Banned Books Week Showcase: Get Well Soon by Julie Halpern

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publication Date: October 2nd, 2007

Anna Bloom is depressed—so depressed that her parents have committed her to a mental hospital with a bunch of other messed-up teens. Here she meets a roommate with a secret (and a plastic baby), a doctor who focuses way too much on her weight, and a cute, shy boy who just might like her.

But wait! Being trapped in a loony bin isn’t supposed to be about making friends, losing weight, and having a crush, is it?

In her fiction debut, Julie Halpern finds humor in the unlikeliest of places, and presents a character whose voice—and heart—will resonate with all of us who have ever felt just a little bit crazy.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

Why I'm Showcasing This Book: 

Two reasons really... Number one, it is awesome and has not gotten the attention it deserves. What is the use in being banned if you don't get a bunch of publicity? Number two, this book isn't even remotely objectionable. The complaint? The kids in the book didn't show proper respect for authority. Whoopee! Let's ban the Bible then; that naughty Eve! I could go on, but Julie Halpern summed it up in a POST on her blog when the book was upheld at Theisen Middle School in Fond du Lac, WI, "Because that was the whole point of me writing GET WELL SOON. Or at least one of the points. The adults in Anna's life, my life, didn't deserve respect because they didn't offer any respect to me. It's that simple. And Anna, me, was finally able to gain her own strength to get out of her depression not by the help of the adults but by the help of her peers." Well said, Julie! Nobody is entitled to respect; that is something that is EARNED. If you treat someone with respect, the same should return to you.  I can tell you that NO would-be book banner will ever earn my respect, but an author who understands teens and reaches out to them in her work with humanity, compassion, and humor ALWAYS will!

Review:

As you have probably gathered by my reasoning for showcasing this book, I think highly of Julie Halpern.  Into the Wild Nerd Yonder is one of my favorite comedic books EVER (read my review of it HERE).  I loved it.  I found it inspiring and it made me laugh until I peed my pants; I wish it had been around when I was in middle and high school.  I feel the same about this book.  Julie Halpern managed to take a serious subjects like depression and mental illness and put a funny spin on them without disrespecting the depressed and mentally ill.  I can't imagine that this was an easy task and she made it seem effortless.  I would at one moment feel so badly for Anna and a page over be laughing out loud at her wit.  I also loved each and every one of the other characters.  Each had their own endearing qualities (well, maybe not Phil/Shaggy, but I had a good time laughing at him), despite their "problems" (which for most of them, it seemed their lack of competent parents was the biggest "problem".).  The story was great, I was happy with Anna's journey and the person she became because of her stay at Lakeland.  I liked that the book was written through letters to her BFF, Tracy, even if they never got sent.  This format provided a way for us to read some back story.  Although I liked the ending, I would really like to know what the future holds for Anna.  She feels like a friend now.

My Rating:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  There are a few swears, some talk of sex (although no actual sex occurs), making out, and innocent romance.   Obviously, there are a few crazy people...  This book is actually pretty tame as far as what most parents would consider "inappropriate".  I will probably let my 10 year old read it next year in 6th grade.  (Ages 11 and up).

**Don't forget to enter my giveaway for the Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop HERE.  It ends tonight at midnight!!**

Banned Book Showcase: Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Publication Date: November 7th, 2007

Connor, Risa, and Lev are running for their lives. The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state is not enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape and to survive.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

Why I'm Showcasing This Book:

...Mostly because I can't get past the absurdity of this book having been banned. A Montgomery County, KY high school removed this book from classroom discussion and curriculum because, "Some parents have complained about five novels that contain foul language and cover topics - including sex, child abuse, suicide, and drug abuse - deemed unsuited to discussion in coed high school classes. They also contend that the books don't provide the intellectual challenge and rigor that students need in college preparatory classes.". Have any of these parents actually read this book? Lacking intellectual challenge? This is one of the most thought provoking YA books out there!!! As far as the content matters, these are high school kids! Oh my gosh! I don't know if high school kids should discuss *gasp* sex, or suicide, of abuse, or *hushed tones* drug abuse. It might warp their impressionable young minds... Are these parents THAT delusional? It's a good thing for these people that intelligence is not a requirement for having children. I really have no more to say...

