

Reasons: Challenged because it portrays a transgender child and because of language, sex education and offensive viewpoints

5) "Two Boys Kissing" by David Levithan

Reasons: Challenged because its cover has an image of two boys kissing, and it was considered to include sexually explicit LGBT content

6) "Looking for Alaska" by John Green

Reasons: Challenged for a sexually explicit scene that may lead a student to "sexual experimentation"

7) "Big Hard Sex Criminals" by Matt Fraction

Reasons: Challenged because it was considered sexually explicit

8) "Make Something Up: Stories You Can't Unread" by Chuck Palahniuk

Reasons: Challenged for profanity, sexual explicitness, and being "disgusting and all around offensive"

9) "Little Bill" by Bill Cosby

Reasons: Challenged because of criminal sexual allegations against the author

10) "Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell

Reasons: Challenged for offensive language

The Associated Press contributed to this report.