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First of all, read the book!  But I noticed that you said that "I do
know the 

series is well regarded."  I would take issue with that.  SOME of the
books are well regarded.  Please remember that they are written by
different authors.  I do know that the Native American site Oyate
regards Ann Turner's The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow and Ann Rinaldi's
My Heart Is On the Ground as two books to be avoided.  I have a few of
the Dear America books in my library, but I make a point of reading them
first because I know that there are pitfalls to this series.  You're
right that history is rarely politically correct.  I would say that in
the Dear America series, most of the mistakes seem to be in glossing
over events in the past to make them palatable to modern sensibilities.
That's a huge mistake, in my opinion.  Children don't need to wallow in
the muck, but they don't need to be misled into thinking that our
history has been all sweetness and light either.  

 

Joy Branham, Librarian

Kennedy Elementary School

Kingsport, Tennessee 37665

 

jbranham@k12k.com

 

 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: School Library Media & Network Communications
[mailto:LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Marci Mathers
Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2007 10:51 PM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Dear America

 

I have parent angry over what she claims to be "inappropriate" material
in a 

library book, specifically a book in the Dear America series "When Will
this 

Cruel War End?"

 

The parent objects to the writer refering to African slaves as feeble 

minded.  I should mention that the student-reader in question is in the
3rd 

grade, but was able to pass the "five-finger" test, so I didn't see a 

problem with letting her taking the book.

 

I have not read this particular book, so I do not know if this reference
has 

been taken out of context, if the writer undergoes some sort of Epiphany
to 

come to a more "correct" way of thinking, or something else.  I do know
the 

series is well regarded.

 

History is sometimes ugly.  It is almost never politically correct.  I
did 

not purchase this book, it came from Follett as part of our opening day 

collection, but the librarian in me says let it stay!  I need some
advice 

from the more seasoned members of this group to arm myself for what is 

coming.

 

By the way, no, our district does NOT have a challenged book policy.  I 

would hate to start pulling books off the shelves because one or two
parents 

have a bee in their bonnets.  I could eventually end up with a naked 

library!

 

Now what?

 

 

 

Marci Mathers, MLIS

Media Specialist

Mountain Vista K-8 School

Coolidge, AZ

mediamarci@hotmail.com

 

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