Banned Children's Book, Newberry Award Winner
@GardenGerty (160978)
United States
February 18, 2007 6:55am CST
Would you want your 9-12 child to read a book that mentions a dog getting snakebit on the scrotum? Under what conditions? I probably would have read this book at home to them but I am not certsin I would want it in the libraries, and I do not think it would have been appropriate to the classroom setting. I think the word is essentioal to the plot, as I understand it. Parents of readers, and others, please respond, this is creating quite a stir.
8 people like this
22 responses
@cjthedog64 (1552)
• United States
18 Feb 07
I haven't heard of this. I think a book aimed at that age group would probably handle the subject ok. I could actually see the word "balls" used before scrotum though. I think kids that age tend to know about anatomy enough to at least know that it's a sensitive place and that the dog is probably really hurting. If the book is more graphic than that, I think I'd avoid it at school, but maybe encouraging kids to read it at home would be good.
3 people like this
@APMorison (424)
• United States
19 Feb 07
If you don't want your kids to read a particular book, find, dandy, make certain you read the books first and decide but to not have it in the library, sorry honey, not your call or anyone elses. What comes into your house or what your kids read, call away - do your thing - review the books.
Banning books means No One gets it and that's not in any one person's purview. I get annoyed when some group or other starts trying to ban books. Banning books is not the job of the public. Directing your children's reading - that is your job. Making it hard for anyone else to get the book - foul play.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (160978)
• United States
19 Feb 07
This has been a fun, and thought provoking day regarding this discussion. For the record, my kids are 27 and 30, and people often thought I was too free with what they read, or saw on movies, but I watched the movies in question with them. I find, thinking about this book, that I identify with the description of what the girl felt about the word "scrotum". I was an avid reader, found a crime novel my dad had, and I was young enough I could not get the meaning of "torso" from the context, did not own a dictionary, other than elementary school level, and it did not have that word. I was sure it was a dirty word. We give words power. I find I am more protective of the students I am around than I was of my kids, because I went to the library with them, and read with them. I do know that some books are on a parental approval or age restriction, in some libraries, and that might be a good solution. I have read all of the posts and thank you all for your good discussion.
1 person likes this
@pendragon (3348)
• United States
18 Feb 07
Since half the population reading the book, including children, have a scrotum, what's the big deal? It's not slang,the more we keep some issues so secret and appalling we're going to create interest in just why those issues/words are so bad.It's a part of the body, what if a kid gets bit by a snake there, he won't know what to tell his folks.Knowledge and stories and situations should be left up to the reader as to what they can handle, and this is just about a term, not offensive and used correctly.
2 people like this
@mari61960 (4893)
• United States
18 Feb 07
Well put, I agree completely. If they don't know the word by that age...well it's time they did.
2 people like this
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
18 Feb 07
I don't agree with banning books. Who decides what should be banned and what shouldn't? So many want books banned because they mention a normal body part or a normal bodily function (I've seen some wanting to ban books because it has the word menstration in it) and yet they will allow others because they like the book. There is one book that is in almost every library I know, it mentions rape, sodomy, wars, has sexually based poetry in it, murder, self mutilation and a host of other things and yet it's still allowed. For the record that big book is The Bible.
Leave the books in the library. If you have a problem with your child reading a book then you tell them they can't. You parent your child and let others parent their children. Let them decide if they want their child to read a book. Instead of demanding that a book be not allowed for any just worry about your own. That way everyone wins.
@olaff123 (433)
• Namibia
18 Feb 07
I think it is really ridiculous to go on about this, as half the readers have one. Sure, they will giggle a bit, but at least they will have learned a new word. And why shouldn't it be in libraries, Danielle Steele has a few words in her books that will definitely turn your hair grey, and she's on the shelves. By the time I was 12, I have read all the 'dirty' words, and I'm not bragging about it, but I'm sure most 12 year olds are aware of them.
2 people like this
@revdauphinee (5703)
• United States
18 Feb 07
true and as with the harry potter books dont you feel some folks are just looking for something to complain about I do !all the harry potter books said was that good prevails in the end what is wrong with that !I myself am a christian but some folks just go looking for something bad every where and as the old saying goes if you look you will find!
1 person likes this
@dopey22girl (3319)
• United States
18 Feb 07
Hang on...because I'm kind of confused. What book is this that is banned? Because you didn't mention the title. I think if it was a Newberry Award Winner it couldn't be that horrible. Maybe the area where the dog gets bit is a little inappropriate. I guess for me to be able to give my opinion on the book I would have to read it first, and determine whether or not I think it's inappropriate.
2 people like this
@enchantedleppard (1541)
• United States
18 Feb 07
I can agree with this comment totally. I would have to read the book first before a valid opinion would be given. What is the title?
1 person likes this
@creativemuse (193)
• United States
18 Feb 07
The question should be-who has the right to ban a book? Do you want the Government or the School district saying what your child can and cannot read? Check out the list of banned books on the ALA (American Library Association) website. The Bible is on there, along with many others for reasons that you will not believe. As far as the word scrotum, it is anatomically correct and better than some other terms that may have been used. If you don't want your kid reading something that is your business, but no one has the right to say a book should not be in a library. If you can't trust your kids not to check something out that you object to-go with them.