Review:

This book is so well done, I barely have words. Not only is it thought provoking on so many levels (medical ethics, abortion, government, religion), it is thrilling and action packed. The characters are great; there is at least one that every type of kid can relate to. The story is plausible; I could very well see war erupting in the future over the abortion and stem-cell debates, and drastic measures being taken to end it. This book is chilling with the ideas presented, and it's hard to choose sides if you really think about each side carefully. I actually think that this is one of the BEST books out there for classroom discussion. If you have followed my blog long, you know that Neal Shusterman is my favorite YA author, and this, by far and away, is his best book. Everyone, teens and adults, need to read it!

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★+++

Grade Level Recommendation: This book deals with some sensitive issues, but I don't believe it is anything that the average middle school aged kid could not grasp. However, I think that the more mature a kid is, the more thought provoking it will be. Grades 7+ (ages 12 and up).

**Don't forget to enter my giveaway for the Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop HERE**

Banned Book Showcase: And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Publication Date: April 26th, 2005

In the zoo there are all kinds of animal families. But Tango's family is not like any of the others. This illustrated children's book fictionalizes the true story of two male penguins who became partners and raised a penguin chick in the Central Park Zoo.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

Why I'm Showcasing This Book:

Because, SERIOUSLY?  This children's picture was the MOST Banned book in 2008 for it's depiction of homosexual penguins.  Riiiiight.  First of all, this book never says anything about the penguins being gay or homosexual AT ALL.  It says that they enjoyed each other's company more than that of the female penguins, but to a small child, that really isn't any different than "Daddy wanting to watch football with Uncle Eric instead of hanging out with Mommy."- only an issue if it's made an issue by grown-ups.  Second of all, why would it matter if it did?  Personally, I would rather my kids learn that homosexuality is something that while different from what they are used to, is not abnormal.  I would rather they learn this from a picture book at age 3 or 5 than by inadvertently seeing two guys making out in the park.  It's there and it's not going to change.  If we teach children from a young age about tolerance and the fact that families come in all shapes and sizes, whether people think it's right or not, they will not grow up with hateful hearts.  If their book-challenging parents teach them that a book should be banned because it's sheds a positive light on something that really happened, they learn not only that something that is all around them is "wrong" and "unnatural", but they learn that their ideas are the only ones ones that should be heard and if they consider something wrong, it shouldn't be voiced- Constitution be damned!  This book is beautiful, and this far-from-liberal, Christian mother of three is proud to call it a part of our family library!

Review:

I probably got this point across in my reasoning for showcasing this book, but I loved this book.  It is sweet and touching, totally real, and most important, it puts forth a very wonderful message; "God does not make mistakes!".  I believe that God is about love and tolerance (he certainly tolerates enough nonsense from the human race!).  These penguins had love in their hearts for each other and when Tango's egg needed care, they were there to nurture it.  Because of their nurturing, what would have been a discarded egg, became a life.  They were a true family, even if they weren't what some consider a "conventional" one.  This story is great way to introduce small children to the fact that love is what makes a family, and that just because something is different from what you are used to, doesn't mean it's wrong.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

Grade Level Recommendation: Obviously, this book is for all ages!

**Don't forget to enter my giveaway for the Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop Where You Can Win A Copy of This Book HERE**

Banned Series Author Showcase: Internet Girls (ttyl, ttfn, & l8r, g8r) by Lauren Myracle

I know this is a day late, and I know in my giveaway post I promised a showcase of the Internet Girls series that I'm lovingly giving away (much to my own daughter's- who wants them badly for herself- chagrin), but the more I thought about it it, the more I had to, like with Ellen Hopkins, showcase the author.  Like Ellen, Lauren  is one of the most challenged authors of this decade, and definitely deserves a personal showcase!

