Common Sense Ratings

Thanks to Stephanie at Pretty Sweet YA Book Reviews (With Cherries on Top) who wrote a blog entry about Barnes & Noble's announcement that it was going to add Common Sense Media's ratings of children's books, movies, games, and music to its web site.

Common Sense Media is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization "dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in a world of media and technology." Their "Common Sense Beliefs" can be found with their Mission Statement.

Concerns about Common Sense Media's ratings being included on Barnes & Noble's site, according to a Publisher's Weekly article are that "they seemed to emphasize negative subjects like sex, violence, drinking, and drugs over subject matter."

My belief that parents should be well informed of what their children are reading is conflicting with the idea that a third party is being trusted to rate books for their children. The criteria used in rating are Social Behavior, Sex, Violence, Consumerism, Drugs, and Language. In Judy Blume's Are you there God? It's me, Margaret, Social Behaviour has been flagged "iffy" because some characters lie. It is flagged "iffy" under "Sex" for "mentions of Playboy, kissing, menstruation, bras, emerging sexuality," not any mention of sexual intercourse. This is Meg Cabot's take on the Blume rating.

Because taken out of context, the warning that Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret contains “Playboy, kissing, menstruation, bras, and emerging sexuality” makes this wonderful, beloved book about a sixth grader who does nothing racier than stuff her bra with cotton balls and worry about disappointing her family sound like it’s about…well, Playboy, kissing, menstruation, bras, and emerging sexuality!

There is also a very real danger that the section on "What Parents Need to Know" can be too subjective.

I was curious to see how Judy Blume's Forever was rated. I found a better balanced view of the book on Common Sense Media because they included "The Good Stuff" -- information on the message and role models in the book.


Enter the Banned Book Challenge. Choose a goal for the number of challenged or banned books you can read between now and June. Let us know about your goal on our form, so we can keep track. Not sure what to read? Check out our suggested reading and the many links on the right side bar.

Everything I Needed to Know about Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume

This August saw the release of Everything I Needed to Know about Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume, a new young adult book many written by a host of woman who now write for young adults. Each author has contributed an essay on the effect Blume's books had on their own teenaged years. Blume's books have sold 75 million copies and have been translated into more than 20 languages. Judy Bloom has had her share of controversy over the years and every once in a while a new challenge is made against her books for their frank approach to puberty and teen sexuality. Forever is the usual target.

Meg Cabot, another author who has had her books (The Princess Diaries) challenged recently, is one of the essay writers.

Read an interview with editor Jennifer O’Connell on the CBC website.

Why "Forever" Continues to Be Challenged

Judy Blume's Forever is being released in several new editions with an updated introduction. Simon and Shuster is making both a teen and adult cover available.

Judy Blume recently did an interview with Newsweek and spoke about why she wrote the book, whether it is relevant today, why it is still being challenged after all of these years, etc.

She also tells about her new children's book which will be released this August.

It's called Soupy Saturdays With the Pain and the Great One, with wonderfully droll illustrations by James Stevenson. It's the first of four chapter books for young readers based on characters I created years ago in a picture book called The Pain and the Great One. I've wanted to revisit these characters for years. I'm glad I waited, because it feels as if the time is right.

Forever and Learning About the Emotional Side of Relationships

I received this comment today concerning Judy Blume's Forever. Parents, this young lady is speaking to you with wisdom and honesty and out of her own experience. Just for the record, our copy of Forever is in the Young Adult section where it belongs.


UnDer CoNstRuCT!oN said...

I'm a teenaged girl, 16 in fact, and I’m not telling you to give this book to your four year old but to all mothers this is a good book about the difference between true love and your first love. Sure there are sex scenes but there are more explicit sex scenes in the shows teens watch everyday and the difference between the scenes on TV and in the book is, on TV it seems romantic hip fun cool hot and sexy. They don't show the disappointment and hurt and pain that Judy Blume shows. Have you ever thought that the reasons teens have sex is because no one talks to them about it. I don't know about you but, my mom teaching me about sex doesn't exactly turn me on to having it, it teaches me not too. I don't know why it is in the adult section that’s like giving a cookbook to a world master chef you already know about it and have experienced situations similar to the story line. Saying a book will convince teens to have sex just shows how far we have come as a society why are parents trying so hard to ban this book or keep it away from teens, shouldn't you be worried about the internet and porno's and the ever popular MTV and BET, honestly wouldn't you rather have teens learn about the pain and heartache of having sex from Judy Blume (and you) than the cool hot sexy gotta have it now versions that the television and internet has to offer????

Judy Blume Forever Censored? Part 2

For some reason, I can't see my first post and edit it.

So here is the information I wanted to include on where Forever was banned or challenged, courtesy of Marshall University.

2006

Challenged in the Fayetteville (AR) Middle and Junior High School libraries along with more than 50 other titles as being too sexually explicit and promoting homosexuality.

2003

Returned to Elgin (IL) middle school libraries after a four year abscence.

2002

Returned to Elgin, IL middle school libraries after having been banned in 1997.

Judy Blume Forever Censored?

In recognition of ALA's Banned Books Week, I have been reading Judy Blume's Forever. Blume has been described as one of the most censored authors of our time. Forever, which had its debut in 1975, is an explicit account of teenage love. Over thirty years later, Blume's books for adolescents still consistently hit the top ten. According to a book list posted by Delete Censorship,

“Forever” by Judy Blume, a favorite for girls and young teens, has frequently been the target of censors. This story about the sexual awakening of a teenage girl has been challenged since its publication (1975) because it “does not promote abstinence and monogamous relationships.” It was challenged by Midvalley Junior-Senior Scranton, Pennsylvania high school library (1982), Orlando, Florida schools (1982) and Akron, Ohio school district libraries (1983) for using “four-letter words” and for talking about masturbation, birth control and disobedience to parents.

I didn't read this book as a teen. Perhaps my school decided it was too controversial. But I tried to weigh my thoughts as a parent into my reading this week. The language is blunt. From swear words to popular euphemisms for the sex act, Blume pulls no punches. She is blunt in other ways that I appreciate as a parent. She explains more about VD and safe sex than is likely explained by the average parent.

Her realistic portrayal of two teens exploring the new world of adolescent love is not likely to date itself any time soon although the new edition includes a forward from Blume on the dangers of AIDS and the necessity for sexually active people to use condoms.

For sexually active teens, I think this book could help to sort out their feelings as well as give them information to stay safe. For teens who may wait for that first sexual encounter, Forever provides a "safe" way for them to explore this new sexual world without diving right in.

Read an article on banning by Judy Blume.

Read an excerpt of Forever here.

Lowest on Record and That's Not the Drop in Temperature

According to the The American Library Association, 405 challenges had been reported in 2005. It is the lowest total of challenges on record.

The ALA has been keeping track of book challenges since the early 1980s. Banned Book Week was established as a way of raising the issue while celebrating free expression. This year, Sept. 23-30 marks the 25th annual "Banned Book Week."

Judith Krug, director of the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom, cited possible factors for the decline:

1. Librarians are better prepared to organize community support on behalf of a book
2. Online content could be taking the focus away from print

The ALA defines challenges as "formal, written complaints filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness." For every challenge listed, about four to five go unreported, according to the library association.

Topping the list of the most "challenged" book of 2005 was "It's Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health," by Robie Harris. J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye," Judy Blume's "Forever" and Robert Cormier's "The Chocolate War," continue to be among the top ten. They are usually challenged because of "sexual content" and inappropriate language.

I like the remarks of one reporter.

"The Catcher in the Rye"? Can't folks find a new book to ban? It's 55 years old, for goodness sake. Holden Caulfield is on social security.