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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.

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Deep thanks to my friends for pointing the way to two separate Kirkus Reviews of You Are My Only.  The first can be found here, penned by Leila Roy of Bookshelves of Doom, on the Kirkus blog. 

The second review, excerpted below, is the generous "official" Kirkus Review below. 

Again, I know how lucky I am.

The heartbreaking tale of a kidnapped child and her bereft mother unfolds in alternating narratives in this intense and lovely novel.

... the ripped-from-the-headlines plot is here treated with tenderness and depth. Kephart's deft employ of descriptive language—"Past the door is scuffle and howl, the slow and the fast moving. I see it through the window glass, the glass all scratched with black diamonds"�is extremely effective in setting mood and creating imagery.

Though the initial draw may be the sensational subject matter, readers will come away with much more.(Fiction. 12 & up)

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You gasped over the Month at the Museum video by my buddy Davin.  You raved over the Month at the Museum video by YA author James Kennedy.  Now one of our own has entered the fray.  Yes!  Tis blogger extraordinaire Leila Roy coming to you via bookshelves of doom.  She tosses her hat into the ring as well.  Will any of these three make it to the final round?  Will any of them actually get to spend a full month living, eating, and breathing museum life?  Only time will tell, but good luck, Leila!

I am not an artist so my knowledge of the different techniques at an illustrator’s fingertips at any given moment is limited to what I see.  So it is that the term “plasticine” was relatively unknown to me until I ran across this post on Sara O’Leary’s blog about using it.  She proceeds to link to this video by Barbara Reid, who is the author/illustrator of one of the most popular picture books in any New York City library, Subway Mouse.  In this three part series you can see how she does her art.  Great great stuff.

How neat would it be if someone created a web series where folks went to different illustrators’ homes and they showed techniques they used to create their art?  Just a thought.

This is a little last minute (in that you have 8 days left to participate) but if you know a person of the youthful persuasion who likes making movies, they may be interested in submitting to the Write It, Film It Video Contest as sponsored by AdLit.org and Reading Rockets.  All they have to do is create a fun 3 minute video based on a list of different topics like “Silent Movie” or “Superhero Action”.  Then submit and win!  The results are due by August 30th so you have some time left.  Check out this site for more information.  Thanks to the ALSC Blog for the link.

Speaking of time left, you’ve only six days left to vote on your favorite Newbery/Caldecott Banquet red carpet fashion over at On the Red

7 Comments on Video Sunday: App Humor, last added: 8/23/2010

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Or maybe it was her best friend George–can’t remember now. But anyway, there’s nothing like revisiting some of your childhood favorites to make you wonder why you couldn’t see how cheesy something was. It’s like the experience I had this past weekend watching the Land of the Lost marathon on the SciFi channel. It [...]

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One of the many awesome things about getting my book published has been discovering the on-line kidlit community. I think a lot of people know about this community before selling their first book but I lack internet savvy and so it was a wonderful surprise for me. My first discovery was the wonderful Fuse#8 , which is the perfect starting point since she is the center of everything kidlit. Her blog lead me to favorites like Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast and Bookshelves of Doom, as well as clueing me in to some great new books.

MySpace lead me to some great YA review blogs, like BookChic, And Another Book Read and the Compulsive Reader. It also lead me to a bunch of author sites. I follow a lot of author blogs now but my favorites are Meg Cabot’s and The Disco Mermaids. I also love blogs of people breaking into the business, like the wonderful Debbi Michiko Florence and Hip Writer Mama.

For years I was embarrassed to be an adult who read kid books. I thought I was the only one and I’d hide the covers of my books when I read on the subway, stuffing my latest YA favorite into my backpack so fast that no one could see that the thirty-something woman across the aisle was reading a book for teens. But now I’m part of this incredible community that loves kid books as much as I do. I know there are thousands of us around the country, reading and loving our teen and MG books. I now display my books with pride, and smile when I see that people are reading over my shoulder. Who wouldn’t want to read over my shoulder when I’m in the middle of BRALESS IN WONDERLAND or the latest Sarah Dessen?!

What I love the most about all these sites is how warm and open people are. This business could be so competitive and mean but instead it’s a group of people bound together by a love of kidlit, who are thrilled to discover another new book by another new author. Which is pretty much a dream come true for this new author!

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In honor of Liz's BOOK, a few new links:

We love the looks of Shelf Elf, and not just because Shelf Elf likes us!

So do the Bookshelves of Doom!

Not to mention the amazing Thunderchikin! Chikins of all sorts, even the thunderous kind, are fans of LIZ!

WOO HOO!

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When my son was in pre-K, he had a friend (I will call her Sally) who had two daddies. Dad and Poppy were among the most loving parents a kid could dream of. They doted on Sally, made sure everything was provided for her, and were both at every school event possible.

At first, my son was perplexed by the fact that someone could have two daddies, but after the initial confusion he began requesting an additional daddy for our household. Believe it or not, it was more difficult to explain to him why we couldn't have a second daddy in our family than it was to explain how Sally had two daddies and no mommies.

So what is the ridiculous controversy? It's all about penguins.

And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell (illus. Justin Richardson) is a true story picture book about two male penguins in a zoo who pair up. They build a nest from stones and attempt to care for and hatch an egg-shaped stone. When the zookeeper gives the couple a real penguin egg, the duo successfully hatches it and cares for the chick. This is a book about love, partnership, and the nurturing instinct.

Then along comes Stephanie Bramasco who ruins it all by demanding the Lodi Public Library either remove it from the shelves or label the children's picture book as containing "mature content."

Here's an article.
Here's another.

According to FOX News, Ms. Bramasco had this to say: "You don't start teaching them at three years old about two men together and adopting a baby. And just because you sugar-coat it with penguins on the cover, doesn't make it an appropriate subject matter."

I say why not? What's wrong with showing a young child a story about a penguin who is so very fortunate to be raised by two loving parents?

According to Recordnet.com, Ms. Bramasco goes on to show her true colors by saying, "I don't have a problem with the book being at the library, but it is not appropriate material for children in that (1- to 3-year-old) age group. I'd feel the same way if the penguins were murderers or rapists. Don't sugarcoat that type of material by making it pertain to cute penguins, or dogs or kittens or whatever. It's not appropriate material for a 3-year-old to see and hear."

I'm sure Ms. Bramasco would feel I am taking her quotes out of context (which is why I did not crop anything) but it sounds to me as thoguh she is equating her feelings regarding a book on the children's shelves about the true story of a baby penguin being raised by two loving male penguins in the Central Park Zoo to finding books on the children's shelves about penguins who are murderers and rapists.

I hope you are as appalled as I am that there are people in this day and age who are this ignorant. And Tango Makes Three is not just pertinent to children of same-sex couples. And Tango Makes Three is not just pertinent to children who interact with kids of same-sex couples. And Tango Makes Three is a book that is pertinent to anyone who wants to learn something about love.

And I hope that includes all of us.

Note to Self: Retract the picture book submission from your agent. The world might not be ready for Tippy the Penguin and his Murderous Rampage.

Thank you to the great blog, Bookshelves of Doom, for the heads up about this issue!

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Bookshelves of Doom reviews Austenland. I did not know Shannon Hale was writing this book. Based on BoD review, I have just added this title to my "must absolutely find this book" list. Be sure to read the link to Shannon Hale's letter to Colin Firth.

I must add Squeetus to my blogroll. How have I missed it until now?

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