Melinda Palacio and Banned Book Author Elena Díaz Bjorkquist
By: msedano,
on 2/3/2012
Blog: La Bloga (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: banned books, photography, Arizona, art Surrealism, Add a tag
By: Manuel Ramos,
on 1/26/2012
Blog: La Bloga (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: banned books, Daniel Valdez, El Centro Su Teatro, Daniel Luna, Add a tag
(coincidentally, banned, [confiscated, outlawed?] in Arizona)
The information contained in these books is dangerous. Complacency, racism, and injustice fear these books. You've been warned.
Manuel Ramos
___________________________________
Critical Race Theory: An Introduction
Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic
NYU Press, 2001
[from the publisher]
For well over a decade, critical race theory—the school of thought that holds that race lies at the very nexus of American life—has roiled the legal academy. In recent years, however, the fundamental principles of the movement have influenced other academic disciplines, from sociology and politics to ethnic studies and history.
And yet, while the critical race theory movement has spawned dozens of conferences and numerous books, no concise, accessible volume outlines its basic parameters and tenets. Here, then, from two of the founders of the movement, is the first primer on one of the most influential intellectual movements in American law and politics.
500 Años Del Pu
eblo Chicano / 500 Years of Chicano History: In Pictures edited by Elizabeth Martinez
Southwest Community Resources, 1990 (expanded edition)
"One of the most motivating books on the Chicano experience as far as working class people and students are concerned...The visual quality adds a fantastic dimension to the understanding of our past." ~ Dr. Rodolfo F. Acuna, California State University, Northridge.
Message to Aztlán: Selected Writings
Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales, edited by Antonio Esquibel
Arte Público Press, 2001
[from the publisher]
In Message to Aztlán, Dr. Antonio Esquibel, Professor Emeritus of Metropolitan State College of Denver, has compiled the first collection of Gonzales' diverse writings: the original I Am Joaqu
By: Betsy Bird,
on 1/25/2012
Blog: A Fuse #8 Production (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: LEGOs, bookshelves, Edgar Awards, Eleanor Roosevelt, Sweet Valley High, adult authors up to no good, Fusenews, American Indian Youth Literature Awards, Twenty-One Balloons, V.C. Andrews, banned books, Scott O'Dell Award, Uncategorized, ALA Notables, Add a tag
Oh, you think the award season is done, old bean? Why we have only but BEGUN to hand out the 2011 awards! The Newberys, Caldecotts, and other ALA Media Awards are just the tip of the old iceberg. There are so many others to explore. For example, did you get a chance to really examine the 2012 Notable Children’s Books list from ALSC that was recently released? Absolutely fascinating stuff. Some books delight, some baffle, and some I’ve not even heard of. To the library! Don’t forget that the Sydney Taylor Awards were given out recently too. Offered to books that “authentically portray the Jewish experience” there were twenty-eight for 2011 alone. Woot! The Scott O’Dell Award went to a book that’s a bit better known since this past Monday. Fun Fact: That award hasn’t gone to a Newbery Award winner since 1998’s Out of the Dust. Then on the mystery side of the things the Edgar Award nominations were released. I adore that they distinguish between “Juvenile” and “Young Adult” books. Icefall is a particularly clever inclusion (I hadn’t categorized it as a “mystery” but I suppose that it is in the old-fashioned sense of the term). Heck, I’m surprised they didn’t include Dead End in Norvelt as well. And if I’m not mistaken, at some point here the American Indian Youth Literature Awards for 2012 should be released. Anyone know roundabout when that might be?
- Meanwhile, other blogs have been doing their post-ALA Award round-ups as well. There are many to pick and choose from, but I think I’ll highlight the Seven Impossible Things post that shows some prototypes from A Ball for Daisy and Travis at 100 Scope Notes who gives everything a once over.
