Overview

Many things have changed since ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) was founded in 1967, but not everything: the most beloved and popular children’s books are still among the most frequent targets of censorship and outright bans. Limiting access to controversial titles such as Captain Underpants, The Dirty Cowboy, Blubber, or Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark or leaving them out of a library’s collection altogether is not the answer to challenges. In this important book, Scales gives librarians the information and guidance they need to defend challenged books with an informed response while ensuring access to young book lovers. Spotlighting dozens of “hot button” titles written for young children through teens, this book: Gives a profile of each book that covers its plot, characters, published reviews, awards and prizes, and author resources Recounts past challenges and how they were faced, providing valuable lessons for handling future situations, plus a list of other books challenged for similar reasons Provides discussion ideas for planning programming around banned books, whether in reading groups, classrooms, or other settings Includes an appendix of additional resources for librarians who find themselves enmeshed in a challenge With this guide at hand, library managers, children’s and YA librarians, and other library staff will be prepared to champion intellectual freedom for young people.

Full Product Details

9780838911099

Table of Contents

Reviews

Author Information

Pat Scales is a retired middle school and high school librarian whose programs have been featured on the Today Show and in various professional journals. She received the ALA/Grolier Award in 1997, and has served as chair of the prestigious Newberry, Caldecott, and Wilder Award committees. She is a past president of the Association of Library Service for Children, a division of the American Library Association. Scales has been actively involved with ALA's Intellectual Freedom Committee for a number of years, is a member of the Freedom to Read Foundation, serves on the Council of Advisers of the National Coalition Against Censorship, and acts as a spokesperson for First Amendment issues as they relate to children and young adults. She is the author of Teaching Banned Books: Twelve Guides for Young Readers and Protecting Intellectual Freedom in Your Library. She write a bimonthly column for School Library Journal, a monthly column for the Random House website, and is a regular contributor to Book Links magazine.

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