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A site where school library media students at Auburn University and Georgia Southern University can discuss intellectual freedom issues.
Posts
ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom blog
Blogging Censorship
Web Resources
- An Honor to Be Banned by Chris Crutcher
- Walter Dean Myers Interview
- Bret Hartinger on the banning of The Geography Club
- A Brieef History of Chinese Internet censorship
- Katherine Paterson interview
- Chris Crutcher answers the censors
- Judy Blume video interview
- Judy Blume talks about censorship
- Censorship and Banned Books (journal published by Random House)
- Ensuring Intellectual Freedom and Access by Helen Adams companion web site
- Intellectual Freedom 101 (Knowledge Quest issue)
- AASL Resource Guide: Intellectual Freedom
- NCTE Anti-Censorship Center
- Frequently Challenged Books (ALA)
The Giver by Lois Lowry describes a utopian society where everything about life is regulated. Each family gets one boy child and one girl child, they are given jobs at year 12 (they don't even have birthdays). The idea behind the society is that memories cause chaos and pain in the world. Therefore, there is no hunger, no pain, no death as we know it, no poverty, no war, etc. However, no one is able to make decisions for themselves or think for themselves and no one has any emotions. Everyone in the society is happy but no one has freedom. The main character is Jonas, a young boy in his 12th year, who has just been appointed the new Giver. He spends hours with the current Giver to have the memories transferred onto him. These are good memories such as snow but also bad ones such as war. By taking these memories onto himself, his community does not have to experience such pain.
ReplyDeleteThere are several issues that made this book controversial. One is the idea of taking life so various reasons. It is not just abortion but also taking lives because they did not live up to the specific standard of the community. Another issue is the seemingly forgotten aspect of valuing diversity in people and acknowledging that what makes us different also makes us special. Also is the issue of family planning and determining when the right time to have a baby is and to what sort of family a baby is born into. These issues are totally non-issues in this utopian society. Many parents also object to the themes of sexuality, war, and violence for their children/teens.
I loved this book. I agree it had some issues, but nonetheless it was a great read. I felt very sad for the young boy that had to learn so much. It also made me sad to think the Giver had endured such pain to keep others from having to know things. However, it did make you question whether knowing good was worth dealing with the bad that you also had to know (does that make sense?) I must admit it was quite scary how cold some of the people were when it came to the destiny of people or children. I am glad Jonas’ father had compassion on the baby and gave him a longer life. JF from Georgia Southern
ReplyDeleteThe Face on the Milk Carton
ReplyDeleteTeenager Janie Johnson's world changes in an instant when she discovers a familiar face on a school milk carton. The picture is her as a three year old child. She begins to question her entire identity. Janie quickly discovers why her parents are reluctant to hand over her birth certificate and why there is a lack of baby pictures hanging in the house. Janie confronts her parents and discovers they too are victims of her real mother's cult connection. Janie struggles with the flashbacks of her past and finding the real truth. With the help of her boyfriend "Reeve", Janie discovers she had another family in New Jersey. As a way of dealing with the entire information overload, Janie decides to write a letter to her former family revealing her identity. The letter falls out of Janie's notebook while she is at school. Janie is forced to come clean to her parents. The novel ends with Janie placing a call to her mother in New Jersey.
The Face on the Milk Carton is on the ALA list at #68 for the 100 most frequently challenged books. I found four areas of concern some parents may have about this book. One main area of concern is the reference to sexual contact (main character and boyfriend rent a hotel room to have sex- BUT THEY DON'T). I think Caroline Cooney should be applauded for allowing the character to be put in a sexual situation and have "Janie" make the right decision. Secondly, the book refers to cult activity. I personally do not think there is enough of a cult reference for this to be a concern for parents. The issue of child abandonment is also pervasive throughout. Some young readers may be affected by the reference to kidnapping. Challenging adult authority is the final issue I found to be a possible reason for this books ranking. I believe the characters demonstrate a sense of respect and concern for their parents. (Some parents may view running off to another state as unacceptable and possibly enticing to teens.) Overall, I enjoyed this first book of the series. I am looking forward to reading the sequel, The Voice on the Radio.
I struggled with whether this was a high school or middle school title because it is considered young adult literature and is set in a high school environment; however, since it has a 5.9 reading level, I decided it would fit better in the middle school area.
ReplyDeleteThe Pigman, by Paul Zindel, is about two high school friends, John and Lorraine, who become friends with an older man, Mr. Pignati (the Pigman) after meeting him through a phone prank. John usually has a negative attitude and often takes advantage of others for personal gain; however, Lorraine usually has a positive attitude yet doesn’t have the courage to stand up against John even when she doesn’t think he’s doing the right thing. John and Lorraine take turns narrating chapters as they discuss their relationship with Mr. Pignati and their personal families while revealing more about themselves in an introspective-type manner. As the book continues both John and Lorraine grow quite fond of Mr. Pignati, who is always friendly and lots of fun to spend time with. Although there are no swear words in the novel, Mr. Zindel hints at swear words by using substitutions such as @#$% for less offensive swear words and 3@#$% for very vulgar swear words. The novel ends sadly and leaves you wondering what happens with John and Lorraine.
