From: Vicki Cobb <vicki.cobb2>
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 11:38:11 -0500

I've been reading this debate with great interest. I think Susan Patron should be proud that her book has generated this conversation because by now, those librarians who wished to keep the books from their shelves should be feeling ashamed of themselves. The Newbery committee should also be feeling good about their selection.

I once felt immune from censorship thinking my books weren't controversial. But I faced a rude awakening when I was informed by a librarian the her book committee decided not to buy Science Experiments You Can Eat because they felt too much handling of food was unhealthy for children. Later, she came up to me and told me she had changed her mind.

Let's hope that this brouhaha about the proper word for a part of a dog's anatomy that hangs out there for all to see (unless we start diapering dogs) reminds those wayward librarians about the role of literature in society and why (hopefully) they entered their profession.

Vicki Cobb



----- Original Message ----- From: "Jennifer Sommer" <sommer at wrightlibrary.org> To: "'Leda Schubert'" <bobr at vtlink.net>;
<ccbc-net at ccbc.ad.education.wisc.edu> Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 11:29 AM Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] Lucky


> Oh, I couldn't agree more! It breaks my heart that she cannot fully
> celebrate this award with all this debate going on around it. What a
> shame.
> I am only hoping that being a librarian she will understand how petty
> people
> can be and that these debates are constantly going on. Otherwise, I think
> I'd be in tears.
>
> Jennifer Sommer
> Coordinator of Children's Services
> Wright Memorial Public Library
> 1776 Far Hills Avenue
> Dayton, OH 45419
> 937-294-7171
> sommer at wrightlibrary.org
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.ad.education.wisc.edu
> [mailto:ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.ad.education.wisc.edu] On Behalf Of Leda
> Schubert
> Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 10:05 AM
> To: ccbc-net at ccbc.ad.education.wisc.edu
> Subject: [CCBC-Net] Lucky
>
>
> I feel terrible for Susan Patron. Most writers don't even allow
> themselves to dream of a Newbery or Caldecott. And here is Ms. Patron, a
> children's librarian and dedicated writer, receiving the ultimate award
> her
> own profession can bestow. Along comes this tempest in a teapot. I know
> some of you might feel that the sales generated by controversy more than
> compensate, but I don't believe it for one second. Every bit of her heart
> is in that book (I don't know her and have never met her, so I'm guessing,
> but it's surely a heartfelt book), and I believe that instead of the joy
> she should be experiencing, she must be in despair.
>
> Should be an interesting Newbery speech this year.
>
> leda, who gets the digest, and apologizes for cross-posting (with
> Child_Lit)
> www.ledaschubert.com
>
>
>
>
>
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Received on Tue 20 Feb 2007 10:38:11 AM CST