@Tatsuya (1149)
• United States
18 Feb 07
I probably wouldn't let me nine year old read a book like this. Now, a twelve year old would understand a little bit better, but the word in question is a little risque for me. I would hope that this isn't on a school reading list because of that. For older students I can understand. When I was in high school I had to read Othello, and that story has incest and gore in it. He kills his father, sleeps with his mother, and has kids. When he realizes that it was his mom, he gouges out his eyes. That is a bit risque as well, but you just have to be a certain age to read it.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
18 Feb 07
Are you allowed to mention the name of the book here?
I would want to read the story first if there was any doubt.
I don't think I would read it to a 9 year, maybe not a 10 year old, as they may not know the word scrotum, and that would require a whole lot of explanations.
I would read it to a 11 and 12 year old.
1 person likes this
@highflyingxangel (9225)
• United States
18 Feb 07
Wow, I can see the controversy here, but I think I'd let them read it. I mean for one, it is a part of a person's body. The body is not dirty, every guy has one, and almost every female will come into contact with one.lol. Kids know things earlier and earlier anyway. So by keeping the book from them doesn't not mean they won't know what it is. You'd be surprised at how many of those kids know what that is already at that age.
1 person likes this
@XxAngelxX (2830)
• Canada
18 Feb 07
I think I would prefer to read the book myself before making a decision on whether it should be banned from the classroom, but with not having read it, I don't really think I'd have a problem with it if it's using the proper terminology. Perhaps another part of the dog could have been used, but really I see no problem with kids knowing the "real" words for anatomy and I can't see that it would cause that much of a problem. Knowledge is power and I think being educated about certain things helps to solve the curiosity and prevents children from exploring certain things on their own.
1 person likes this
@yanjiaren (9031)
•
18 Feb 07
wow this is controvertial...maybe because kids always go a bit purile at that age ..they want to show that it is just a normal part of the body..this is what i suspect..but i think if i were writing the same book i would choose another part of the body..but hey that's me..a lot of people would find it distasteful for kids of that age to be exposed to this..
@Anniedup (3651)
• Richards Bay, South Africa
18 Feb 07
Yes kids are like that at that age, and I think I'll go with yanjiaren on this one. Pick another part of his body, there are so many controversies out there why let a children's book stir things up to high heaven. Maybe to sell? Just a question not a judgment
1 person likes this
@melissacus (441)
• United States
18 Feb 07
oh jeeeez. so a book is getting banned because it mentions the word scrotum?? it's part of the human body and people need to get over it. seriously now. people these days are getting butthurt about the smallest of things it's borderline ridiculous to me. there are aids and hurricanes and people starving in africa and here we are whining about the word scrotum in a book. society has evolved into a bunch of whiny spoiled brats if you ask me. you should consider yourself lucky you're not the parent of one of the many kids who encounter teachers who molest them, or who kidnap them. come on...scrotum...my golly.
@hamster1 (4)
• United States
19 Feb 07
I am both a parent and a elementary school teacher. I believe we give power to things we avoid BY AVOIDING THEM. CHildren infuse extra power in words when they don't fully understand the words, or when our reaction to them is aghast, or we chide them for using/knowing the word. For the age group 9-12, if we explain what a word like scrotum means, we diffuse the 'OOOOH!' factor, and just make it an anatomy term.
Secondly, as a free society, founded on the principles of open expression, belief,we must defend the right of those who speak about things anathema to us lest we lose the right to speak our truth. When one is disenfranchised, we are all disenfranchised.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160978)
• United States
19 Feb 07
I think you have hit the nail on the head as far as words and power goes. When I worked at a preschool level with Head Start, we would have a certain number of children who were accustomed to getting attention by using unacceptable or even hateful words. When they saw that it did nothing to affect our relationship to them, the words diminished.
@vmoore709 (1101)
• United States
18 Feb 07
I wouldn't want my child to read about that. Why on earth would the author write that I wonder. I'm sure the dog could have been bitten somewhere else. I'm shocked that they would even publish it for that age group.
1 person likes this
@irisheyes (4370)
• United States
18 Feb 07
What's the book? Newberry winners are usually so carefully choosen, I find it hard to believe one of them could be banned.
@GardenGerty (160978)
• United States
18 Feb 07
Susan Patron, The Higher Power of Lucky. I think people should read the book before deciding, and I will probably see if the public library can get it for me.
@Bee1955 (3882)
• United States
18 Feb 07
As much as TV shows - especially the Funniest Videos ones - show men and boys getting hit in the groin, I dont think it would hurt by reading it to them - if anything it would make them feel sorry for the poor dog - especially the boys. Under 9 I would object, but over 9 years old they have seen it on TV already.
1 person likes this
@kathy77 (7486)
• Australia
18 Feb 07
No I certainly would not want my children at this age to of read this particular book at all, I think that it is disgusting and should be banned in schools and libraries as it certainly does not sound appropriate at all for any child to be reading this kind of book and even myself I would not read such a book.
@revdauphinee (5703)
• United States
18 Feb 07
I just hear about this on the news If the word is used in context I see nothing wrong with it however before id ok it for kids I d have to read it myself first!