Issues associated with The Pigman are underage drinking, cheating, stealing, disrespect, lying, trespassing, succumbing to peer pressure, skipping school, and many other immoral behaviors. Some say these are typical teenage behaviors. However, much worse behaviors are portrayed in most TV sitcoms than what is portrayed in The Pigman. Overall, I think it is a book of two teenagers, who feel unaccepted by others, trying to discover their identities and purposes in life and stumbling while trying to do so.
Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes is about a 12 year old girl named Martha. One day she gets a visit from a deceased girl's mother who tells Martha that her daughter, Olive, wanted so badly to be her friend. She gives Martha a page from Olive's diary. Martha is overwhelmed, but soon discovers that she and Olive have much in common. Martha is going through many changes. She experiences her first kiss and betrayal. She also explores her relationsip with her grandmother Godbee. Martha realizes that she is immortal, just like Olive, when she nearly drowns.
ReplyDeleteThis book was the 3rd most challenged in 2007. The concerns include sexually explicit and offensive language.
I read “The Goats” by Brock Cole. The story begins with two campers stranded by their fellow campers on an island in the middle of a lake. They are dubbed The Goats, stripped naked and left on the island alone, overnight. This is a tradition at this camp that goes back at least a generation. Kids that are picked to be goats are considered, ugly, dumb, or just social rejects, in general. The object of making campers goats is to “wake them up” so they will be more “with it.” Instead of waiting for their fellow campers to humiliate them even more by coming to get the off the island, the goats decide to swim across the lake and never go back to the camp again.
ReplyDeleteOnce off the island, the campers find themselves more exposed than ever, and must find ways to clothe, shelter, and feed themselves until they can find help. They must resort to stealing, deception, and breaking and entering. All the while, they keep a list of all the things they take with the intention of paying back everyone they’ve stolen from or had to lie to. They avoid going to adults for help, because they are trying to avoid further humiliation, and they have lost faith that adults or anyone would help them.
There is a point in the story when the campers find a brief spot of respite with a different set of campers they encounter when trying to avoid being found by their camp director. With this different set of campers, they discover through others eyes, they are not ugly, dumb, or socially retarded as their fellow campers had proclaimed them to be. All the while, the two campers are forming a bond with each other. They don’t even know what the other’s name (Laura and Howie) is until the book is almost over. It doesn’t matter to them, because they are bound together by their common experiences. They become very protective of one another, and as they go, Laura and Howie develop their own self-esteem and self–confidence. They understand that they are not what their fellow campers originally labeled them to be.
I’m not a fan of the vague ending, but the reader is left with a sense of whatever happens to Howie and Laura, they will be just fine.
The Goats was #26 on the ALA’s most challenged books list between 1990-1999. The reasons for this were language, nudity, references to sex and violence. I’m sure some adults would have issues with what could be perceived as instances of defying authority.
I read The Giver by Lois Lowery. It is about a utopian society where there is no free will. The citizens have no memories of “before”….all they know is a controlled environment. Children are applied for, and given to families (one male and one female), pills are taken to diminish sex drives, and children (who are not bright enough) and old people are put to death by lethal injection! Tweens bathe the older members of the society who live in the house of the old. There is no color in the society (which, I feel, is symbolic) The main character is Jonas a 12 year who is assigned the job of receiving all the memories of “before” from the Giver. This is a painful process for both the Giver and the Receiver. As Jonas receives the happy memories (snow, sledding) he also must endure the sad ones as well (war, death, physical pain). He decides to leave the community thereby releasing all memories to the rest of the society.
ReplyDeleteThere many, many reasons this fabulous book has had parents in a tizzy for so long. There are issues dealing with lethal injections. Parents also had complaints about the preteens “popping pills”. An article in USA Today called The Giver a “suicide book” because one twin boy was euthanized, and one previous receiver gave herself a lethal injection. Parents opposed the book because of the “treatment of suicide and euthanasia”
Mick Harte was Here, written by Barbara Park, is a fictional novel about a family dealing with a child’s accidental death. The story is narrated by his sister, Phoebe, and she immediately lets readers know that this will not be a sugary sweet, happy story; her brother is dead, and it was an accident. Her brother is Mick, and he was riding his bike without a helmet when he is it by a car. In an instant, Phoebe’s family goes from a normal, confident, healthy family, to one that grieves in several different ways – Phoebe wants to talk about Mick and be around his “treasures”, Phoebe’s father changes from a well-groomed professional into a scruffy, lazy man, and Phoebe’s mother turns into a depressed zombie who needs medication to sleep. Each member of Phoebe’s family is dealing with Mick’s death in a different, natural way. The goal of this book is not only to allow Phoebe to tell readers about how wonderful her brother is, but also to let readers know that Mick might still be here if he had worn a helmet.