- Who told me about this on Twitter? Was it you, Rocco? Or you, Mr. Schu? Whoever it was I’m still puzzling it over. Basically it boils down to five words: Sweet. Valley. High. Television. Musical. Throw in Diablo Cody and the guys behind Next to Normal and . . . words, for once, fail me.
- Now here’s a post that would catch anyone’s eye: AICL Coverage of Arizona Law that resulted in shut down of Mexican American Studies Program and Banning of Books. Debbie Reese of American Indians in Children’s Literature has an in-depth and
4 Comments on Fusenews: Goodbye Goodbye, Columbus, last added: 1/27/2012Display Comments Add a Comment
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By: Cheryl Rainfield,
on 11/22/2011
Blog: Cheryl Rainfield: Avid Reader, Teen Fiction Writer, and Book-a-holic. Focus on Children & Teen Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Cheryl Rainfield, author presentation, challenged books, SCARS, Jackie Morse Kessler, A. S. King, C. J. Bott, Paul Yee, banned books, ALAN, NCTE, Laurie Halse Anderson, Lauren Myracle, Heather Brewer, Add a tag
So…after two months of worrying about me being on a panel speaking about challenged books in front of 500 people, and then two weeks of anxiety, and then a day of absolute fear right up to (and during) the panel…I “did good”! I knew I had a lot to say–Scars has been challenged at least once formally that I know of, and informally in Meghan cox Gurden’s op-ed. My abusers tried to silence me most of my life; I don’t want to be silenced any more. But actually speaking about it all in front of 500 people live felt pretty scary. I think I spoke well, though–honestly, emotionally, passionately, and intelligently. I still can’t believe I spoke well! It took a while for me to know it–but I started taking it in afterward from the many responses and from people telling me that in so many ways.
I know public speaking is hard for many people, at least at first. It is for me, too. But for me there’s also the added layers of all the abuse training–my abusers repeatedly telling me they’d kill me if I talked (and since they’d murdered other children in front of me I knew they could), and abuse that happened on raised stages (like child porn), and all the years I learned to be silent, quiet, and not speak out, except through my writing and my art. But yesterday I learned that I CAN speak publicly, even to a large group, and it can be okay and even a good experience.
Me speaking, photo taken by Sandi Walden
Some of the time before my panel I felt alone and scared and insecure as the hours stretched on, so I took a breather, and sat in the hallway against the wall. But doing that I felt like I was socially awkward and sticking out, the way I had as a teen. And then who should come by but A.S. King (Everybody Sees the Ants, Please Ignore Vera Dietz)! She sat herself down beside me so easily, and we sat, backs against the wall, talking. Amy was reassuring and understanding, and so down-to-earth. I loved hearing about her own experiences, and just…spending time. Hearing Amy talk about ALAN so enthusiastically made me want to join.
I also got to meet C.J. Bott in person–she recognized me as I passed by, and we talked briefly, and then she sat down for a bit with A.S. King and me. C. J. Bott did a lovely review of Scars, and we’d talked back and forth via email a bit, so it was cool to meet her in person. She’ll be vice president of ALAN next year!
I also talked a bit with Professor Melanie Hundley, who was an incredibly friendly, bright spot in the day, introducing me to other authors and to teachers, pointing out my handouts to others, and just being lovely.
It helped to have such friendly, caring people around!
The whole experience was also made better by my wonderful book publicist Julie Schoerke, picking me up at the airport, taking me to dinner, and then coming the next day to be with me for my panel. I was getting more and more scared the closer it got to my panel, and thankfully Julie arrived about an hour before. She sat on the floor with me i
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By: April Henry,
on 10/3/2011
Blog: So many books, so little time (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: banned books, Add a tag
The Los Angeles Review of Books looked at banned books and their authors in a week-long series that featured Ellen Hopkins, Susan Patron, Sonya Sones and Ron Koertge.
Read the whole series here.
