HIT: challenged books (part 1)

[Yvette Viger <ymviger@MOOSE.NCIA.NET>]

Thank-you to everyone who took the time to send me their opinions about
the three books being challenged in our school library. As a reminder,
here are the three titles:

Mick Harte was here by Barbara Park
Bones in the cliff by James Stevenson
Earthshine by Theresa Nelson

I read the three books and concluded that *Earthshine* and *Mick Harte was
here* are excellent books and are definitely worth fighting for. They are
valuable additions to our collection.

*Bones in the cliff*  is a very poorly written book with a badly developed
plot. It reads like a very cheap half-hour television program. I also
question the passage in this book about a hooker that describes what she
is wearing, rather, not wearing. This particular passage adds nothing
to the story. I was under the opinion that the books listed on our Great
Stoneface reading list were the best books recently published for students in
grades 3-6. The addition of Bones... to this list leads me to questions my
decision to participate in this reading program.

The decision at yesterday's meeting was to keep *Mick Harte was here* and
*Earthshine.* I requested removing *Bones in the cliff.* This was a difficult
request for me to make because I strongly oppose censorship. This aversion
to censorship has to be balanced by my responsibility to provide appropriate
literature for the 450 students in our school. Bones..... definitely does
not meet our book selection guidelines. It is not an appropriate book for
a K-5 school library.

My next message is a compilation of the responses I received concerning
these books.

Yvette


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Yvette Viger                       |  Mildred C. Lakeway Elementary School
ymviger@moose.ncia.net             |  325 Union Street
Librarian / Media Generalist       |  Littleton, New Hampshire  03561

     "I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library."
                             Jorge Luis Borges
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