ReplyDeleteThis book has been challenged due to language and comments that parents feel are not appropriate for children. Yes, a few words are mentioned that are typically reserved for adults, but Phoebe is an 8th grader, and she is expressing anger when she uses minor cuss words – some are not even considered cuss words.
Parents in Fargo, North Dakota believe that the “damaging nature of the material” is inappropriate for children.
I chose to read The Giver by Lois Lowery. The book tells the story of a 12 year old boy named Jonas who lives in a society of the future. The society is a utopia where order is tightly controlled. At the age of twelve, each child is appointed to their job in society. When Jonas is appointed as the Receiver, the most prestigious job, he becomes aware of the flaws of his utopian society and at the end escapes. The book would give a middle school student a lot to think about.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the subject matter and content of the book are definitely for mature middle or high school students. As I read the book, I was very alarmed and deeply disturbed by the murder of babies that didn’t seem to “thrive” in the utopian society – but being a new mother, I may have been more sensitive than other readers may have been. The ending, or lack thereof, also left me feeling frustrated. I don’t know if a young reader would “get” the meaning and the author’s purpose of the book.
I read reviews on The Giver by Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus Review. The Giver is a commonly challenged book, but all the information that I read does not point to a clear reason why. However, when I did a Google search on challenges related to The Giver, I got a lot of information. It turns out that The Giver is a hot topic among school media related blogs. The reasons for challenges ranged from “erotic dreams,” “brainwashing,” to “desensitizing” students. There was a lot of information related to a challenge in the Bonita Unified School District. Below are some interesting links that I found related to challenges of The Giver.
http://www.readingmatters.co.uk/book.php?id=14
http://special.lib.umn.edu/clrc/kerlan/censorship/challenge.php
http://teacherlibrarian.ning.com/profiles/blogs/the-giver-best-of-the-best
http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=23675
http://bookshelvesofdoom.blogs.com/bookshelves_of_doom/2008/07/lois-lowry-on-yet-another-challenge-to-the-giver.html
posted by Holly Boykin
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume is the book I chose to read. This, and many other books (most people this first of Foverver, her top challenged book) has kept Ms. Blume on the list of top challenged authors. This story is about Margaret, a preteen who has moved to a new town and attends a new school. She makes friends with a group of girls who form a secret club and discuss things very typical for girls of that age - boys, periods, bras, making out behind the A&P, and religion.
ReplyDeleteThis book has been challenged for it's sexual content, discussion of religion and body references. The information in the book however, does not seem to exist to shock or even educate, instead just seems a natural, mostly sweet, conversation between friends trying to figure out some changing things in their life.
I wish there were some actual statistics out there on what percentage of women (men?) grew up reading this book. In an informal survey of the women I am acquainted with, EVERYone has read it.
Kelly
ReplyDeleteI know my daughter read it when she was around 12 and it meant a lot to her. She will tell you to this day that it was one of her favorite books and one that made a huge impact on her.
I read The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney. The book is about a young girl named Janie Johnson who recognizes herself in a "missing" ad on a milk carton at school. Janie, who's now 16, was kidnapped at three years old from a shopping center in New Jersey. She now lives in Connecticut with loving parents and is devastated that they may be her kidnappers. She finally confides in her boyfriend, Reeve, who helps her find the missing pieces in her life. When she finally gathers the nerve to confront her parents, she is told that her real mother was their daughter Hannah who had joined a cult. They explain that they are her grandparents and Hannah had left her with them when she was only three. Janie is relieved for a short period of time until she discovers that she is actually Jennie Springs and her real family still lives in New Jersey. As a way to cope, she begins writing her thoughts and feelings in a letter and accidentally drops the letter at school. Terrified that the Springs family may receive her letter, Janie asks Reeve's sister Lizzie, who is a lawyer, to help her. They discover that Hannah had kidnapped her and passed her off as her child. Janie's parents, the Johnsons, believed they were raising their own granddaughter not a victim of kidnapping. The book ends with Janie and her mother calling her real family in New Jersey to let them know she is still alive and well.
ReplyDeleteOn ALA's 2000-2007 top 100 challenged books, The Face on the Milk Carton ranked #25. Two main issues have been raised about the book. One is sexual content. I agree that some of the material is a little too graphic for its age level (the book is a 4th grade reading level and was located in our middle school library). However, it revealed the temptations of young teenagers and the main character demonstrated her ability to resist those temptations. Secondly, some concerns about a challenge of authority were raised. The protagonist does skip school one day to discover more about her hidden identity and she keeps her thoughts from her real parents for a while. However, she wasn't being defiant...she just didn't want them to worry or be upset about how she was feeling. As I read the book, I never thought her actions demonstrated a challenge to authority.
