[LM_NET] Richie Partington and Rodman Philbrick - update

[Betty Wolfe <blwwolfe@COMCAST.NET>]

Rodman Philbrick has visited our school three different years, so I shared the 
Richie Partington story with him.  He contacted the superintendent of the district 
where Richie booktalked. Below is what he wrote.  Be sure to read the final line!
**************************************************
Dear Mr. Roehrick,
         It has come to my attention that one of my novels, ‘The Last Book In The 
Universe’ has been banned from a local school and that the person who book-talked 
the book has been fired because he declined to discuss the situation with the 
school principal until the principal actually read the book.
         This is unfortunate for lots of reasons, not the least of which is that 
I’m troubled by the notion that one of my books somehow got an enthusiastic book 
advocate fired.
         Maybe I’m an optimist, but it seems to me that this may be one of those 
misunderstanding by well-intentioned folks that has somehow gotten out of hand. No 
reader of ‘The Last Book In The Universe’ would find that it advocates a gang 
lifestyle, or glorifies the idea of gangs. Quite the opposite. In essence the story 
is anti-gang as well as strongly anti-drug. Despite being set in the future, it’s a 
very old fashioned story about a courageous boy who overcomes terrible adversity 
and triumphs because he understands the difference between right and wrong.
         If it’s possible, I’d like to try and set things right. Here’s my 
proposal: if the school administrators read the book and find that it is 
appropriate for 6th  graders, and if they will assign the book to be read in class 
(there are several teaching guides to it available free, online) I will offer to 
come to Santa Rosa and speak to the students at my own expense, waiving my usual 
honorarium. I will even see if my publisher can be persuaded to donate class sets 
of the book, and if that doesn’t work I’ll raise the money and donate the books 
myself.
         Maybe we can take a lemon situation and make it lemonade!
Yours truly.
Rodman Philbrick
He responded almost immediately, turning down the offer in no uncertain terms. 

--
Betty Wolfe 
Library Media Specialist 
Avon Middle School 
Avon, CT 
blwwolfe@comcast.net 
bwolfe@avon.k12.ct.us

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