Blog: MacKids Home (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Banned Books, Middle Grade, Add a tag
By Gayle Brandeis, author of My Life with the Lincolns
“I have a vagina and a scrotum that are causing all kinds of problems,” the woman from the bookstore told me, sighing, as we walked across the school parking lot to her car.
The problematic vagina was mine. Well, not mine, exactly. My character’s. My main character’s sister’s, to be specific.
See, the word “vagina” appears in my middle-grade novel, My Life with the Lincolns, and that word, that technical, anatomical word, had just gotten me disinvited from one of Chicago’s fanciest private schools (and just plain not-invited by other schools from the start). I was supposed to visit an eighth-grade class, but the librarian nixed it because of that troublesome vagina.
The context of the word in the book is totally innocent. My twelve-year-old character Mina is quite the hypochondriac, and she is convinced that she has angina (which later turns out to be the ache of her budding breasts, not her heart. The word “tits” appears in the book a few times, too, but it doesn’t seem to ruffle as many feathers.) Her younger sister, Tabby, lifts her skirt and says, “I have angina, too,” so Mina corrects her: “Angina, not vagina.” That’s it. That’s what the big brouhaha is about (not that the brouhaha is that big. A handful of schools does not a big brouhaha make. But when it comes to the banning of books, even a little brouhaha is worth paying attention to, I believe).
Half the population has vaginas. Why should there be shame in acknowledging this? I thought Eve Ensler made it safe to say “vagina” out loud. It’s a normal, natural part of the female body. Most kids are aware of the word. I suppose if I had come upon it in a book as a young person, I would have tittered (heck, the word “titter” would have made me titter) but it wouldn’t have scarred me. It might, in fact, have been liberating to see that word on the page, spoken casually by a fellow young person. It might have made me less afraid of my own body and all its dark mysteries.
As for the problematic scrotum, it appears on a dog on the first page of the Newbery award–winning book by Susan Patron, The Higher Power of Lucky. That brouhaha was indeed big; the book was banned from a large swath of school libraries. There’s part of me that thinks I should be so lucky to be so widely banned—it would certainly get my book a lot more attention—but then my more rational self takes over. Of course I don’t want my book banned. I don’t want any book banned. The danger of censorship is far greater than any bump I would get from further vagina-hysteria.
When I wrote My Life with the Lincolns, I thought I was writing a book for adults, so the anatomical language was not at all an issue during the writing process. I give my publisher, Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, a lot of credit for keeping the word after the novel sold as a book for a younger audience. I should say that most librarians and booksellers have actually been very supportive of the book, vagina and all, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.
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By: Rebecca Ryals Russell,
on 9/27/2011
Blog: YA & MG Fantasy Author Rebecca Ryals Russell (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Banned Books Blog Hop, free books, banned books, prizes, Blog Hop, Rebecca Ryals Russell, Add a tag
And here is what you could win: An eBook copy of my brand new release, Prophecy, second book of the Seraphym Wars YA series. An Odessa cover art Key Ring A Seraphym Wars series Note Pad and Pen Continue reading
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Posted on 9/27/2011
Blog: Little Willow - Bildungsroman (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: banned books, books, videos, pr, Add a tag
It's that time of year again... Happy Banned Books Week!
The publisher Little, Brown Books for Young Readers is holding a Virtual Read-Out at www.bannedbooksweek.org People of all ages are encouraged to create a video of themselves reading from their favorite banned or challenged book and upload it to a special YouTube Channel for Banned Books Week. Authors are submitting videos as well, including Laini Taylor, Sarah Dessen, Lauren Myracle, Jay Asher, and Judy Blume.
Related Posts:
I Read Banned Books: Celebrating Intellectual Freedom and Literacy
They Tried to Ban This Book Today, or, There's a Sticker on the Cover of This Book - inspired by the challenge of Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson: Too Cool for School?