I read The Giver, by Lois Lowry. Since a synopsis has been given several times, I wanted to share my experience teaching it to my eigth grade Reading class, and my feelings toward my ten-year old fifth grader reading it.
ReplyDeleteI loved teaching this book. I thought the themes (euthanasia; lack of free-will, memories, and feelings; suicide; and others) made for wonderful discussions. The students were able to explore their own feelings about these issues, and gain appreciation for the choices they are able to make for themselves. They gained a greater respect for those who our society might push aside because of age or mental/physical handicaps.
As a parent, I wasn't crazy about my ten year old readng this book. I didn't feel that he was mature enough to handle those same issues I just mentioned. As it turned out, I had nothing to worry about. My son wasn't bothered or concerned about issues as he was just reading the book for enjoyment. He liked the story, and when I questioned him about the themes, he didn't seem to know what I was making a fuss about.
I think that is the case a lot of the time when parents try to challenge books. I really don't believe in censorship. I think someone can always find something to complain about!
A comment about Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.....I read that, and bought it so my two girls could read it. Is there a better coming of age book than that one??
Are you there God? It's me, Margaret?
ReplyDeleteWhen I started looking for a banned/challenged book, I was surprised to find this book. It is about a 12-year-old girl who moves to a new town and a new school. She begins to question her religious beliefs and all the things happening to her during this time in her life. The issues with this book are its religious and sexual content and its frank discussion of what happens to the body during puberty. There are also references to a Playboy magazine and an anatomically- correct illustration of the body.
I am also reading Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes. It is the story about a young girl who realizes that she and deceased classmate have a lot in common even though they barely spoke in class. She also develops a close bond with her grandmother. This book was put on the banned list due to reference to sexual and explicit content. Very interesting read...
ReplyDeleteI read the Lion, The Witch , and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
ReplyDeleteWhat a great book! I am not normally one to get into these types of books, but I had it at the house for our child and everyone loves them so I thought I would check it out. I actually liked the book very much. It was about three children that had to be sent away from their mother. They were sent to a relative's house that they did not know very well. Once while they were playing during a rainy day and the yougest of the four kids, Lucy, found a magical land through this old wardrobe. In essence the kids discover a universe that is quite different from their own. They end up helping (with the power of a special tool for each person and the Great Lion, Aslan)this newly discovered world break free from the reign of the horrible White Witch. It has been banned/challenged due to mysticism and violence. Now,I will agree that there is some degree of mysticism and violence. HOWEVER, the book has great moral applications such as helping others, being true to who you are, and even forgiveness. There are even biblical principals involved such as a perfect being that is sacrificed for the sin of another (and I am sure another reason why people challenge this book/series).
Daffodil,
ReplyDeleteI read The Giver for my Young Adult Literature class. Although I believe it was well-written, I felt such an overwhelming sadness throughout the book. Although the people in the book, with the exception of Jonas and The Giver, were spared pain they were also robbed of so much joy. I also felt anger when I realized they were killing those children that didn't have the character traits they felt were necessary to succeed. I had a special needs nephew, who passed away January 23, 2008. Although he was only 13-years-old when he died, he brought so much joy into our lives during his short life. I also was angered over the killing of the elderly. I can't tell you how much I have learned from people that would not have been here to teach me if we lived in a society like what is portrayed in The Giver. Anyway, reading the book made me really think about what really matters in life and realize I'm thankful that our free will has not been taken from us even if it means we will have some pain.
Mick Harte sounds like it would be a difficult book to read for anyone who has lost a loved one, yet it could also help them heal. Just the message that everyone deals with death in a different manner is of utmost importance. Until you’ve actually experienced the loss of a loved one, you never really know how you’ll cope. Plus, losing a child is something most of us will never have to endure. It just seems so unnatural to outlive your child. I, also, really like the message that Phoebe states about the importance of wearing a helmet when riding a bike.
ReplyDeleteI read The Giver by Lois Lowery. It is about a 12 year old boy named Jonas that lives in a very controlled society of the future. People in the society make it their job to decide if there are people that are not sufficient enough, for whatever reason, to remain in the society. These people are euthanized. Jonas is given the job as the receiver at the age of 12. The giver gives all the memories of the past to Jonas. This society feels that it's people should not have to deal with the sad memories of the past, so Jonas has to take them all on himself. Along with the past, Jonas also finds out about all the wrong that goes on in the society. He makes the decision to leave.
ReplyDeleteThere are many issues involved in this book, the most criticized one being euthanasia. I was kind of surprised to see that the age range for this book was 5th-8th. I really don't know that most 5th or 6th graders would understand or be ready to understand the issues in this book.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI chose Judy Bloom’s Forever as my banned book because I remember the fuss that it created in the 70’s (I was in middle school from 1978 to 1980). I remember 8th grade girls passing the book around and whispering about it. I also remember a teacher taking the book from a student and threatening to call her parents. I didn’t read the book then because it wasn’t the “guy” thing to do.
