Comments on: Fusenews: Hand me my smelling salts! I think I have the vapors!

By: Chris in NY

Chris in NY — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:50:12 +0000

As Kelli said: I don’t wish for the darker materials to be eradicated because I understand that those things are not all bad and many times help some kids, but I think it would be nice to have a little more balance in the types of books available to young adult readers.

Exactly. I would even add a little more balance in the types of books assigned in m.s. and h.s. English classes.
SPOILER ALERT+++++
For her final book senior, my daughter was given a choice among books and ended up with Bastard Out of Carolina. Unfortunately no one told her it was a brutal coming of age novel including rape, incest and the girl ends up in the hospital. In the end her mother abandons her to go off with the rapist/stepfather. Ugh. Not promoting censorship and saying that students should not be allowed to read the book- just should not be offered without clear and strong caveats.

By: Kelli

Kelli — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:12:46 +0000

I feel sympathetic to Chris in NY. I don’t want to read about the violence of domestic abuse or self mutilation or whatever any more than I want to go see it on a movie screen. My 16- and 13-year-olds are inundated with so much realism that they are turned off by so many of the books that are offered. As a result, they have continued to read alot more childrens novels even after they are older. And I have not forbidden or censored them in any way. I am merely observing their behavior.

I don’t wish for the darker materials to be eradicated because I understand that those things are not all bad and many times help some kids, but I think it would be nice to have a little more balance in the types of books available to young adult readers.

I think the question becomes a marketplace question: do the overall offerings for YA reflect a true representation of the YA spectrum of personalities. If I walk into a bookstore, what is the percentage of “dark” materials versus the percentage of YA kids that come in wanting that stuff? Is there a driving belief in YA publishing that dark sells? Perhaps the kids that are in that target market are bigger readers and bigger purchasers of books than kids that are not into those topics.

I am not trying to be accusatory, I am trying to get insight. I cannot believe that my kids are the only ones.

By: Sharon Creeech

Sharon Creeech — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 13:09:02 +0000

Well, rats. Another morning shot, following all these ingtriguing links.:)

By: Jonathan Auxier

Jonathan Auxier — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 18:04:55 +0000

I *guess* that’s an okay cover for GIRL WITH THE SILVER EYES. My only complaint is that you don’t get a better look at young Katie’s awesome fashion sense: http://bit.ly/m6FhGc

By: Liz B

Liz B — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 15:54:49 +0000

Tactile books & graphics: I thought I blogged about their competition, then realized it was at my work blog. National Braille Press has a free pamphlet, Why Pictures Matter, that you can order: http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/BPM.html Most of the info I know includes Braille (like the books from Sensational Books, Braille Ink, & Seedlings) but their are several places you can purcahse tactile graphics (NBP, American Printing House for the Blind, Braille Shop, Creative Adaptations for Learning, the Braille Super Store, etc. Many of the sites also talk about creating your own. Let me know if you want more info.

By: Dan Kleinman of SafeLibraries

Dan Kleinman of SafeLibraries — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 14:05:19 +0000

Regarding the WSJ article, consider: "Young Adult Fiction: Wild Things," by Naomi Wolf, The New York Times, 12 March 2006. Also consider this quote from Dan Gerstein: "The ... elites have convinced themselves that they are taking a stand against cultural tyranny. .... [T]he reality is that it is those who cry 'Censorship!' the loudest who are the ones trying to stifle speech and force their moral world-view on others."

By: Kate Coombs

Kate Coombs — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 14:03:14 +0000

Thank you so much for the Terry Pratchett interview! I’ve been escaping from the stress of packing for a move lately by rereading his books.

And I’m with you on The Girl with the Silver Eyes–classic! Roberts’ suspense skills are a perfect fit with the sci-fi story.

By: Chris in NY

Chris in NY — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 13:28:39 +0000

I was interested in the kerfuffle over late children/YA books as what we call “problem” novels have been a problem in our household since about 5th grade. My daughter HATES the books like Hatchet, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, Lord of the Flies and the dystopian ones like The Giver, etc. But she loves to read. It got to the point that in the last few years she has rarely read the entire book assigned for classes as they are almost always too dark. (Go figure though, she enjoyed Number the Stars about the Holocaust.) What we see is that in trying to be relevant, and relatable, the teachers’ choices have turned off a whole segment of the reading population. Give my daughter Anne of Green Gables, or some Tamora Pierce book or non-fiction and she is good to go.

By: Julie

Julie — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:08:33 +0000

Thanks for the mention. I will admit that I softened my criticism because I enjoyed the book so much. I’ve been trying to think of a better, more representative cover but, alas, I don’t have a graphic designer brain. It would probably be one without a photo though.

By: tanita

tanita — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 10:01:27 +0000

Ooh, thanks for the link to the Pratchett — and the Candlewick jobs. I am trying to shove my rising college senior graphic design niece into an internship. (Must also show her the new Unfortunate Events covers. Those are excellent.)

REALLY disappointed about the Jellaby books. I hope someone listens, but Disney… well.

Also: can I love Artemis Foulmouth any more?! I do not think so! Winnie the Pow is lethally cute. That helmet makes me think I must learn now to skate…