My Baby with Her HERO, Lauren Myracle.

I didn't realize how much I loved Lauren Myracle's writing until early this year when I read her most recent YA book, Shine.  A couple of years ago I read her MG novels ahead of my own (8 year old at the time) daughter and thought they were very cute.  She is Emma's favorite author/literary hero (she said it was the "highlight of her life" to meet her in person at this years DBF) and she constantly and anxiously awaits news of new books.  When she got word that Shine was coming out, she asked if she could read it, and I told her that I had to first.  It is still NUMBER ONE on my list of Top Ten YA books of 2011, but I had to tell my 10 year old that she needed to wait a couple of years.  Does that mean I'm in favor of censorship? Abso-freaking-lutely NOT.  I am in favor of responsible parenting, and I know Lauren would agree with my decision to read it myself, make an INFORMED decision in what's right for MY child, and leave it at that.  I still love the book and not only believe it has a very real place in every library in this country, but I think it should be required reading for all students 8th grade and up.  I'm sure many book banners would say otherwise because it delves into very real and very tough issues... Now I will get of of my soapbox in favor of Shine (read my review HERE if you want to know about why I love it with all my heart), and I will get into my reasons for learning more about this amazing author and person.  

<3 <3

I will start with my first personal experience with potential censorship of her books, which happened to be LONG before I read Shine.  I was a co-chair for the book fair at my daughter's former, very-well-reputed, private school here in the Atlanta area.  My job was essentially to hand pick the books offered up to the 4th-6th graders.  I chose about 1,100 titles in the end, and among them were Luv Ya Bunches and Violet In Bloom by none other than Lauren Myracle.  I knew there had been controversy over Luv Ya Bunches the previous year, causing Scholastic to pull it from their shelves at school book fairs, so I had to read it for myself.  Why the controversy?  Because one of the 5th grade protagonists had two mothers.  WHAT? We're focusing on that minuscule part of the book instead of the fact that this book was about a group of girls who were as "culturally" different as could be, yet still able to form strong bonds of friendship and love?  I thought it was a beautiful book written in a very age-appropriate way, so I presented it to my co-chairs; there was some uneasiness about parental reaction.  So... What did I do?  Anticipating the likelihood that some psychotic overly conservative parent might make an issue of the two mom thing, I went to the administration and made a case for the books being on the shelves.  I told them what is "issue" was and why I thought it still belonged in the hands of the kids at our school.  Guess what?   I got it on the shelves, and we couldn't keep it in stock.  I felt like I did a great thing fighting for it, and I think that many girls who bought it learned valuable lessons on friendship in spite of differences.  We need more books that focus on this.  My blood boils to think that a book like this is challenged/banned, while books that glorify "mean girl" behavior are not even given a second thought.

Cue my next experience... My daughter brings ttyl home from a trip to our fabulous (props to Gwinnett County Public Libraries) public library.  Okay- I had heard some buzz about outrage over this book and I was also well aware that Lauren writes MG and YA fiction.  Being the ever-responsible parent that I am, I said, "Emma, I need to read that first. I know she writes for a broad age range, and you are only 9.".  I read it, and loved it.  It was funny, witty, and dead-on in it's portrayal of teen girls- the way they talk, think, bicker with one another, their insecurities in some areas and total lack of fear in others.  Yes, they curse (so did I from about 6th grade forward).  Yes they talk about sex.  Yes there is a frat party and a drunken mistake.  There are loads of stupid things the girls do, but that's what girls at that age DO.  For a would-be banner to call that inappropriate material for a teen to read is laughable!  I did deem it inappropriate for Emma at 9.  Every few months she asks if it's time yet, and every few months I tell her "7th or 8th grade".  I know that as soon as I say, "OK" she will be all over it and I think she'll feel the laughs were well worth the wait.  My point is, I didn't ask my library to remove it from circulation or restrict it, I did what responsible parents should do... I was aware of what she was reading, did my homework, and firmly said "not yet".