ReplyDeleteThe story follows Katherine, a high school senior, as she falls in love with her boyfriend, Michael. There is candid commentary about the emotional and physical aspects of teenage sexuality. Katherine and Michael believe that having sex will make their love last forever--that is until they spend a summer apart from each other working jobs in different states.
The book has been banned because of its explicit sexuality. It has been referred to as a teenage how-to sex manual. The book was written in 1975 and it is still being banned and challenged as recently as 2005 when it was banned by the Pasadena Independent School District. A committee recommended that it be removed from all schools except for high schools. The superintendent decided to totally ban it. A district spokesperson said that the book was not appropriate for any students in the district. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1381149/posts
I read the book, Bridge to Terebithia, which is about a ten-year-old boy, Jess, who lives in rural Virginia and becomes friends with a new girl who moves to his town and enrolls in his school. The story begins by revealing how Jess had trained all summer to become the fastest boy in the fifth grade. Much to his surprise and displeasure, the new girl, Leslie, starts school in the fall and turns out to be the fastest runner in fifth grade. Later he realizes that she has also moved into the farmhouse next door. Jess recognizes the fact that Leslie is different from all of the other girls he knows, and after he gets over the initial fact that she beat him in front of all his schoolmates, he eventually decides that she might be an okay girl.
ReplyDeleteIn spite of their very different families and personalities, they become the best of friends. They begin to play together everyday and invent a secret kingdom in the woods near their homes. The only way to get to their magical place they name Terabithia, is by swinging on a rope out over a huge dried up creek bed. Neither of them really fit in well with their peers, and they use Terabithia as a refuge where they can pretend to be king and queen. Daily, they pretend to fight off imaginary giants, share their dreams with each other, and plot against the students at school who tease them relentlessly. Eventually, reality blows their cheerful world apart when tragedy strikes, and Jess finds himself back in the real world again, all alone.
Parents challenge the book primarily because they feel that the climax of the story is too intense for children. It has also been challenged for various other reasons. Some complain about Jess' frequent use of the word "lord" outside of prayer, and his and his father’s use of profanity. Another criticism is fact that the children in the story build an imaginary kingdom, and some people feel that this promotes the religion of secular humanism. These protestors urge school boards to eliminate the study of any material containing information about witchcraft, magic, evil spells, or related material. They believe this type of material is satanic and a danger to children.
The book is very sad, but realistic. The way Ms Paterson deals with the circumstances is quite impressive and provides a sincere opportunity for parents to discuss the matter of death with their children. Reading the book can be a difficult emotional experience, but it can provide emotional support to children who may have to deal with death in real life. The author of the book insists that it would be best to first confront these emotions that are stirred from the death of a loved one in a controlled fictional setting. This would teach children how to deal with grief prior to a real experience. Otherwise, children remain totally sheltered and have to deal with bereavement completely unprepared, when an actual tragedy strikes.
Two of her own children had to face the death of a friend before they were eight years old, and Ms. Patterson has had first hand experience helping her own children face death. She explains that death was not appropriate for her children at that time in their lives, but it did become a reality for them. Her purpose for writing such a story is apparent; giving children a fictional experience with death in order to prepare them for the possibility of an actual experience.
I read The Pigman by Paul Zindel. The main characters in the story are John Conlan and Lorraine Jensen. They are both sophomores in high school that have bonded as friends. John and Lorraine both have very difficult home lives and have learned to deal with this in different ways. John is a prankster that drinks and smokes while lying to his parents and teachers. John’s parents don’t understand him and want him to be more like his older well adjusted brother. Lorraine is very insecure and reads about her “alleged” psychosis. Her mother is a single mother, with an extreme distrust and dislike for men, which works very hard and is extremely critical of Lorraine’s physical appearance. This leads to Lorraine’s lack of confidence. While playing a practical joke, John and Lorraine meet an old man named Angelo Pignatti or also known as the Pigman. Mr. Pignatti is a lonely old man that is need of companionship. When John and Lorraine first meet Mr. Pignatti, he says that his wife is away visiting her sister, after some time they find out his wife, Conchetta is dead. Mr. Pignatti becomes an ally for John Lorraine when their homes and parents are not able to be that for them. His home, full of ceramic pigs and other memories of his wife, becomes a haven for them as well. When Mr. Pignatti becomes sick and has to go to the hospital, John and Lorraine are worried about him, but also use his home for a party. The house is trashed and Mr. Pignatti comes home to destruction of all of his memories. Overwhelmed and sick, he dies at the zoo in front of his best friend’s cage, Bobo the baboon, who ironically died the week before. John and Lorraine are very upset and this causes them to begin to write the Pigman's story.
