GEN: Book Challenge

["Jeannine Towler (JJ)" <jjtowler@PEN.K12.VA.US>]

My principal informed me that we have a book challenge
pending.  The book is TO BE A SLAVE by Julius Lester.  We have
a 7th grade honors social studies class and a 7th grade honors
English class that have classroom sets of this book for a
project.  I also have one copy in the media center, along with
two other books by this author, LONG JOURNEY HOME and WHO AM I.

The parent is complaining about age appropriateness.  She was
particularly upset about the part in the book (all from
documented sources--Library of Congress) where an enslaved
mother chose to throw her baby overboard, believing that death
was better than slavery.

I will, of course, get in touch with ALA for book reviews, but
would also appreciate any experiences any of you may have had
with this title.  Please email me directly.

TIA,
JJ
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             --/         JJ Towler     jjtowler@pen.k12.va.us
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