Apparently, the Wall Street Journal ran a story about a mom who went into a Barnes & Noble to buy a book for her 13 year old daughter. She couldn't find anything because of the focus on “vampires and suicide and self-mutilation, this dark, dark stuff”. She left, disheartened, and subsequently complained to the media about her experience!
The article went on to say that 40 years ago there was no YA literature, so society (parents? teachers? readers?) didn't have to contend with it. I guess that means that when children outgrew books written for very young people, they had to move directly into reading novels written for an adult audience. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger comes to mind. If we are objecting to books on the basis of depravity, foul language, and adult themes, then I would think that this book DEFINITELY deserves our objections. Lord of the Flies by William Golding has a descent into madness, mob rule, and murder. Yet it is required reading in 9th grade in many of the schools in our area.
I emphatically oppose book censorship. When I was in high school, I participated in a formal review of The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. In my presentation to the library committee, I explained that I felt that the book's sexual content was too mature for a high school class. In my opinion, the book should not have been required reading for a class, complete with weeks of in class discussion. However, I was careful to maintain, even then, that I did NOT advocate that the book be banned. It wasn't inappropriate for all students, it wasn't even necessarily something that shouldn't be read in a school setting. However, students, together with their parents, should have had the choice to read or not read on an individual basis. I was advocating for choice, for discretion, not for censorship.
My husband just reminded me of our eighth grade language arts teacher, who was near retirement when we had her. (Yes, I knew my husband in middle school...) She was a wonderful teacher, and she encouraged our class to read books by Lois Duncan. I Know What You Did Last Summer is filled with dark themes, but our teacher encouraged us to read it (if we wanted). That led me to Caroline B. Cooney's The Face on the Milk Carton, The Voice on the Radio, and Whatever Happened to Janie?, all of which tell the story of child taken from her home and raised as someone else's daughter. It's been years (15? Yes. 15 years.) since I read them, but I remember them being dark...and fascinating!
I had a very serene, safe, happy childhood and adolescence. I was a good girl, very shy, reserved, and academic. I couldn't related directly to the darkness that consumes some characters in YA books. However, I had a friend in eighth grade who would call me late at night and tell me about the gun on the shelf in his closet. Every night, I stayed on the phone with him until he could promise me that I would see him at school the following day. I am everlastingly thankful that he is still alive. I don't know how much our late night conversations can be credited with that, but I know that living through that with him helped me relate to characters in the books. I had friends who struggled with divorce, abuse, drugs, sexuality, homelessness, disabilities, death of parents, siblings, and friends, alcohol, and apathy, to name just a few things. I was and am grateful to see characters in books who have similar experiences. It validates the fear I felt, the pain and anguish, and the worry for my friends and for me. #YASaves
As an adult, I continue to read YA literature. I see characters who remind me of my students all the time. In my classroom, my seventh graders choose books that are appropriate for their lives and their interests. They do not need an adult to censor their choices, because they take care of that themselves. I've seen many of my students put down a book that isn't interesting to them.
What young people do need is responsible, well-read adults (parents, teachers, mentors) who are familiar with the books and the teenagers. That way the teens have someone to talk to about the issues they face - in life, or in the books they read.
I am honored that I can be that teacher for my students. What a huge responsibility and privilege!
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