Shine was my next experience, which I told you about above.  When the line-up for this year's Decatur Book Festival was announced, Emma and I were both ecstatic that Lauren was to be on the agenda.  What I loved even more was that she was doing two talks, one for Shine and one for her newest MG book, Ten.  Emma and I went to both and Emma got her first real look at censorship.  Lauren talked about her experiences with it and also about the book And Tango Makes Three (which is a favorite of mine that actually caused me to tear up as she spoke about the story).  I had her sign the three Internet Girls books for my giveaway this week.  I wanted to do this giveaway because I believe she is a true champion for free speech and she is a personal hero for not backing down to her critics.  She understands the kids that she writes about, and she shouldn't be chastised for depicting them in an honest light.  She writes about things that aren't necessarily easy topics, but does it in a way that is honest and relateable.  I am HAPPY that my daughter is such a big fan because not only is she a great writer, she is a stellar role model and I am as proud as a parent could be when my child says she wants to be just like her.  In fact, at DBF, I ran into her parents after her first talk and I felt compelled to tell them what an awesome job I thought they had done raising her to be the person that she is.  I only hope that my girls make me as proud as she has made them.

Lauren Signing ttyl, ttfn, and l8r, g8r for one of YOU!  :)

Again, I recognize that not ALL of Lauren's books are appropriate for ALL readers.  Are James Patterson's?  How about John Grisham? Clive Barker? Carl Hiaasen? Ridley Pearson? (In case you missed why I am asking this, all of the above authors write for kids AND adults.)  My point is, the responsibility should NEVER fall on the libraries to censor what kids read; that is the sole responsibly of the parents.

Since I'm not actually going to review the books as promised (although I might later on), I am going to say that I give them all 5 stars.  Lauren gets it!  She gets what teens are all about.  I had almost forgotten, and she has certainly made me remember! Teens will love them, and see themselves in them for sure!  ttfn!

**Don't forget to enter my giveaway for the Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop where you could win SIGNED copies of all three Internet Girls books HERE**

Banned Book Showcase: Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publication Date: September 2nd, 2008

Once upon a time, I was a little girl who disappeared.

Once upon a time, my name was not Alice.

Once upon a time, I didn’t know how lucky I was.

When Alice was ten, Ray took her away from her family, her friends her life. She learned to give up all power, to endure all pain. She waited for the nightmare to be over.

Now Alice is fifteen and Ray still has her, but he speaks more and more of her death. He does not know it is what she longs for. She does not know he has something more terrifying than death in mind for her.

This is Alice’s story. It is one you have never heard, and one you will never, ever forget.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

This book has been both challenged and banned for being "inappropriate".  Disturbing? Yes.  Inappropriate for teen readers? No.  Yes, this book is graphic; everything about it is just wrong, but these types of things happen in real life and just because we don't want to acknowledge them doesn't mean they aren't.  Perhaps a teen who had read this at a point in life where he or she can relate to the protagonist, won't turn a blind eye later on in life if they come across a child who is in a situation that is "not quite right".  Actually, I think the part of this book that I found most disturbing was not the despicable actions the abuser (although they were BEYOND disturbing), but the utter lack of initiative on the parts of the adult bystanders who knew something wrong was happening to this girl, but did NOTHING about it.  This book was horrifying and it was not one I enjoyed reading, but it was well done and it wasn't sugarcoated.  One challenger did so because it had an "unsatisfactory ending".  I don't want to spoil here, but these type of stories don't usually have satisfactory endings.  This story was gritty, raw, and entirely realistic; I honestly don't know how Elizabeth Scott was able to write it so well.  I rate it highly because of how well it is done and how engaging it is, but for the record, I hated this book every minute I was reading it.  My stomach stayed in knots the entire time because all I could think about was, "This could be my daughter.".

