The Plaid Pladd

Title: Eleanor and Park
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Challenged in: Yamhill-Carlton school district, Oregon; Chesterfield County, Virginia
Because of: “pornographic” content and “vile, vile, nasty language”

This book deals with some hard topics: bullying, poverty, and child abuse. I can see why some people might find it hard to read. Most of the story is about two “outsider” teens bonding over music and comics, trying to get away from these problems, or at least not think about them for a while. Rainbow Rowell is a fantastic author, and I love how her characters always feel very authentic, even the bad ones, unfortunately. I hate that anyone has to go through a childhood like Eleanor’s, but I know that some do, which is why I think books like this are so important. Both for victims to find hope and for their peers to maybe gain some understanding of what others might face and gain some perspective and empathy.

Plus, when reading up on the Oregon challenge, I found that apparently some of the challengers were reading and objecting to fanfic of the book instead of the text from the book itself. Perfect.

Previously: Make Something Up
Next: WHATEVER 2018 BRINGS

Title: Make Something Up: Stories You Can’t Unread
Author: Chuck Palahniuk
Challenged In: A SECRET
Because of: profanity, sexual explicitness, being “disgusting and all around offensive”

Confession: I checked this book out but couldn’t finish it. Not because of how ~scandalous~ it was, but because I find Chuck Palahniuk’s writing to be really tiresome. I’ve tried to read another of his books and had the same reaction. His whole deal is for you to find him SHOCKING and it’s pretty clear to me that he puts more effort into that than character development or plot. So yeah, all those allegations in the challenge are true, and that’s what Chuck Palahniuk wants. Obviously a lot of people want it too, since he’s a best-selling author, and since none of his books are shelved in the children’s section, I don’t see what people are complaining about. If you don’t like his books, don’t read them. Which I guess I could say about every book that gets challenged.

Previously: Big Hard Sex Criminals
Next: Eleanor and Park

George by Alex Gino

I read this book when it first came out in 2015. It’s short and sweet and reminded me a lot of I Am Jazz, but for chapter book readers. George really wants to be called Melissa (being deadnamed by the title of your own book is probably my major beef here) and dreams of playing Charlotte in her school play. Her supportive best friend helps her practice lines, borrow clothes she feels more comfortable in, and decide on a game plan for how to deal with their teacher and classmates. So another book challenged because some people can’t get over the fact that trans people exist. I feel sorry for their children.

Previously: This One Summer
Next: Big Hard Sex Criminals

This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki

Title: This One Summer
Author: Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki
Challenged in: Henning, Minnesota; Seminole County, Florida
Because: includes LGBT characters, sexually explicit with mature themes, drug use, profanity

I really liked this graphic novel the first time I read it in 2015, when I gave it five stars. Here’s what I wrote about it in my 2015: The Good post:

This was a graphic novel about a girl teetering between child and adult and her summer at her parents’ beach cabin, where they go every year. It’s really telling how her interactions with their normal family traditions and friends are changing as she grows up. Plus the art style was pretty.

Since then, it’s won a Printz award and a Caldecott Honor. I think the Caldecott is where it’s gotten into trouble, because those things are usually dished out to picture books since it’s an award primarily based on illustrations. But, surprise! This book is made of illustrations, so it is completely eligible and totally deserving of any award. But inattentive parents and librarians have really gotten used to Caldecott=great for my 6-year-old, and this book is not for that age group. The main character is 13, and the story so perfectly captures how it feels to be 13. Things she used to enjoy as a kid seem stupid, but adult conversations are boring and/or frightening. Sometimes you just want to dance around your living room eating marshmallows. Other times you want to prove your maturity by watching the scariest movie possible. And, of course, older teens hold an inherent fascination. The main character and her best friend spend a lot of the summer spying on them, which is where a lot of the “inappropriate content” comes in. One of the older girls is dealing with an unwanted pregnancy.

Graphic novels seem to get challenged at a higher rate because it’s one thing to read about something and picture it in your imagination; it’s another to see a picture of it when you’re just glancing through. But, with this book, nothing graphic at all is ever shown, only discussed. This book’s detractors seem to think that 13-year-olds don’t know what sex is or are too young to know about pregnancy and suicide, as if keeping these issues secret will make them go away. But they’re not secret, and the more they’re talked about the less likely they are to happen. As to the other charges:

LGBT character: one of the girls has a lesbian aunt omfg call the police
Drug use: some sketchy teens smoke behind the convenience store; mom and dad drink wine, call the 18th amendment
Profanity: your 13-year-old knows the word Fuck. Come the fuck on.

Previously: Drama
Next: George