Banned Books & Tolerance & Commercials & King & King
View all Bildungsroman posts related to banned books
By: Cheryl Rainfield,
on 9/27/2011
Blog: Cheryl Rainfield: Avid Reader, Teen Fiction Writer, and Book-a-holic. Focus on Children & Teen Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: banned books, banned YA books, Add a tag
The Uprise Books Project is going to get banned and censored books into the hands of underprivileged teens, free of charge. They hope to increase literacy, inspire teens and get them reading and thinking, and end the cycle of poverty (through literacy). I love the idea! But they need our help. I’ve made a donation. Will you? Even $5 will help. I think they have a worthy cause. And this is the perfect time to support them–during Banned Book Week! And beyond. 
By: Laura,
on 9/27/2011
Blog: the pageturn (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Teaching Guides, challenged books, Weston Woods, discussion guides, Awards, HarperCollins, banned books, Libraries, Books, Katherine Paterson, Authors, Bridge to Terabithia, Picture Books, Videos, book discussion, Maurice Sendak, Illustrators, Storytime, Booktalks, Banned Books Week, Add a tag
Like BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA yesterday, Maurice Sendak’s IN THE NIGHT KITCHEN makes the list for one of the top 100 most frequently banned books of the decade, 1990-2000. It was also made the Top 10 most challenged book of 2004. It’ll be no surprise to those of you familiar with the book that the sticking point is the illustrations of naked Mickey, the young protagonist of the story.
By: Kristi Helvig,
on 9/27/2011
Blog: Kristi Helvig YA Author (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: kristi, banned books, Add a tag
From classics like A Wrinkle in Time and Catcher in the Rye, to modern day works like Harry Potter and Twilight, there have been attempts to remove books that are considered inappropriate by some people. People who have decided the "not right for me" should really mean "not right for everyone."
I fully support someone's right to buy or not buy a certain book based on their preferences, but when people push their values onto others by saying certain books shouldn't be allowed on the shelves at all, it usually speaks to fear, ignorance, or a combination of the two. Just look at how many books with LGBT themes or characters end up on challenged/banned lists. I've heard statements like, "Well, it could lead young people to believe that [being gay] is an acceptable lifestyle." Seriously? All that demonstrates is a complete lack of understanding of human sexuality.
As a parent, do I have the right to temporarily "ban" a certain book for my 7-yo if I feel he's not old enough for it yet? Absolutely. I'm his mom. I also "ban" him from R and most PG-13 movies, despite the fact that most of his friends are allowed to see them (I tell him they'd be called PG-7 movies if they were meant for his age). But I allow him as much freedom as possible to choose his own books, because at some point, he'll be able to read whatever he wants. My job will be to keep the communication lines open when he has questions, and I realize that at some point his questions will involve deeper issues than how a fake tail was attached to a dolphin.
But all kids are different. What's right for my kid might be wrong for someone else's, and vice versa. Trying to control what all kids read based on my personal perspective would be extremely ego-centric on my part. Unfortunately, there are a lot of ego-centric folks out there, who cloak their book banning attempts under the guise of "trying to protect our children." I'd rather empower my children and give them all the knowledge they need to make their own informed decisions.
It's interesting that most of the books that have had the biggest impact me, books that made me think about them long after I read them, have been on these sort of lists at one time or another. Why is it that books that make you question things--or heaven forbid, make you think--are the dangerous ones?
What about you? What is your favorite banned/challenged book of all-time? Mine is probably a tie between The Giver, and Go Ask Alice (which I read at a very young age BTW, and it had a tremendous positive influence on me. It was part of what motivated me to become a psychologist.)
By: Laura,
on 9/26/2011
Blog: the pageturn (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Harry Potter, HarperCollins, ALA, banned books, Libraries, censorship, Books, Authors, American Library Association, Facebook, Bookshelves of Doom, Chris Crutcher, Twitter, Booktalks, Greenwillow, Hunger Games, Banned Books Week, challenged books, Blogs and bloggers, I Read Banned Books, Jen Bigheart, Office of Intellectual Freedom, YA Bibliophile, Add a tag
It’s well-known in book-ish circles that it’s Banned Books Week. This week is a wonderful celebration of the freedom to read and to raise awareness against censorship. But one thing that comes up each year – by myself, included – is that Banned Books Week needs to happen every day of the year. As book people who are passionate about the right to read whatever one chooses, we must remain vigilant in supporting that right.