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  On one level I say that this is a high school book.  It is very complex despite it's small page count.  It is graphic and horrifying.  On another level I think to myself that if the protagonist had read this at 11, when she was abducted, she probably would not have been.  I can't really make a call on this one.  Like many of these books on sensitive topics, I feel that the parent should read it first, and decide when the right time for their kid to read it is.  For my kids, I lean toward 8th or 9th grade.

**Don't forget to enter my giveaway for the Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop HERE**

Banned Book Author Showcase: Ellen Hopkins

Why I'm Showcasing This Author:

I was going to review Impulse by Ellen Hopkins as my second showcase book this week, but after giving it more thought, I decided that the author should be the subject of this showcase instead.  Although Impulse HAS been challenged/banned, it isn't her only book to have been a target; ALL of her books have been.  In fact, not only have her books been challenged/banned and criticized, but she, personally, has been.  So...  I will be reviewing Impulse in this post, as it relates to my giveaway (a hardcover copy of Perfect, it's companion), but I wanted to shed light on Ellen and the respect and admiration I have for her for not only writing about the tough stuff, but also for the grace and dignity she has shown in facing the critics of both her work and her person.

As I mentioned, Ellen Hopkins deals with the tough stuff; drug addiction, suicide, sexual abuse, teen prostitution. Real issues that real teens struggle with every day.  She doesn't beat around the bush, she doesn't sugar coat anything, and she raises awareness in adolescents about topics that they will likely face whether their parents want to believe they will or not.  Her first book, Crank, along with it's successors, Glass and Fallout, chronicle the struggle her own daughter faced with meth addiction.  Beautifully written in verse, these books delve deep into the horrors faced by not only the addict, but the countless people touched by association with her.  It is an eye opening account, and one that SHOULD be read by all kids before graduating middle school.  Hopkins's daughter wasn't a clichéd inner-city "tough case", exposed to the streets; she was a middle-class teen who, by chance, got involved with something she had no awareness of.  Ellen Hopkins has done parents everywhere a SERVICE by writing these books, and I am utterly appalled that they would want them pulled from shelves.  Yet, this is exactly what has happened in many middle and high school libraries with these books, as well as her others; parents and school officials consider them inappropriate.  I consider them essential!  They will be REQUIRED reading for my children in middle school.

As bad as the book banning is, what I find even more deplorable is the attacks on Ellen Hopkins as a person and writer.  She has suffered serious backlash for tackling issues that should be tackled.  In Oklahoma and Texas, Hopkins was actually banned from speaking to kids about her books and the issues represented, as if she were going to promote these behaviors rather than speak to the dangers of them.  I've read countless articles, reviews, and forum posts from or citing teens who, through Ellen's books, have either come to grips with and turned around their own issues, or not done something they otherwise would have because of the awareness they gained.  Ask any teen who has read her books and they will not tell you that they attempted suicide, became a teen prostitute, or started doing meth because Ellen Hopkins's books made it seem attractive; you will find quite the opposite.  You will find the girl who stopped experimenting with drugs because she read Crank; you will find the boy who sought help instead of killing himself because he read Impulse; you will find the girl who finally found the strength to report the person sexually abusing her because she read Tricks...

To me, Ellen Hopkins is a true literary hero.  She manages to write impressionable books without moralizing them.  She doesn't sound like a preachy parent or teacher, lecturing on the dangers of sex, drugs, and rock & roll, but rather a person in the know who can offer a cautionary tale.  I was no angel in my teen years; far from it actually.  Had meth been around when I was in high school, I would have no doubt been addicted to it.  Fortunately for me, it wasn't.  Sure, I got the lectures on all of the dangers of this, that, and the other from grown-ups, but books were where I got my "real" info- books were what swayed me one way or another; books were the reason I wasn't sexually active in HS, books were the reason I didn't ever drink and drive, if there had been a relevant book about drug abuse (my fundamentalist Christian parents forbade me to read Go Ask Alice and it was not allowed at my HS), I might not have gone down that road....

