From: Ellen Levine <ellenlev>
Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2006 14:01:16 -0500

        There's a fundamental problem with the question about so-called
"liberal bias" sites. And I think it's a grave mistake to buy into any description of Booklist, ALA, SLJ, VOYA, and other main information sources about YA and children's books as biased. It's a typical manipulative device to make us hop and jump and rush in to express our nervousness.
          Such an assertion of "liberal bias" doesn't really have to do with finding "unbiased" reviews. The search for "balance," in fact comes (would come, if this is hypothetical) from a source that wants to unbalance us. Let's not fall into that trap. If someone wants reviews with a particular political slant, there are leftwing and rightwing sites for that. If you want a "Christian" angle, go to a Christian site.
          It's all part of a campaign to label as "liberal" (and therefore discredit) what they disagree with. Let's not forget the recent case of Senator Chuck Hagel, self-described conservative Republican, labeled a "liberal," and sited as part of the "liberal bias" of public television when he said he disagreed with President Bush's Iraq war policy.
        Tell such a parent these are standard children's book sites, and therefore the ones you monitor. If he/she wants another voice, google away.

Ellen Levine
  
         
Received on Sun 26 Mar 2006 01:01:16 PM CST