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RE: How Much Do We Tell the Children?
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From: Ryan, Pat <PRyan_at_aclibrary.org>
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:14:25 -0800
Interesting. I don't think we have a clue just what our children are aware of, given what is discussed/shown in movies, tv shows, the news, what they hear from their peers and what they observe personally. When my son was fiv e years old
, my niece who was 19 at the time was raped. We, the adults, were shocked and NOT saying anything to our younger children. Soon after I was talking to my son - don't remember about what, perhaps I was crying or upset, or was making or cancelling some plans, and my son asked "was she r aped?"
Remember, he was five. And this was 23 years ago.
Patricia Ryan Children's Librarian Union City Library 510-745-1464 ext. 19
Message-----
From: DONNA BARKMAN
Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2011 12:25 PM To: CCBC Network Subject:
How Much Do We Tell the Children?
A fascinating and rich discussion to which I'd like to add a new topic that , as Megan mentioned, can overlap with intellectual freedom issues. Ellen Levine's new book, "In Trouble," published by Carolrhoda, deals with reproductive rights issues in the U.S. in the 1950s, 1956 - to be precise.
Two 16-year-old best friends are pregnant, one having been pressured by her
boyfriend ("if you really loved me") and the other seduced and then raped.
Suspensefully told in fair-minded, even-handed short chapters, the book is
probably the first novel to speak to young teen readers of adoption/abortio n issues. When do we tell the children? In strongly positive reviews, SLJ recommends 14 and up; PW says 12. Do we tell them at all? Not if most publishers had their way. If you have the time, do access the link below, the audio of a panel at the October Boston Book Fest at which Levine detail s her difficulties (even as an established, award-winning author, known for dealing with tough, important subjects) in getting a publisher for what is
historical, not contemporary, fiction, perhaps because history is attemptin g to repeat itself, requiring that writers and publishers be heroic in their
efforts to tackle controversial issues.
Received on Tue 22 Nov 2011 02:14:25 PM CST
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:14:25 -0800
Interesting. I don't think we have a clue just what our children are aware of, given what is discussed/shown in movies, tv shows, the news, what they hear from their peers and what they observe personally. When my son was fiv e years old
, my niece who was 19 at the time was raped. We, the adults, were shocked and NOT saying anything to our younger children. Soon after I was talking to my son - don't remember about what, perhaps I was crying or upset, or was making or cancelling some plans, and my son asked "was she r aped?"
Remember, he was five. And this was 23 years ago.
Patricia Ryan Children's Librarian Union City Library 510-745-1464 ext. 19
Message-----
From: DONNA BARKMAN
Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2011 12:25 PM To: CCBC Network Subject:
How Much Do We Tell the Children?
A fascinating and rich discussion to which I'd like to add a new topic that , as Megan mentioned, can overlap with intellectual freedom issues. Ellen Levine's new book, "In Trouble," published by Carolrhoda, deals with reproductive rights issues in the U.S. in the 1950s, 1956 - to be precise.
Two 16-year-old best friends are pregnant, one having been pressured by her
boyfriend ("if you really loved me") and the other seduced and then raped.
Suspensefully told in fair-minded, even-handed short chapters, the book is
probably the first novel to speak to young teen readers of adoption/abortio n issues. When do we tell the children? In strongly positive reviews, SLJ recommends 14 and up; PW says 12. Do we tell them at all? Not if most publishers had their way. If you have the time, do access the link below, the audio of a panel at the October Boston Book Fest at which Levine detail s her difficulties (even as an established, award-winning author, known for dealing with tough, important subjects) in getting a publisher for what is
historical, not contemporary, fiction, perhaps because history is attemptin g to repeat itself, requiring that writers and publishers be heroic in their
efforts to tackle controversial issues.
Received on Tue 22 Nov 2011 02:14:25 PM CST