So- this post is my love letter of sorts to Ellen Hopkins.  I believe she has done more in her "fictional" accounts for the mental health, stability, and overall awareness of her readers than any health class or drug awareness group could ever do.  I thank her for giving me a jumping off point when it comes time to address these sensitive issues with my own children.

Review:

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Publication Date: January 23rd, 2007

Aspen Springs Psychiatric Hospital is a place for people who have played the ultimate endgame. The suicide attempt survivors portrayed in this novel tell starkly different stories, but these three embattled teens share a desperate need for a second chance. Ellen Hopkins, the author of Glassand Crank, presents another jarring, ultimately uplifting story about young people crawling back from a precipice.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

There aren't really words to do this book justice.  Like all of Ellen Hopkins's books, this is beautifully written in verse.  I'm not necessarily a fan of books written in this format, but I love all of hers because she does it so well.  She is a pro.  I dare anyone to even try to find fault in her writing.  As far as reviewing this book is concerned, this review will not be a traditional one because I can't find the right words.  Here is my attempt...

Tony, Connor, and Vanessa all end up in a facility after trying, unsuccessfully, to off themselves.  As the book progresses we learn about their reasons, their feelings before, during, and after the fact, and ride along through their ups and downs.  I connected in such a painful way with these kids that I hesitate to even call the "characters".  They were too real to me.  I read this book in May and I am getting knots in my stomach and my eyes are welling up as I remember the depths of my feelings toward these kids.  I think they will be with me always.  Their stories changed me as a person.  I give people the benefit of the doubt more; I try to recognize that with all people, you never really know what kind of hurt is lurking under the surface.  I would never want to, even unknowingly, be the final straw for someone because I lacked compassion or understanding that I didn't realize they needed. 

This book also changed me as a parent.  I became more aware of how everything I say to or about my kids effects them, ESPECIALLY the things I don't realize they are hearing.  I think every parent needs to read this.  I would hope that it would make them cherish their children more; make them understand how fragile kids are, even those who appear tough on the outside.  This book does have some graphic and mature content, but it is essential in knowing these teens.  Parents who want to extract these things without reading this book are doing their children, and even more, themselves, a huge disservice.  Everyone should read this book, at the very least, as a lesson on how to be a part of the human race.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★++ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  I'm going to make a blanket grade level recommendation for all of Ellen Hopkins's books, or rather, not make one at all... All kids should read them when they are APPROACHING emotional readiness.  They need to be shocking and appalling to them.  They are graphic.  They are all about tough subject matter.  Her books will include things like bad language, sex, drug abuse, rape, incest, suicide, alcoholism, homosexuality, prostitution, and exploitation.  They should still be books that parents encourage their children to read.  My kids will read them in middle school.  I only hope that in terms of some of these things, middle school is not too late.

**Don't forget to enter my giveaway for the Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop, including a copy of  Perfect, the companion book to Impulse HERE**

Banned Book Book Showcase: Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen

Publisher: Vintage/Random House

Publication Date: April 19th, 1994

In 1967, after a session with a psychiatrist she'd never seen before, eighteen-year-old Susanna Kaysen was put in a taxi and sent to McLean Hospital. She spent most of the next two years on the ward for teenage girls in a psychiatric hospital as renowned for its famous clientele- Sylvia Plath, Robert Lowell, James Taylor, and Ray Charles- as for its progressive methods of treating those who could afford its sanctuary.

