http://www.slj.com/2012/10/censorship/interview-why-lauren-myracles-proud-to-top-alas-list-of-most-challenged-books/ The world's largest reviewer of books, multimedia, and technology for children and teens Sun, 17 Feb 2013 12:24:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 http://www.slj.com/2012/10/censorship/interview-why-lauren-myracles-proud-to-top-alas-list-of-most-challenged-books/#comment-3295 Hope Irvin Marston Fri, 05 Oct 2012 23:14:52 +0000 http://www.slj.com/?p=16677#comment-3295 A few years ago I accepted an invitation to spend the day visiting an elementary school in upstate New York. When the school received my pre-order form, the principal would not allow me to sell My Little Book of Whitetails or My Little Book of Manatees nor could I read these books to the students. Here’s what she considered inappropriate for the K-4 students. “One day several bucks began go follow the doe. When the time was right, she mated with a strong one that had eight points on his antlers. After mating she spent her time searching for food…” (The deer weren’t shown mating.) And accompanying a warm, mother-child double spread in the manatee book: “The hungry baby searched for one of his mother’s thumb-size nipples behind her front flipper. When he found it he began to nurse.” H'm. Are the students taught that manatees babies bottle fed? Do they think the stork brought Bambi? In retrospect I wonder if I should have refused to visit that school. I am glad I didn’t. I loved sharing my books and animals with the children. They were attentive and responsive and the faculty members warm and appreciative. Still that niggling question remains: Should I have dis-invited myself in opposition to censorship by a principal who exerted too much control over her school? A few years ago I accepted an invitation to spend the day visiting an elementary school in upstate New York. When the school received my pre-order form, the principal would not allow me to sell My Little Book of Whitetails or My Little Book of Manatees nor could I read these books to the students. Here’s what she considered inappropriate for the K-4 students.
“One day several bucks began go follow the doe. When the time was right, she mated with a strong one that had eight points on his antlers. After mating she spent her time searching for food…” (The deer weren’t shown mating.)
And accompanying a warm, mother-child double spread in the manatee book: “The hungry baby searched for one of his mother’s thumb-size nipples behind her front flipper. When he found it he began to nurse.”
H’m. Are the students taught that manatees babies bottle fed?
Do they think the stork brought Bambi?
In retrospect I wonder if I should have refused to visit that school. I am glad I didn’t. I loved sharing my books and animals with the children. They were attentive and responsive and the faculty members warm and appreciative. Still that niggling question remains: Should I have dis-invited myself in opposition to censorship by a principal who exerted too much control over her school?

]]> http://www.slj.com/2012/10/censorship/interview-why-lauren-myracles-proud-to-top-alas-list-of-most-challenged-books/#comment-3251 Dawn Thu, 04 Oct 2012 21:54:49 +0000 http://www.slj.com/?p=16677#comment-3251 I don't think ladies strap guns to their thighs anymore. Now it is all about bra holsters. Seriously. Google it. I don’t think ladies strap guns to their thighs anymore. Now it is all about bra holsters. Seriously. Google it.

]]> http://www.slj.com/2012/10/censorship/interview-why-lauren-myracles-proud-to-top-alas-list-of-most-challenged-books/#comment-3245 Dan Kleinman of SafeLibraries Thu, 04 Oct 2012 20:37:37 +0000 http://www.slj.com/?p=16677#comment-3245 Terrific interview. Terrific author with a great sense of humor. Thanks. For those interested, follow the author on Twitter @LaurenMyracle. Terrific interview. Terrific author with a great sense of humor. Thanks. For those interested, follow the author on Twitter @LaurenMyracle.

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