Finding Siblings
By Kathy Young
Defending a Book
After receiving e-mails from more than 4,000 people, Scholastic books recently announced that it would include a book that features same-sex parents in some of its book fairs.
Including the book Luv Ya Bunches, by Laren Myracle, in Scholastic’s middle school book fairs reversed an earlier decision to exclude the books. Earlier, Scholastic had said the book did not meet its standards because it contains offensive language and same-sex parents of one of the main characters, Milla.
Scholastic operates the largest school book fair operation in the United States. Each year many parents take advantage of the savings and book choices Scholastic provides in its book club and from its book fairs.
According to the School Library Journal, “The company sent a letter to Myracle’s editor asking the author to omit words such as “geez,” “crap,” “sucks” and “God” (as in, “oh my God”) and to “alter its plotline to include a heterosexual couple.”
In a report in the School Library Journal, Myracle said she agreed to get rid of the offensive language “with the goal - as always - of making the book as available to as many readers as possible.” The good news is Myracle would not edit out the two moms for one of the characters.
“A child having same-sex parents is not offensive, in my mind, and shouldn’t be ‘cleaned up,’” Myracle said in the School Library Journal interview. She said the book fair decided not to take on Luv Ya Bunches because they wanted to avoid letters of complaint from parents. “I find that appalling. I understand why they would want to avoid complaint letters - no one likes getting hated on - but shouldn't they be willing to evaluate the quality of the complaint? What, exactly, are children being protected against here?
“Over 200,000 kids in America are raised by same-sex parents, just like Milla. It’s not an issue to clean up or hide away,” Myracle said. “In my opinion, it’s not an ‘issue’ at all. The issue, as I see it, is that kids benefit hugely from seeing themselves reflected positively in the books they read. It’s an extremely empowering and validating experience.”
Scholastic did allow the book to be placed in its book club where parents could order it. However, when word got out about Scholastic’s decision about the book fairs, many people took action. A petition was put up at Change.org and within 48 hours more than 4,000 people had petitioned Scholastic to allow the book at its book fairs.
I was one of those 4,000 and here is the response I received from Scholastic Vice President Kyle Good:
Scholastic does not censor books. The selection of books we carry in our book clubs and book fairs is the result of a careful review of thousands of titles each year, and we are committed to a review process that considers all books equally regardless of their inclusion of LGBT characters and same sex parents.
Scholastic is already supporting Luv Ya Bunches by Lauren Myracle. This book is featured prominently on both the student and teacher covers of our December 2009 Arrow Scholastic Book Clubs catalogs which are already printed and are in schools right now. On Oct. 16 we also recorded a Book Talk Editors' Choice Video which features Luv Ya Bunches.
Scholastic editors recognize Milla's two moms as a positive and realistic aspect of the story. We offer other books with same sex couples and gay and lesbian characters in Book Clubs and Book Fairs including The Name of This Book is Secret and The Misfits, as well as the upcoming After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson, and others. Scholastic provides books that will appeal to the wide range of interests and reading abilities of children in the many diverse cultures and communities we serve. Luv Ya Bunches helps us fulfill our mission to
do that.
In an interview with School Library Journal, Scholastic stated that we are currently carrying Luv Ya Bunches by Lauren Myracle in our school book clubs. We also said we were still reviewing the book for possible inclusion in our book fairs. Having completed our review of Luv Ya Bunches, Scholastic Book Fairs will carry the title in our spring fairs for middle schools.
While this is a good step it is not enough. This book is suggested for readers ages 9-12. At 9 years old most kids are in the fourth grade. The characters of the book are in fifth grade. Yet Scholastic will only put it in its book fairs at the middle school level. By middle school kids are at the end of the suggested age range and may not even identify with the younger characters.
I encourage you to continue to monitor Scholastic’s inclusion of books with LGBT characters and contact them if you wish to see more. Also, be on the lookout for the December edition with Luv Ya Bunches and let’s make it a top seller.
Kathy Young and her partner are parents of two children. She can be reached at Lezzymom@gmail.com
Top
