According to the American Library Association, book censors and bans placed on certain books prevent teenagers from being exposed to tales of sex, drugs and abuses.

Certain books being removed from libraries or teen sections in book stores are common. The number of such bans has increased over the last few years, with more authors opting to write edgy novels for young adults.

This growing number of attempts to restrict edgy teen fiction was revealed as part of America's Banned Books Week, from 22 to 28 September.

"Young adult is a big trend right now, and a high number of complaints are directed at those books," said Barbara Stripling, president of the American Library Association, which organizes Banned Books Week. "There is a lot of pressure to keep teenagers safe and protected, especially in urban areas, and we are seeing many more complaints about alcohol, smoking, suicide and sexually explicit material."

Andersen Press is a publishing house known for publishing edgy books for young adults. It brought out "Junk," by the controversial teen author Melvin Burgess, and this summer it published "Annexed" by Sharon Dogar, a fictionalised account of Anne Frank's time in hiding, written from the point of view of her companion Peter van Pels.

"I would publish them all again and again and again. My view is that you read to know that you're not alone," said Charlie Sheppard, editorial director of Andersen Press. "These books open readers to experiences and emotion. If people are concerned about teens' behaviour, then they should look at computer games and not [The Absolutely True Diary ... ], which will probably make them a better person. I can't see what all the fuss is about."

A total of 464 complaints were registered by the ALA in 2012, and it has recorded changes to more than 11,300 titles since it first started monitoring in 1982. It estimates that only one in every five attempts to ban a book is recorded, suggesting the real number is much higher. Authors who have regularly appeared on the banned-books list include JK Rowling, Mark Twain, Judy Blume, Stephen King, Maya Angelou and John Steinbeck.