Welcome to Litsy!

Wikipedia tells me that Gordimer was a white South African of Jewish heritage who was a tireless anti-apartheid campaigner, political activist and HIV/AIDS advocate. She was an ANC member who advised Nelson Mandela on his 1964 defence speech, and was one of the first people NM asked to see upon his release from prison. No suprise, then, that this was one of the #BannedBooks under the apartheid regime.

#ScaryStoriesToTellInTheDark #AlvinSchwartz #book #books #BannedBooks

Library haul! I borrowed All Boys & Rock, Paper, Scissors. The rest came from their book nook. 😍

Read this one because it‘s the most challenged book in the states. George shines a bright light on the lack of sex education for queer youth which underscores the absolute need for this book to be available in libraries. Hiding information from children and teens only puts them at risk.

NCTE Intellectual Freedom Center

The NCTE Intellectual Freedom Center is such a great resource for English teachers. I had browsed their website before, but didn't realize that they offer real guidance for dealing with censorship. The action kit and database feel especially useful right now. It's comforting to know there is a place backing teachers up when these tough conversations come into the classroom.

Book stack of books I‘ve purchased over the last month. I didn‘t realize I bought that many books lately. Too many books to I want to read/prioritize. Bought my daughter some Judy Blume books because I loved them when I was little & read #bannedbooks

Pen America “Banned In the USA“

Just looked through Pen America‘s “Banned in the USA” report and it's astounding how many books are being pulled, without any real process. Of course, many of the titles deal with identity, race, and queerness. It's not just bans but the quiet removals too. Makes you think about who gets to decide what stories are appropriate and what voices do or don't matter in schools.

“‘While the meaning of a book may be informed by the author‘s intentions, it isn‘t defined by them” (of 67).
This is a wow statement that I think is important to remember as readers take on a book. It‘s how we interpret and understand books that make them what they are to us, the author does not define everything in it so that the reader is left to their own devices. Students should know and learn that early in their learning journey.

“You learn more about the story and you also learn more about yourself as a reader…” (pg 32).
This is the part where the students are told they‘re going to read Harriet the Spy, some of them had already read it and this is what the teacher had to say about reading books over again. I thought it was such a good takeaway to remember even for us in college, reading books over again can be important and teach you even more than you can imagine

I really loved Answers in the Pages and how it addresses book banning in a way that feels authentic and relatable for middle school ages. Levithan shows how assumptions about a story can cause issues, especially when it involves characters of different identity groups. It‘s a perfect reminder of why it‘s so important for kids to see themselves in books and have the freedom to read what matters to them. This helps them really grow as individuals.