ReplyDeleteThe book I decided to read was The Giver, by Lois Lowry. In this story, the main character, Jonas, lives in a futuristic society where "sameness" and lack of choices are celebrated. Every child gets a job by the age of 12. One such job is the job of Receiver, which is the job that is assigned to Jonas. It is a job that is honored in this society, for there can only be one Receiver. His duty is to "receive" all of the memories from the past Receiver-memories that deal with the joy and pain of human experiences in the past from "way back" before the community in which he lives (and others similar to his) was created. As he learns about past human experiences from these forgotten memories, his view of life changes forever.
ReplyDeleteOne of the issues that was explored in this book was the issue of making choices for oneself. No one in the community could to decide what job they wanted to pursue. It was also the decision of the communitiy leaders to decide which members were "released" or in other words, died should they not conform to the ideals of the society in which they lived. Another issue was the depth of emotion one experienced. Members, for instance, had no concept of the word, "love," despite the community rule that everyone had to discuss their feelings during mealtime with their family units. Lack of diversity, yet another issue that was noticed, was also prevalent in this story. Everyone was a part of a family unit that was essentially the same - a mother, father, and one male and female child. Everyone had the same birthday that was celebrated every December. In addition, everyone but the Receiver were color blind-thus, no one had any concept of the word "color" or the diversity of colors that existed.
I am reading the book, Are You there God, It's Me Margaret. I knew that I wanted to read a Judy Blume book when we first got this assignment because I remember loving her books as a preteen in middle school, especially this book. It is about a girl named Margaret who has several new experiences in her life, moving to a new town and having to go to a new school, and all the questions preteens have at this time such as liking boys, periods, bras, and God.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to add to my previous post- This book has been challenged for it's sexual content, discussion of religion and references to the body. Compared to what children are exposed to today this book does not compare! I think back to when I read this book when I was younger and I did not feel like I was reading something "dirty", I was searching for answers, I had the same questions.
ReplyDeleteI also read The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney, and when I was finished, I was left wondering why the book would be banned. As mentioned before, the book is about Janie Johnson, who sees herself as a missing child on her milk carton at school. This happens in the first chapter of the book, so the book "takes off" in a hurry. Throughout much of the book Janie is trying to deal with the fact that her parents must have kidnapped her. After finding the dress worn in the milk carton photo in a box in the attic, Janie is sure the child is her. However, the box is labeled with another name. After she finds the dress, the story unfolds. Janie is told that her mom, her "parents" daughter, was part of the Hare Krishna cult and wanted to give Janie freedom from the cult. Janie's grandparents had moved many times to keep her safe.
ReplyDeleteThis book does not contain offensive language or explicit sex scenes, which are usually the most controversial issues. Kidnapping and the strangeness of the cult are sensitive issues, but no part of the book seemed to be inappropriate or offensive. There was also a brief moment when Janie and her boyfriend stop in at a hotel to do the unmentionable. However, when Janie states she does not want to, they go home.
Although the book seemed to be a little too unbelievable, I enjoyed reading the book. Cooney really wrote to keep the readers' interest. There were several times I just said. "What?" The plot was a little strange, but I am still left with doubts about why the book has even been challenged.
When I searched for where and why it had been banned, I found that the reasons were sexual content and challenge of authority. I am very conservative and will monitor what my kids read, but this book seems very mild in the areas of sexual content and respect to authority.
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume is the book I chose to read. This book is about a girl who is 11 yrs turning to be 12yrs who moves to new town and makes new friends who forms a secret club and discuss things like menstruation, boys, bras. These are the things going on in any girls mind during that age. It also includes the content about the religion issues. This book was challenged because of religious and sexual discussion. It also mentioned about the girls talking about anatomy book referring to body parts and a playboy magazine. As I was reading this book I thought to myself that we do have these kinds of questions at that age and we search for answers and reading this book at appropriate age is not wrong and will help them clear some misconceptions.
ReplyDeleteI am going to post this on all three of these blogs (just thought you should know if you are reading them all - it's not deja-vu!)
ReplyDeleteMy district just banned a book from all middle schools and high schools - The Burn Journals. I have not read this book, but from the reviews I have read online, I am not sure I would select it for middle schoolers. I have been speaking to my media specialist about this all this past week, and from what she can find out - this ban did not even go through the process - and our district does have a board approved process for this. At least one of the MS in the district is upset (and willing to admit it and make waves) and has contacted the ALA for help. The next few weeks should be interesting. Here is a link to the newspaper article if you would like to see it:
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/08/georgia-book-sparks-debate/
I have finished reading Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes and unless I read the wrong book I did not get the strong sexual content that caused this book to be on the banned list. Other people I have talked with about the book agreed with me. If I am missing something, would someone please let me know. I personally think that middle school age children can handle the content within the book. I enjoyed the read myself
ReplyDeleteI also chose "Forever" By Judy Blume. Until I found this book on the banned/challenged website I was unaware that Judy Blume wrote anything questionable. The book has been challenged and banned from schools due to its sexual language and subject matter. I have to say that after reading what little I have I would not want my teenage daughters reading this book. I really had a hard deciding which section to put this book under, middle or high school.