Kaysen's memoir encompasses horror and razor-edged perception while providing vivid portraits of her fellow patients and their keepers. It is a brilliant evocation of a "parallel universe" set within the kaleidoscopically shifting landscape of the late sixties. Girl, Interrupted is a clear-sighted, unflinching document that gives lasting and specific dimension to our definitions of sane and insane, mental illness and recovery.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

Why I'm Showcasing This Book:

This book has been challenged in several high schools over the years since it's publication.  There are some rather graphic descriptions, foul language, and sexual content and parents and school officials at these high schools deemed these things "inappropriate"; they wanted this book removed.  The most obnoxious of these cases was in 2008 when school officials at New Rochelle High School in New Rochelle, NY actually tore the "offensive" pages out of the school's copies of the book, then returning them to the students; all so that the students would not be exposed to this content while discussing the book in their (12th grade) English classes.

Censorship of books pisses me off, but this type of censorship makes my blood boil.  What right do those officials have to desecrate the work of an author?  Do they believe the author would have written those pages had she thought they were unimportant?  Would they break the penis off of the statue "David" by Michelangelo because of the nudity?  Censorship is a bad enough, but actual destruction of the person's work is disgusting and unacceptable.  Schools have a choice whether or not they want to teach a book; if they don't like the content, DON'T TEACH IT! 

Later that year, after much media attention and public outrage over the matter, the school board announced that they disagreed with censorship and replaced the school's copies of this book with new copies that included the pages.

Review:

I thought this book was excellent!  It is the riveting and poignant account of a girl who was institutionalized, at at the age of 18, fro mental illness. She talks about the year and a half she spent at McLean Hospital and the other young girls who shared this time with her.  What is so surprising is the lucidity with which she writes, giving us a very clear picture of her experiences.  This is because she was actually not mentally ill; she was a sullen, misguided teenager (actually shudder to think about how many of today's teens would be institutionalized if the standards for "mental illness" were the same).  It's true.  There are some graphic accounts, but they are nothing that the average high school aged  reader could not handle. 

My Rating:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ½ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  Because mental illness is a rather heavy topic, I would recommend this to readers aged 14 and older (9th grade+).  The "objectionable" content is really probably okay for grades 7 or 8+, if it's read in context, but I think a slightly older reader would get more from this book.  I think it is a great option as a classroom book for high school English classes.

**Don't forget to enter my giveaway for the Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop HERE**

Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop (September 24th-October 1st, 2011)

Welcome to the Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop!  

This hop is hosted by two awesome bloggers; Kathy over at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Jen over at I Read Banned Books.  You should be grateful!  Not only are they raising awareness for a very important annual event, but they are offering up a way for you to enter a slew of great giveaways in the process!

Take some time this week to peruse the blogs of the 250+ bloggers participating; read their views on censorship in schools and libraries and enter their giveaways.  Also take some time to visit the websites and blogs of some of the authors often banned and/or challenged (for lists, visit ALA's page on the matter HERE).  This hop will run the course of Banned Books Week, beginning on September 24th at midnight, and ending at 12:01am on October 2nd

Prizes Include:

#1~ Signed copies of ttyl, ttfn, and l8r, g8r by Lauren Myracle

LM signing your books!

#2~ Hardcover copy of Perfect by Ellen Hopkins

#3~ Hardcover copy of And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

#4~ Paperback copy of Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen

I will be posting a review every day this week featuring a banned or challenged book, and my thoughts on it.  I hope you all will visit each day and share your thoughts as well (especially if you've read the featured book).  I will also being doing a few posts on how you can involve yourself in the fight against censorship.  I will be featuring the following books/series:

Saturday, September 24th: Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen (LINK)

Sunday, September 25th: Impulse by Ellen Hopkins (LINK)

Monday, September 26th: Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott (LINK)

Tuesday, September 27th:  Internet Girls series (ttyl, ttfn, l8r, g8r) by Lauren Myracle (LINK)

Wednesday, September 28th: And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell (LINK)

Thursday, September 29th: Unwind by Neal Shusterman (LINK)

Friday, September 30th: Get Well Soon by Julie Halpern (LINK)