With that in mind, this week we’ll be featuring booktalks of banned books by well-known librarians, school media specialists, and bloggers. That way, you can support the freedom to read year-round. (Not to mention that, should you be working on your programs, these booktalks can set you on your way!)
So stay tuned and visit here all week for the booktalks. Before I post the first one, I thought I’d share what others are doing around the interwebs to celebrate this week:
- See ALA’s Banned Books Week website for more information.
- “Like” Banned Books Week on Facebook.
- Follow @BannedBooksWeek on Twitter and use the hashtag #bannedbooksweek.
- Not surprisingly, Jen Bigheart at I Read Banned Books is hosting a giveaway and planning all kinds of BBW events. So make sure to stop by there (and check out Jen’s booktalks with us this week!).
- YA Bibliophile is having a banned books giveaway, including Chris Crutcher titles. Head over there to enter!
- Visit On Our Minds for a list of Scholastic titles that have been challenged, like Harry Potter and Hunger Games.
- Bookshelves of Doom has a helpful list of links.
By: Cheryl Rainfield,
on 9/25/2011
Blog: Cheryl Rainfield: Avid Reader, Teen Fiction Writer, and Book-a-holic. Focus on Children & Teen Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: banned books, book humor, book video, Add a tag
I love these humorous video takes on banned books.
This one by Girls In the Stacks is so funny! I really enjoyed it.
And this video with puppets misunderstanding the meaning of Banned Book Week is fun! (smiling)
Thanks to the wonderful Paul W. Hankins for the links to these great videos.
Know a great video about books or banned/challenged books? Let me know, and if it works for me, too, I’ll share it.
And don’t forget to enter my contest to win 1 of 3 signed copies of Scars (1st edition, hardcover) for Banned Book Week.
By: Betsy Bird,
on 9/24/2011
Blog: A Fuse #8 Production (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: banned books, Uncategorized, Dr. Seuss, book trailers, Jay Asher, Sam McBratney, Patrick Ness, Video Sunday, books to films, Mary Norton, Add a tag
Thanks to @doseofsnark for the link.
Ah, Banned Books Week. It only comes but once a year (as opposed to banning books which appears to be a year long occupation). For the one stop shopping round-up everyone needs, bookshelves of doom has compiled just a top notch collection of links for the occasion. One of these is to the blog for ALA’s Office of Intellectual Freedom. They’ve started posting video testimonials from authors. One of them? My man Jay Asher. Tell it like it is, Jay!
Also recommended, the Bigfoot Reads Scientific Approach to Book Banning.
Were it not Banned Books Week, of course, I would have begun with what I’m going to far as to declare the Best Book Trailer of the Year. See if you agree:
Seriously. That rocked my socks.
Speaking of sock rocking, I don’t know if you were aware of the creation of the animated take on Mary Norton’s The Borrowers out there, but the film is done and coming out. Doesn’t look half shabby either.
Those of you curious as to how good it is (and how it diverges from the book) may want to visit this review over at Fantastic Reads.
I’m awfully grateful to this next video because it clarifies for me what exactly this new collection of Dr. Seuss stories being promoted right now (The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories) actually is. As you’ll see, they weren’t some stories left in a drawer that Seuss “didn’t think were good enough” for publication. I think that’s an important distinction to make and I love that this tells you a bit of backstory as well.
Thanks to Mary Van Akin for the link.
So I’m in my library the other day and who should just waltz through the door, easy as you please, but none other than Sam McBratney of Guess How Much I Love You?