ReplyDeleteI read Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume. This book, written in 1970, is usually categorized as a novel for young adults, about a preteen girl in sixth grade who grew up with no religion. Margaret has one Christian and one Jewish parent, and the novel explores her quest for a single religion. Margaret also confronts many other pre-teen issues, such as buying her first bra, having her first period (and coping with belted sanitary napkins), jealousy towards another girl who has developed a womanly figure earlier than other girls, liking boys, and whether to voice her opinion if it differs from what her girlfriends seem to believe.
ReplyDeleteBlume’s frank treatment of sexuality and religion is the main reason this book is one of the top 100 most frequently challenged books at American libraries, currently listed at number sixty-two on this list. In the 1970s Blume experienced very few attempts at banning or censoring her work. In an article I read, according to her, this changed practically overnight after the 1980 presidential election. She stated in an interview that one night a woman phoned her, asking if she had written Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. When Blume replied affirmatively, the woman called her a "Communist" and hung up. Blume joked that she never did figure out if the harasser equated communism with menstruation or religion, the two major concerns in twelve year-old Margaret's life.
This was the first time I read this book. I loved it! Most of my sixth grade students have read it. When I asked them why they chose to read it. Most of them said that their moms bought the book for them to read.
For the challenged book assignment, I chose to read Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. I had never read the book, but I had heard of it and knew it had been turned into a movie. Plus, a teacher at the school I taught at in Kentucky had used the story in her 3rd grade classroom one year and I was interested to discover how it could be incorporated into a school curriculum.
ReplyDeleteBridge to Terabithia is about Jesse Aarons, a fifth grade boy, and the friendship that develops between him and his new neighbor, Leslie. Jesse is determined to be the fastest boy in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades and has been preparing all summer. Much to his dismay, he gets beat the first day of school and does so by a girl. The girl happens to have just moved into the Perkins place with her family and is looking to make friends with Jesse. Jesse realizes Leslie is not like all the other girls, but that is fine with him. The two form a bond while dealing with bullies at school, helping each other at home, and inventing a world known as Terabithia located near a dry creek bed and woods in proximity to their homes. The world of Terabithia is one in which Jesse and Leslie keep secret amongst themselves and must enter by swinging on a rope over the stream. In this world, they are rulers and there are no boundaries to their imagination. However, this world that they share becomes the site of a tragedy and the end of a life. The story is one of an incredible friendship that results in the growth of both individuals involved.
The reasons Bridge to Terabithia has been frequently challenged are based on the language used in the book, issues of religion, and the death of a character. Throughout the book, dialogue between the characters includes profanity and vulgar language. In addition, the word “lord” is spoken outside of prayer on numerous occasions in the book. It seems from my readings that the main cause of controversy is with the issue of religion. Jesse and Leslie refer to Terabithia as a kingdom where they often pray to the spirits, but also imagine the place to be haunted. Obviously, the topic of death in the book causes concern as well. I also found examples of crude humor in the book that I consider somewhat controversial. There is a part of the story in which Jesse watches his younger sister getting dressed and he has unsuitable thoughts about her. Plus, the verbal exchange between the two of them when his sister comments about him watching her was inappropriate in my opinion.
Despite the controversy surrounding the book, Bridge to Terabithia is a touching tale all about friendship and a bond among two individuals who grow to genuinely care for each other. I believe children would benefit from reading about a friendship like the one between Jesse and Leslie. I also feel that the issue of death can be touched on and used as a learning experience when reading this book. I think parents and students should be made aware that there is death involved in the story prior to its use in the classroom. Teachers should be sure to ease students into the part of the story where the death occurs with open discussions. Death is a part of life that everyone must deal with, even children. This book could be a great tool in showing children ways to handle death as well as giving them an experience with death in literature. I find it would serve as a wonderful piece of literature for getting children to feel a variety of emotions while reading.
For my banned book I read, Are You There God? It's me, Margaret. I chose this book for several reasons, I remember it being very popular when I was in middle school but mainly because I was shocked when I saw it on the list.
ReplyDeleteI am only going to give a very brief overview since several people have already done a great job of summarizing the book plus I am behind on my posts.
Margaret is an 11 year old girl who moves to a new town before beginning her 6th grade year of school. She makes new friend and they form a club and talk about boys and the changes that come with puberty.
This book has been challenged due to discussion of sexuality and religion. In the interview clip we watched online, Blume said that one parent wrote her a letter upset that she (Blume) was the one who educated her 12 year old daughter on the subject of puberty. Blume's response was that by 12, her daughter most likely already knew about puberty. I have to definitely agree, because I remember when my mother gave me a book about the changes of life, my cousin and I would shut ourselves in my room and read the book and laugh at the way the book described everything. I couldn't help getting these same feelings again as I read this book. I personally think that this book is absolutely appropriate for girls in this age range.
