From: HCgraves at aol.com <HCgraves>
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 1997 11:27:07 -0400 (EDT)

I was a school librarian in Raleigh, North Carolina when William's Doll was first published. My memory was that there was quite a bit of comment about it -- Raleigh schools were preoccupied with effecting the racial integration of the schools, and I don't remember any local challenges or heated debates in that school system. It would be interesting to take a look at School Library Journal and other library publications. My memory says there were men who saw it as an assault on the growing manhood of their children.

I don't remember controversy over The Hating Book. It may have been there.

The Quarreling Book was illustrated by Arnold Lobel. They seem well suited to the text -- the cartoon quality of the scowling faces provides the safe distance from the grumpy people Penny Peck commented on in regard to Ben Sheters illustrations for other books. The illustrations emphasize the the circular nature of the story. (Which goes from a cross feeling travelling through the family from Mr. James forgetting to kiss Mrs. James goodbye in the morning, to the turnaround as the dog is shoved off the bed and wags his tail. The morning in rainy, the emotional turnaround also brings the sun out.) Again, the illustrations help keep the story from feeling didactic.

Big Brother was illustrated with very soft illustrations by Mary Chalmers -and these illustrations feel just right for this text too.

Helen Seagraves Hood River, OR Hcgraves at aol.com
Received on Tue 17 Jun 1997 10:27:07 AM CDT