Category: Minors
The Tor e-book embargo and reluctant readers
With the major success of science fiction and fantasy films based on novels recently including The Hunger Games (not published by Tor) and Ender’s Game (published by Tor), I have long thought that science fiction and fantasy was a great “gate way” genre for reluctant teen readers in particular. Therefore, as a librarian and a buyer of Tor’s books myself I would add my voice to those asking Tor and Macmillan to reconsider this embargo.
Is literacy a right? My internal conflict
A federal district court ruling earlier this month which held that there is no clearly established constitutional right to literacy in the United States has reminded me that the various pieces of my background are sometimes in conflict with one another.
“Spring Awakening,” “Rise” and what’s “appropriate”: A conversation with my daughter
My professional concerns collide with my parenting worries: What is “appropriate” for young people? How should schools and communities respond to “controversial” content and issues? How can teens and adults communicate about difficult topics? Here’s a peek into the talks my daughter and I’ve had about Rise, Spring Awakening, and the tough topics that teens and adults work through every day.
Parents & Intellectual Curiosity
While parents absolutely can, and should, be aware of what their children read and are exposed to and be actively engaged in helping students process what they are reading, I also believe books are a safe way for children to learn and expand their perspectives and horizons and challenge their own preexisting world views. Parents can play a critical role in helping them do so.
Why Kids Need LGBTQ+ Middle-grade Books
When I read Barbara Dee’s middle-grade novel Star-Crossed—a story about Mattie, an eighth-grade girl who plays Romeo opposite her crush, the talented and beautiful Gemma, and how Mattie comes to terms with this crush and expressing it—I cried.
Make Partnerships, Not Permission Slips: Seven Intellectual Freedom Tips for Classroom Reading
Recent book challenges in the news have involved permission slips sent home by classroom teachers when students would be reading a potentially controversial book, and I’d like to take some time to review the bigger picture surrounding classroom text selection, parent communication, and the sticky question of “permission.”
Talking to Kids About Intellectual Freedom
We owe it to kids to talk to them about their rights and what support looks like—be it for challenged books, authors, or marginalized people—and how all of it ties into the power dynamics of their country.
Library Material Destroyed, Teacher Fired, and Policy Not Followed at Utah Elementary School
The Herald Journal reported last week that Jeni Buist, principal of Lincoln Elementary School in Hyrum, Utah, shredded several postcard reproductions of artwork from the library’s copy of The Art Box, a collection published by Phaidon.
Take Action: 8 Ways to Support ‘The Hate U Give’
“What’s the point of having a voice if you’re going to be silent in those moments you shouldn’t be?” — The Hate U Give
John Green is My Metaphor for Intellectual Freedom
Green’s new novel ponders the many metaphors we use to describe pain, mental illness, and the narratives of our lives…but I left the book with my own new metaphor.