I chose the book Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor. It was censored in 1993 at Arcadia, Louisiana because it was said to be racially biased. I also chose this book because I have personal experience with this story in my 6th grade classroom.
ReplyDeleteDuring my first year teaching, my co-workers advised me to use this book for Black History Month. Although I had never read the book, I trusted the advice of my co-workers. I found the book on audio tape. My class demographics were mostly African Americans, and I thought that it would be a wonderful learning opportunity for them to be able to follow along with the story as it was read aloud.
While listening and reading, one of my students stood up and pounded his fists on the desk. “I hate this book,” he exclaimed. I paused the tape. I knew why he was upset, however this was the first time that anyone had shown dislike for the book. The student was tired of hearing the word “n” word. I opted to bring up the sensitive word for discussion, especially since I knew why he was offended. I explained to the class that the discussion would require them to think of how the word is used in different situations.
I have often heard these students use the word with each other either in playing or out of anger. When I asked why it was wrong for the white men in the book to use the word but not wrong when they (the students) said it to each other, a student replied, “it’s ok for us to say it to each other.”
It shocked me to hear the students agree that the color of their skin made this word okay for some to use but disrespectful to be said by others. With this thought in mind, I decided to also discuss other “curse” words. I asked my students: “If you say a cuss word in front of your mother, it’s considered bad; but, if you say the same word in front of your friend are you saying a cool word?” I told the students that in both of those situations the word was still a cuss word. This also meant that it was a bad word to use; and that throughout the story, the word “n” word was used in degradation.
We discussed what the word “equal” really meant. I posed another set of questions. “If we are supposed to be equal and I can’t go to the same school you do, or the same restaurant, then are we equal? If I can say words you can’t or vice versa are we truly equal? Or is the word itself bad for all?”
At the end of the class discussion, I felt like we went deeper than the words used within the book and more into the lives and actions of my students in their contemporary world.
Although I did not read Mildred Taylor's book for this assignment, I did read it when I was in school, and was also offended by the use of the "n" word. The learning opportunity you experienced with your students made me think about The Giver, the book I read for this blog. One of the themes that was prevalent in that book was the lack of diversity. However, everyone in the community in which this story took place seemed ignorantly happy about the "sameness" that pervaded their everyday lives. It made me wonder if diversity was erased in this story's society because of the pain of the past? Did the world's history of diversity and its pain make "sameness" an option for the continuation of humankind? These are just some thoughts I pondered as I read your post...
ReplyDeleteI have been reading Jack London's book, The Call of the Wild. This book was banned primarily in some European countries (including Nazi Germany) in the 1930s due to London's political beliefs and sympathetic views toward some racial groups that he wrote about in his other works.
ReplyDeleteThis book is about a dog named Buck that is taken from his California home and eventually taken north to Gold rush region of nortern Canada/Alaska. Along the way, he encounters abuse from several owners, violent fights with other dogs, and an array of harsh experiences before becoming part of a wolf pack.
The primary areas of concern I see in this book for a middle school library collection would be the animal violence and some use of profanity by various human characters in the book. However, by today's standards, such elements would not be an issue in all areas.
While this book may be relatively mild by today's standards, I could still see it being banned today strictly on the basis of the author's name since London held some controversial political and racial views during his lifetime.
I have been reading the banned book Bridge to Terebithia. This book is about a young boy who becomes friends with a girl who just moves to his school. They become very close friends and love to pretend in magical characters, then suddenly she dies. This book was considered a banned book because of the death of the young girl and the mystical characters.
ReplyDeleteI chose to read “Are You There, God, It's Me, Margaret”, for my banned or challenged book assignment. Judy Blume, a mother of two, has written many books for young adolescent and young adult readers. She's had five books that have appeared on the 100 most frequently challenged books list of the decade(in the 1990s). Her books have been challenged because of her frank discussion of taboo subjects and ideas like puberty, masturbation, bullying, religion, racism divorce, teen sex, and coming of age.
ReplyDeleteThis particular book, “Are You There, God, It's Me, Margaret”, was written in 1970 and was was shocking to some of that period. It is about a preteen girl in sixth grade who grew up with a mother who was Christian and a father who was Jewish, however neither really practiced. The novel explores Margaret's quest for a religion to call her own. Throughout the book Margaret often speaks to God in casual conversation rather formal prayer. Margaret questions God about many things and to some readers her conversations to God may appear irreverent or inappropriate. Margaret also confronts many other pre-teen issues, such as buying her first bra, her first time of ministration, liking boys, and the changes he body is undergoing.
By today’s standards this book is on the lighter side of mild I think. Many of the issues that had it placed on the banned book blog seem trivial now and one questions why it was even placed on the list. I would have no qualms recommending this book to any young girl that is questioning the changes she might feel as she goes through puberty.