What happens when freedom of expression comes under threat? In frank and wide-ranging interviews, historian and critic Leonard S. Marcus probes the experience of thirteen leading authors of books for young people.
A powerful photo essay on transgender teens is called anti-religious and anti-family. A meticulously researched primer on sex education stirs up accusations of pornography and child abuse. Picture books about two mommies (or two penguin daddies) set off a hue and cry. Two hugely popular children's series run afoul of would-be censors, one for its scatological humor, the other because it's deemed too scary. Kids' books that touch on race, sex, LGBTQ matters, the occult, "coarse language," and more have found themselves under the scrutiny of those who challenge First Amendment rights.
Tune in as thirteen top children's and young adult authors speak out about what it's like to have your work banned or challenged in America today. Prompted by Leonard S. Marcus's insightful questions, they discuss why their books have faced censorship--both blatant and "soft"--how the challenges have or haven't affected their writing, and why some people feel they have the right to deny access to books. In addition, Leonard S. Marcus puts First Amendment challenges in a historical context and takes a promising look at the vibrant support network that has risen up to protect and defend young people's rights.
Authors interviewed include:
Matt de la Pena
Robie H. Harris
Susan Kuklin
David Levithan
Meg Medina
Leslea Newman
Katherine Patterson
Dav Pilkey
Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Sonya Sones
R. L. Stine
Angie Thomas.
What happens when freedom of expression comes under threat? In frank and wide-ranging interviews, historian and critic Leonard S. Marcus probes the experience of thirteen leading authors of books for young people.
A powerful photo essay on transgender teens is called anti-religious and anti-family. A meticulously researched primer on sex education stirs up accusations of pornography and child abuse. Picture books about two mommies (or two penguin daddies) set off a hue and cry. Two hugely popular children's series run afoul of would-be censors, one for its scatological humor, the other because it's deemed too scary. Kids' books that touch on race, sex, LGBTQ matters, the occult, "coarse language," and more have found themselves under the scrutiny of those who challenge First Amendment rights.
Tune in as thirteen top children's and young adult authors speak out about what it's like to have your work banned or challenged in America today. Prompted by Leonard S. Marcus's insightful questions, they discuss why their books have faced censorship--both blatant and "soft"--how the challenges have or haven't affected their writing, and why some people feel they have the right to deny access to books. In addition, Leonard S. Marcus puts First Amendment challenges in a historical context and takes a promising look at the vibrant support network that has risen up to protect and defend young people's rights.
Authors interviewed include:
Matt de la Pena
Robie H. Harris
Susan Kuklin
David Levithan
Meg Medina
Leslea Newman
Katherine Patterson
Dav Pilkey
Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Sonya Sones
R. L. Stine
Angie Thomas.
Leonard S. Marcus is one of the world’s leading writers about children’s books and the people who create them. He is the award-winning author of more than twenty-five books, including Show Me a Story! Why Picture Books Matter; Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom; The Wand in the Word: Conversations with Writers of Fantasy; Funny Business: Conversations with Writers of Comedy; and Comics Confidential: Thirteen Graphic Novelists Talk Story, Craft, and Life Outside the Box. His essays, interviews, and reviews appear in the New York Times Book Review and Horn Book magazine. A founding trustee of the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, he teaches at New York University and the School of Visual Arts and lectures about his work across the world. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
'You Can’t Say That,' a collection of interviews conducted by the
children’s literature expert Leonard S. Marcus, offers an antidote
to the censors, elevating the voices of 13 authors whose books for
kids have been challenged. Marcus probes not just what made these
works controversial, but also the life paths that led the writers
to pursue their subjects, and how they reacted to campaigns to
muzzle their work — all of which are sure to interest their young
fans, as well as students of free speech.
—The New York Times Book Review
Each conversation is frank and utterly engrossing. Familiarity with
the banned books discussed is not necessary to be absorbed in the
discussions, which will certainly send readers to seek out the
titles. Librarians and lovers of youth literature will feel like
they are a part of conversations between old friends and gain new
understanding into the value of their everyday work.
—School Library Journal (starred review)
Conversations exploring the writers’ childhoods and creative lives
evolve gracefully into discussions of censorship experiences. . .
Many interviews highlight the crucial role of librarians in
fighting for public access to books. . . this is a thoughtful
examination of the barriers young people may face when seeking
“polemical” reading material, with high crossover appeal.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Marcus begins his book with an informative and enlightening
Introduction that charts the history of censorship and then
proceeds to the interviews. . . . Marcus has clearly done his
homework, his questions and comments reflecting wide reading of
each of his subject’s work. . . . Marcus’ book is essential reading
for all of those who treasure free speech.
—Booklist (starred review)
Thirteen prominent authors of children’s and young adult literature
talk about one thing they all have in common: All have been the
targets of attempts to ban or remove their work from schools and
libraries. . . . A calm, cohesive take on a hot-button issue.
—Kirkus Reviews
Marcus, author of many great interviews for The Horn Book Magazine,
here compiles interviews with thirteen authors of books that have
created what the great John Lewis called “good trouble.”. . . In
all cases, Marcus provides welcome context in each author’s work
and life as a whole, demonstrating that intellectual freedom is a
right that permeates all creative work.
—The Horn Book
Hurt, aghast, defensive, baffled, dismissive, defiant: these are
feelings authors might have about a challenge to their work, and
here Marcus interviews thirteen writers who have been down this
emotionally fraught road to probe how defense of their right to
write and readers’ right to read is vital to democracy. Highlighted
are books and authors that middle to upper graders will recognize,
such as Meg Medina, Robie Harris, and David Levithan, but
regardless of familiarity readers will contrast the individuality
of authors’ sensitivities and priorities—there’s nuance, for
example, on #ownvoices, on moving rather than removing library
books, on what constitutes self-censorship, on whether subsequent
editions should be revised.
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
This title focuses on thirteen children's and YA authors whose
works have been challenged, banned, and/or generally condemned by
individuals or groups due to their treatment and/or inclusion of
race, sex, sexual orientation, language, "crude" humor, scariness,
and more. . . . Marcus does not shy away from discussions of "soft"
censorship—the reality that sometimes books are not purchased by
individual teachers or librarians because they lack the confidence,
comfort, or courage to defend what might be deemed as controversial
material.
—School Library Connection
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