You Can't Say That!

June 1, 2021
Thirteen prominent authors of children's and young adult literature talk about one thing they all have in common: All have been the targets of attempts to ban or remove their work from schools and libraries. Editor Marcus, a noted scholar who interviewed each writer, focuses his introduction on the history of censorship, including a simplistic summation of controversies around Adventures of Huckleberry Finn that spells out the N-word. Each author discusses their work, their personal history, and the reasons why they've been censored. Some, like Robie H. Harris and Susan Kuklin, came under attack for discussing sexuality and gender identity. Others, like Angie Thomas and Katherine Paterson, met with objections to swearing (in Thomas' case, likely a cover for objections to political content). R.L. Stine faced accusations of his books' promoting the occult. All the authors are positioned as important, powerful voices attacked by conservative censors, and the title may leave readers with the belief that any and all objections are equally wrong. Not taken into account are the subjects of librarians' weeding collections of titles that may contain offensive stereotypes or booksellers' deciding whether to stock books criticized for representation seen as harmful. While the text is accessible to middle schoolers, the content may be more interesting for adults in education and the publishing industry, though it disappointingly lacks a fully balanced spectrum of views and sacrifices complexity for a uniform message. A calm, cohesive take on a hot-button issue. (source notes, selected reading, index) (Nonfiction. 13-adult)

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Starred review from July 1, 2021

Gr 7 Up-This work is a compilation of conversations Marcus had with writers of children's and YA titles that have been included on the American Library Association's lists of most banned books. Authors featured include some of the biggest names in youth literature such as R.L. Stine, Angie Thomas, Dav Pilkey, and Katherine Paterson. The book covers well-known, frequently banned titles such as Heather Has Two Mommies, It's Perfectly Normal, and Bridge to Terabithia, and some that readers might not expect, such as the works of Matt de la Pe�a and Meg Medina. Marcus prefaces each conversation with a brief, interesting summary of the author's life and work. Conversations cover the authors' experiences of how their books came to be banned and their reactions, often including stories of their involvement in fighting the censorship. Each conversation is frank and utterly engrossing. Familiarity with the banned books discussed is not necessary to be absorbed in the discussions, which will certainly send readers to seek out the titles. Librarians and lovers of youth literature will feel like they are a part of conversations between old friends and gain new understanding into the value of their everyday work. Those studying censorship will find important primary sources and gain useful insight on how harmful censorship can be to young lives. Marcus also includes a concise, informative history of censorship and banned books in the United States. VERDICT This important work is highly recommended for all libraries serving teens and scholars.-Karen Bilton, Franklin Township P.L., NJ

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from July 26, 2021
Marcus’s 13 interviews with writers whose works have provoked controversy deliver more than the book’s title suggests, beginning with an introduction that traces the history of censorship back to attempts at “regulating moral behavior” in ancient Greece and Rome. Conversations exploring the writers’ childhoods and creative lives evolve gracefully into discussions of censorship experiences, including highly publicized challenges to works such as Lesléa Newman’s Heather Has Two Mommies in 1990, and Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell’s And Tango Makes Three in 2005. Readers may be surprised to learn that several of Katherine Paterson’s books were banned for their “gutter and unholy language” or featuring a sibling’s “hateful feelings,” or that Dav Pilkey’s Captain Underpants series regularly tops banned books lists for its “violence” and “offensive language.” Many interviews highlight the crucial role of librarians in fighting for public access to books, though the collection does not cover why some may object to texts on reasonable grounds, such as detrimental portrayals of marginalized people. Still, this is a thoughtful examination of the barriers young people may face when seeking “polemical” reading material, with high crossover appeal. Back matter includes source notes, selected reading, and an index. Ages 10–up.

Starred review from August 1, 2021
Grades 7-12 *Starred Review* Like cockroaches, there will always be censors. Sternly telling us "You can't say that," they make it their business to challenge free expression and the unfettered sharing of stories. Acknowledging that reality, the always-erudite Marcus has interviewed 13 leading authors of books for young readers--both children and young adults--about their own experiences of censorship. His subjects range widely, from Dav Pilkey to Katherine Paterson, David Levithan to R. L. Stine, Angie Thomas to Lesl�a Newman, and beyond. Marcus begins his book with an informative and enlightening introduction that charts the history of censorship and then proceeds to the interviews. Each of them is prefaced with a portrait and a generous contextual introduction. The scope of each interview that follows often extends beyond discussion of individual experiences of censorship to conversations about the authors' lives and their bodies of work. Marcus has clearly done his homework, his questions and comments reflecting wide reading of each of his subject's work. Their answers are unfailingly eloquent and insightful. A common theme of the pieces is praise for the courageous librarians and teachers who have risen to local challenges, joining the authors in boldly asserting that you can say that. Marcus' book is essential reading for all of those who treasure free speech.

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July 1, 2021
Marcus, author of many great interviews for The Horn Book Magazine, here compiles interviews with thirteen authors of books that have created what the great John Lewis called "good trouble." Some of the writers (Robie H. Harris, Katherine Paterson) are well-established advocates of the freedom to read, while others (Meg Medina, Angie Thomas) have jumped in more recently. In all cases, Marcus provides welcome context in each author's work and life as a whole, demonstrating that intellectual freedom is a right that permeates all creative work. Roger Sutton

(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)