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By: Monica Zepeda,
on 9/24/2011
Blog: The Librarian Writer (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: ALA, banned books, reading, Add a tag
In honor of Banned Books Week, which is Sept. 24-Oct. 1, I thought I'd see how subversive I am by checking how many banned books I've read (only 17). If you want to see how subversive you've been by reading books other people think you (or your kids) shouldn't read, I've created a poll. The books listed are the top 100 banned or challenged (that's librarianspeak for trying to get a book
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By: Jodi Webb,
on 9/24/2011
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: blog hop, Amazon gift card giveaway, John O'Hara, banned books, Add a tag
If you would like to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card to purchase your favorite banned book, please leave a comment at the end of this post to be entered in a random drawing. The giveaway contest closes Saturday, October 1 at 11:59 PM, PST. For an extra entry, link to this post with the hashtag #bannedbooks, then come back and leave us a link to your tweet. We'll be announcing the winner here at The Muffin on Monday, October 3. Good Luck!
By: Cheryl Rainfield,
on 8/30/2011
Blog: Cheryl Rainfield: Avid Reader, Teen Fiction Writer, and Book-a-holic. Focus on Children & Teen Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: banned YA books, banned children's books, banned books, Add a tag
I read banned books; there are some fantastic books that have been banned. And Scars has also had challenges, as well as the recent opinion piece in the WSJ which called Scars and many other powerful books “too dark”.
So when I saw that Banned Books Week is coming up (Sept 24-Oct1), I decided to create a video. I hope you’ll watch it, and I hope it speaks to you. If you like it, please let others know about it.
By: Cheryl Rainfield,
on 8/26/2011
Blog: Cheryl Rainfield: Avid Reader, Teen Fiction Writer, and Book-a-holic. Focus on Children & Teen Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: banned books, banned YA books, Add a tag
Ooooh! My Unshelved print on book banning/censorship arrived today! I LOVE it!! It’s a good thing for me to look at, to remind myself when people challenge my books. (smiling) Thank you Unshelved!
By: Betsy Bird,
on 8/24/2011
Blog: A Fuse #8 Production (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: banned books, Uncategorized, fairy tales, Reading is Fundamental, Sherlock Holmes, cheese, Lois Ehlert, Eric Carle Museum, Kidlitosphere Conference, Jack Zipes, Frances Hardinge, Fusenews, Philip Nel, children's literary scholarship, Faith Erin Hicks, Michael di Capua, Would you like to come up and see my etchings?, Add a tag
The fabulous Colleen Mondor and Jackie Parker-Robinson have come up with a clever notion. Kidlitcon, the yearly conference for bloggers of child and teen literature, fast approacheth and this year, things are getting a bit switched. As Colleen says on her blog, “What we decided was to shift things just a bit, both by moving away from publisher donated ARCs as raffle prizes and also toward a long term partnership with one organization. Ultimately what we came up with made sense in so many ways that in retrospect it was one of the easiest things we decided. I am delighted to announce that KidLit Con is now entering into a partnership with Reading Is Fundamental which we hope will extend for many years into the future and make a powerful difference in the lives of many.” There’s more information to be found here, including info on how to donate to RIF yourself. So far the fund has reached $1,056, which is fantastic though more is needed. And a cheer is going out to Carol Rasco for her mention of me in a recent thank you.
- And now let’s raise a glass and toast my profession. Isn’t it nice to have a profession that can, without so much as a stray drop of guilt, be toasted? Lucky that. In any case, the I Love My Librarian awards are starting up again and that means you need to get out there and vote for your beloved holders of MLIS degrees. You may nominate a school, public, and academic librarian if you like. Doesn’t cost you a thing and maybe your one true library love will get the credit they so richly deserve. Stranger things have happened, no?
