Susan Patron's Response
-- Publishers Weekly,02/15/2007
"I wrote The Higher Power of Lucky for the 10-year-old who lives inside me. That girl was curious about everything and sometimes went to great lengths to get information about the world and how it works.
In writing The Higher Power of Lucky, I was interested in creating authentic characters who would ring true for readers. I wanted readers to trust that I respect them and would not talk down to them. Like the child-version of myself, Lucky eavesdrops on adult conversations; she is searching for a form of spirituality, a higher power.
I was shocked and horrified to read that some school librarians, teachers, and media specialists are choosing not to include the 2007 Newbery Medal winner in their collections because they fear parental objections to the word scrotum, or because they are uncomfortable with the word themselves. If I were a parent of a middle-grade child, I would want to make decisions about my child's reading myself—I'd be appalled that my school librarian had decided to take on the role of censor and deny my child access to a major award-winning book. And if I were a 10-year-old and learned that adults were worried that the current Newbery book was not appropriate for me, I'd figure out a way to get my mitts on it anyway, its allure intensified by the exciting forbidden-ness—by the unexpressed but obvious fear on the part of these adults.
There's a direct correlation between fear of naming body parts and kids' interest in finding out about them. To figure out the world, children have to unscramble a mishmash of secrets, clues, overheard tidbits, half-truths, out-of-context information, and their own observations. The lucky ones discover the Robie Harris/Michael Emberley books, and/or they have access to parents or teachers or librarians who will answer their questions and define unknown words. The child who learns the definition of scrotum and other body parts in this way, through reading and talking with responsible adults, is armed with, for one thing, an alternative to finding answers through first-hand experience.
As regards 12-step programs, it seems there are also literature gatekeepers who are frightened that children may learn that these recovery programs exist.Do they think children are unaware that drug/alcohol/tobacco/gambling/overeating addictions are rampant in the U.S.?Many children, of course, know about addictions first-hand, through affected family members.Isn't it useful for them to know that some adults choose recovery through a 12-step program?Isn't it one of the truly heartening aspects of our culture that human beings can be this brave?"
Susan Patron
Senior Librarian, Juvenile Materials Collection Development Manager
Los Angeles Public Library
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| Submitted by: | Idore (hianschell@hotmail.com) 7/12/2007 11:45:26 AM PT |
| Location: | Seattle |
| Occupation: | writer for children and older people also |
I just finished reading and crying at the end. What a
marvelous writer you are. I am going to send a copy to my MFA mentor, Louella Bryant, who writes with the kind of precision you show. Of course, she might already have read it and cried. I'll ask her to hand it to someone else if she has already read it.
Thank you for this!
Idore
| Submitted by: | Ron Wagner (ronald.wagner@comcast.net) 4/29/2007 7:26:45 PM PT |
| Location: | Vancouver, WA |
| Occupation: | teacher-librarian |
It''s funny the last poster would comment that the previous post''s writer did not read the book, then mention that Patron was describing the human body - it was a dog''s body! Those who would criticize, should be careful themselves.
I read the book and thought, "great, another Newbery that I''m obligated to buy that kids won''t care to read." After passing it to two teachers who are big readers, who quickly gave it back because "they couldn''t get it to" and "besides," one said, "I can''t read it to my kids becuase of the scrotum thing," I decided it was my duty to give it a try. It''s not that good - I found it quite dull and formulaic. Thsi kid is fascinated with knots because his life is confusing like a knot. This kid likes Are You My Mother because he doesn''t know where his mother is. Add in a few quirky people and strange names, have the main child lose a parent (or two in this case), and there you go.
I have the book in my library. At first I was impressed that Junior Library Guild sent it as their January pick - good guess for them. It''ll sit near Park''s book A Single Shard, and my one copy will still be in good condition ten years from now, from lack of use.
For me, this article is not the most telling thing that Patron wrote. From other reports, she said that the book wasn''t selling until the sticker came along. Hmmm... if it''s soooo good, how come it didn''t get passed along by kids who read it? That''s how books become popular at my school. Why didn''t any care it existed until the sticker and the scrotum made it big news? This book is this year''s fad. I will never be able to read it aloud at my school, nor will I make an effort to promote it because I know parents will object to the several (not once as another negligent writer stated) mentions of the objectional word.
I love what the guy wrote above - if a male author had written about a female animal getting attacked in its genetalia, would the ALA have written it off as "innocent"? Food for thought, you men who want to get free publicity for an otherwise obscure novel you''re working on.
And finally, isn''t it a little double-speak for the ALA to call a book "the best contribution to children''s literature for 2007", make a big hoopla about it, then say, "but you should decide for yourself if it''s appropriate for your children"? Just once, I would like the Newbery commitee to award a book that kids (not teenagers, not middle schoolers, but KIDS) will like and actually read. Can anyone say that they read the book because someone, before the controversy, before the sticker, recommended it to them?
