From: Monica Edinger <monicaedinger>
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 13:13:21 -0500

Linnea,

Good luck! In the best of all possible worlds I'd do what you have planned. but I have to admit I'm not as confident that my kids would all just wait to find out along with Lucky. I'm more a preemptive strike sort of teacher to avoid the chance of even one kid going off on his/her own to look it up on a dictionary, deciding it was indeed
"dirty", telling another (in a whisper of course), and so on. I'm more comfortable getting in there quickly with a definition so there is no chance of things going off kilter. I have to say that way I could relax, enjoy reading the book to them, and I'm sure they'd still appreciate the end (maybe even more knowing the definition before Lucky).

Monica

On 2/19/07, Linnea Hendrickson <Lhendr at unm.edu> wrote:
> I was asked by a relative what I thought about the Lucky controversy
> before I'd finished reading the book. Now that I've finished reading,
> and loving it, I think the most pertinent remark in the Times article is
> Pat Scales' comment, "'The people who are reacting to that word are not
> reading the book as a whole,' she said. 'That's what censors do -- they
> pick out words and don't look at the total merit of the book.'"
>
> Before I had finished reading, when I thought about how I'd read the
> beginning to a group of third or 4th graders, which I'll probably do
> this week, I thought about how I'd handle it. However, since finishing
> the book, I've changed my mind about my strategy. I originally thought
> I would see if a hand shot up requesting a definition. Then, I'd ask if
> anyone knew .. and if not, I'd come up with a definition myself, and be
> prepared for giggles and/ or gasps -- which I would receive, with, as
> Monica describes it, a "grow-up sort of look." (These are kids who
> find the word "underwear" in any context uproariously funny.) Since I
> always discuss censorship during Banned Books Week, I have had lots of
> experience giving "the look" and squelching gasps and giggles. Like
> Monica, I prefer to read with a minimum of interruption and
> explanation. In addition, like many of those who are censoring the
> book, I'd prefer not to have to engage in a vocabulary or anatomy
> discussion..
>
> However, having finished the book, I realize that Lucky does not know
> the meaning of the word throughout the book, and when Brigitte explains
> it to her so gently and beautifully at the end, it is a powerful and
> tender moment that makes it clear that the author's choice of words was
> not at all accidental, and that she was not trying "sneak in" anything
> -- as though anyone would choose the first page of a book as a place to
> sneak! In fact, the word and Brigitte's definition has everything to do
> with one of the book's powerful themes of the absent father and the
> meaning of parenting. I think when I read the opening chapter this
> week, if the children ask, I will simply say that if they want to find
> out what the word means they will have to read to the end of the book --
> or they can turn to the dictionary if they can't wait. Or, I may break
> down and give them a hint.
>
> Be brave, librarians and teachers. If I can handle this, so can you.
>
> --
> Linnea
>
> Linnea Hendrickson
> Albuquerque, NM
> Lhendr at unm.edu
> http://www.unm.edu/~lhendr
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
>

-- 
Monica Edinger
The Dalton School
New York NY
monicaedinger at gmail.com
my blog educating alice is at http://medinger.wordpress.com

Received on Mon 19 Feb 2007 12:13:21 PM CST