- Speaking of honoring folks, the Eric Carle Museum Honors have been announced. Each year four categories are filled with folks who have done some good in the name of children’s literature. This year the recipients include:
Lois Ehlert ▪ Artist
Jeanne Steig ▪ Angel
Michael di Capua ▪ Mentor
Karen Nelson Hoyle ▪ Bridge
On Thursday, September 22nd the Honors will be at Guastavino’s here in town. The usual auction that takes place at that time is seeing a bit of a shake-up as well. According to the website, “Our fourth annual art auction will feature original works of art donated by some of the industry’s most celebrated artists. This year also offers the opportunity to bid on ‘experiences’ with authors and artists.” If one of those “experiences” can include a chance to go pubbing with Tomi Ungerer I am in! At last year’s event I discovered that I was pregnant mere hours before attending. This year will have to top that, right?
- Back in the day when I was young and foolish I had a chance to interview Frances Hardinge on my blog. Years have passed and Ms. Hardinge has yet to become the household name here in the States that I know she is capable of being. While I wait then I’ll continue to read other interviews of her, like 0 Comments on Fusenews: Now with more earthquaky goodness as of 1/1/1900
By: Betsy Bird,
on 5/18/2011
Blog: A Fuse #8 Production (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: cool bookmarks, celebrity children's authors (may they rot), Leno = Worst Celebrity Picture Book of All Time, Nifting the Sifty, Paula Poundstone, NYPL, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, title fun, banned books, Uncategorized, BACA, J. Patrick Lewis, Laini Taylor, booktalking, Add a tag
From sopping wet New York City here is your philosophical question of the day: If April showers bring May flowers, what the heck do May showers bring? Ponder that while I hand you a piping hot plate o’ Fusenews.
- My library branch is turning 100 next week (you may have noticed the pretty New Yorker cover that referenced this) but it’s acting pretty spry for a centennial. For one thing, NYPL is coming out left and right with fancy dancy apps! Here’s one for the researchers. Here’s another that’s a game. Here’s a third that lets you reserve books. Insanity!
- This week’s Best Post Ever: Travis Jonker is a genius. A full-blown, certified genius. He’s come up with a Middle Grade Title Generator that leaps on the current trend of titles that sound like “The (insert word ending in -ion) of (insert slightly off kilter first and last name for girls)”. He came up with a couple examples like “The Gentrification of Geraldine Frankenbloom” but his commenters really picked up the gist of the idea and ran with it. Rockinlibrarian’s “The Zombification of Apple McGillicutty” (which I would read in a red hot minute) may be my favorite but a close second was Lisa’s “The Excommunication of Willow Diddledeedee.” I got nothing so cool. The best I could come up with was “The Computerization of Sarasota McNerdly.” I doubt it would sell.
- Adam Rex recently penned a post that works as An Open Letter to Everyone Who Thinks It Must Be Easy, Writing Children’s Books. It’s in response to Paula Poundstone (whom I also like) and her recent faux pas on Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me when she told Brenda Bowen that she thought it would be easy to write a picture book. Note, if you will, that Poundstone has not actually attempted to do so. In fact, the only stand-up comedian picture books that immediately come to mind are those by Whoopie Goldberg, Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, and Jeff Foxworthy. And weren’t those memorable! Not in a good way, of course. Particularly the Leno. *shudder*
- She wrote it back in 2006 but it still applies today (particularly in conjunction with Adam Rex’s post). Meghan McCarthy asks the age old question What makes us qualified to write for children? I believe Anne Carroll Moore once asked Ursula Nordstrom the same question about editing for children (a cookie for everyone who remembers Nordstrom’s response). Yet another reason why we need to follow-up on Peter Sieruta’s suggestion to create an Anne Carroll Moore/Ursula Nordstrom crime solver series. I envision Moore as the Bert to Nordstrom’s Ernie, don’t you?