And isn''t it pure hypocrisy on Patron''s part to accept an award from her buddies at ALA based on their professional recommendation, yet blast another professional who decides it is not a good choice for her school? It is a librarian''s job to choose, with our limited budgets, materials we feel are appropriate and useful to our collections. And it is part of our job to promote good books that we think the students we serve will like. Susan, you buy books for a living. Do you actually see which ones kids will read? Sitting in a large public library office is not the same as being the ONE librarian at a school. Disagree with her all you want, but don''t insult her for doing her job. If she deems it inappropriate for her students, then she is doing, in her professional opinion, what is best. Tell me that you have NEVER passed on purchasing a book for your library? If you have, you are guilty of the same "censorship" you''re accusing her of.
| Submitted by: | Lisa A. Raucci 4/28/2007 11:56:21 AM PT |
| Location: | Fort Lee, New Jersey |
| Occupation: | Teacher |
Susan I just did a "Review of Literature" for my Graduate Studies course, Learning and Literacy for the Early Childhood Curriculum at New Jersey City University. And I am proud to say that I spoke about your controversial book, The Higher Power of Lucky and your 2oo7 Newbery Medal Award. It is an online course and I wrote about what happened in the Publishers Weekly article over the librarian, Dana Nelsson, protecting the purchasing of your book. I also did research on book reviews of your book and discovered how many librarians were all for your book. I loved your book. I am a teacher in New York City and teach the Homebound (K-12). Your book is a must read about the higher power of a child. Congratulations on your well written novel. I hope you continue with your success. I'll be looking forward to reading your next novel and its future Newbery Medal Award! Sincerely, Lisa
| Submitted by: | Keith Brownlow (brownlow@uniontel.net) 4/8/2007 4:24:49 PM PT |
| Location: | Wisconsin |
| Occupation: | Site Manager (Early Childhood, Head Start, 4K collaboration) |
I recently read your book "The Higher Power of Lucky". I think it was a great book. We are reading it for our Language Arts class with the UW Oshkosh Teaching program. We have had some discussions regarding your book. I think it is a well written book and children are exposed to words everyday. You exposed the word appropriately. I also believe that children get what they want. This book opens the world into poverty. I don't think all of our children understand what it means to be poor. What a great example in your writing. I am discouraged that schools will ban this book because of the word. The book received the Newberry Award. What an honor. We should treasure such wonderful work.
| Submitted by: | nicole 3/29/2007 1:50:06 PM PT |
| Location: | spokane, wa |
| Occupation: | mom, wife |
I say, let the school librarians do their jobs and ban the book from their
libraries if they think it's not suitable for the children it's aimed at. Then,
have them inform parents of their decisions and why. Then it'll be up to
the parents to decide wether their child(ren) should read it or not.
That way, everyone wins.
| Submitted by: | Alexandra Fuller 3/10/2007 10:36:56 AM PT |
| Location: | Wyoming |
| Occupation: | Writer |
If we can only write for children what would be deeemed acceptable in polite society, how are they to understand the ordinary ugliness and extraordinary gifts of their every day world? I am appalled that any librarian would take it upon themselves to censor this wonderfully important book.
| Submitted by: | Joel J. Rane (joel@joelrane.com) 3/9/2007 4:03:58 PM PT |
| Location: | Los Angeles, California |
| Occupation: | Librarian |
Greetings,
I was a children's librarian in LA from 1996-99, and Susan was my "mentor". As a desert rat, I was overjoyed that she wrote about this part of California and the people who live there. Whatever librarian would censor this book is setting us back, as just last week a cartoonist in LA once again used the controversy to make us all out to be prudish old women with buns and glasses. I think the whole thing is ridiculous. Now that New York City has banned the word "nigger", does that mean all the libraries there are going to weed out "Huckleberry Finn"? How embarrassing.
| Submitted by: | Claudette Sandecki (detta1@monarch.net) 3/5/2007 8:38:36 AM PT |
| Location: | Terrace, British Columbia |
| Occupation: | Retired |
To read about censorship of an 11-year-old's essay on Boredom, and
widespread reaction to his censorship, Google "Gianmarco Trimboli".
Gianmarco attends a private school. The principal gave Gianmarco a
failing grade because "his essay disrespected teachers' authority. And we
teach respect of authority." But not appreciation for a student's research
and thoughtful writing.
| Submitted by: | Ann Tidey 3/5/2007 1:18:43 AM PT |
| Location: | Eversley, Hants |
| Occupation: | Teacher |
When I attended a girls' grammar school in the late 60s/early 70s, we were all determined to get our hands on D.H. Lawrence's 'Lady Chattersley's Lover'. Why? One enterprising girl bought it and her parents were called by the school to question whether it was suitable reading material.
In my day books were valued for all the bits parents and staff tried to stop us seeing. As an English teacher myself what bothers me is the quality of the writing; not whether a word is used which makes me personally uncomfortable. At the very least 'scrotum' is a perfectly accurate anatomical term.
Some adults have not left the classroom...
Reading 'Lady
| Submitted by: | Linda J. Palmer (gpalmer@goldrush.com) 3/4/2007 11:43:43 AM PT |
| Location: | Arnold, California |
| Occupation: | retired educator |
I, too, was "shocked and horrified" by the response of librarians to the
nomination of "Lucky". How lucky we are to live in a world where
intelligent people create good literature for children to answer their
questions about life. With so much absolute junk and filfth out there
for children and young people (which enhance their lives not at all)
how can reasonable people complain about Ms. Patron's work?
I am a retired elementary teacher who continues to work with
elementary
children as a volunteer and am a lifelong advocate of children having
a voice and giving honest answers to questioning minds. Thank God
for the Susan Patrons of the world!
This is my first-ever such "comment". I feel so strongly.
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