- Speaking of Peter (my co-writer on a book we’re creating with Jules from Seven Impossible Things), recently Collecting Children’s Books did a great round-up of great authors 9 Comments on Fusenews: Sifting the Nifty, last added: 5/19/2011
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By: Scott Laming,
on 4/12/2011
Blog: Bookfinder.com Journal (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: ALA, banned books, Tango Makes Three, Hunger Games, Top 10, Challenged books, Rights: Censorship, Brave New World, Add a tag
The American Library Association (ALA) once again released it's list of books which were most often challenged by the public to be banned from libraries in America. As usual most of the books are children's or YA titles and are challanged by parents who believe they are targeted to an age group too young for the content.
Top 10
1. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
Reasons: Homosexuality, religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Reasons: Offensive language, racism, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence
3. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Reasons: Insensitivity, offensive language, racism, sexually explicit
4. Crank by Ellen Hopkins
Reasons: Drugs, offensive language, sexually explicit
5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Reasons: Sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence
6. Lush by Natasha Friend
Reasons: Drugs, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
7. What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones
Reasons: Sexism, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
8. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By In America by Barbara Ehrenreich
Reasons: Drugs, inaccurate, offensive language, political viewpoint, religious viewpoint
9. Revolutionary Voices: A Multicultural Queer Youth Anthology edited by Amy Sonnie
Reasons: Homosexuality, sexually explicit
10. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Reasons: Religious viewpoint, violence
By: Scott Laming,
on 3/2/2011
Blog: Bookfinder.com Journal (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: banned books, Egypt, Rights: Censorship, Tunisia, Tahrir Square, Add a tag
One of the side effects of the cultural revolutions occurring across the Middle East is that some of the censorship on literature is beginning to be lifted. Many books that were once considered dangerous or offensive by local governments in Egypt and Tunisia are beginning to find their way to readers according to The Guardian (via Moby Lives).
The newspaper explains that several books critical of the ousted regimes are now finding their way into bookstores. Finding books like La Regente de Carthage by Nicolas Beau and Habib Bourguiba: La Trace et l'Heritage by Michel Camau are a good sign of things to come and we hope that Egypt and Tunisia can continue their march towards a more progressive government.
In other good news, Cairo's Tahrir Square will host a book fair later this month as a way to partially make up for the cancellation of the Cairo Book Fair which was abandoned in January.
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By: Bridget Whelan,
on 2/28/2011
Blog: TWENTY TEN Bridget Whelan (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: self publishing, Banned books, blogging, non fiction, Add a tag
This time last year Catherine Ryan Howard was trying to persuade someone to publish Mousetrapped, her non fiction account of a year working at Disney, Florida.
Twelves months on she still hasn't got a publishing deal.
She has, however, sold over 3000 copies of her self published book, made a modest income from writing and had a helluva journey along the way.
This isn't about writing.
It's about what you can do when the writing is done and the doors of agents and publishing companies are still closed.
Click on the title of this post and read Catherine's recent presentation to a writers' conference in Belfast and be inspired...
By: Maryann Yin,
on 1/26/2011
Blog: Galley Cat (Mediabistro) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Harry Potter, banned books, Young Adult Books, Celebrities, Adaptation, Percy Jackson, Emma Watson, Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Summit Entertainment, Logan Lerman, Add a tag
Author Stephen Chbosky will direct a film adaptation of his 1999 novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. According to New York Magazine, Chbosky will write the screenplay as well.
Although no one has been cast yet for the lead role of Charlie, two book-based-movie stars have signed up: Harry Potter actress Emma Watson and Percy Jackson actor Logan Lerman.
In 2009, Chbosky’s book hit the #3 spot on the American Library Association’s top ten most frequently challenged books of 2009. The association listed these reasons for the challenges: “anti-family, drugs, homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited to age group.” (Via the Huffington Post)
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I agree with Elena. What a brave soul she is to keep fighting to free the books in Tucson. This whole situation is emblematic of the conservative movement's attempts to take our country backward, to deny us rights that were hard-fought. The perpetrators of this banning cry out to protect our "First Amendment" frequently, except when it's other people's First Amendment rights that they're taking away. Sad and shameful. Thanks for this post, Melinda.