I kill the mockingbird

I KILL THE MOCKINGBIRD by Paul Acampora. Roaring Brook, 2014.

Lucy, Elena, and Michael are pleased to see that TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is one of their choices for summer reading. It is already one of their favorite books and one that their late beloved teacher Fat Bob loved, too. They know all too well, though, that not everyone is psyched about reading the book and hatch a plan to make TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD irresistible. A little help from the internet, some "misplaced" copies in bookstores, and soon their "I kill the mockingbird" plan has gone viral. Will the consequences be something with which the three can live? Will there be other repercussions? This novel considers all things literary and some very non-literary things as well as, over the course of a summer, demand for the book increases, a friendship is on the way to possibly becoming something more, and a town witnesses some magic.

The literary references are sure to please readers who are well read, but all readers are certain to find an element of connection in this novel about books, reading, teachers, love, cancer, small towns, and more.

#SpeakLoudly

Isn't it ironic, don't you think? A little too, ironic. Apologies to Alanis Morissette for the theft of lyrics, but they seem all too appropriate as we once more honor Banned Books Week and are, once more, witnessing situations that would deny free speech and freedom of expression. It is here on my own campus this time. Here is the link to the latest in the story:


Here's the thing. I might not like the speech posted by students (and I really hate to see vulgarity in lieu of true expression), but there are two things that bother me more. One is that a professor cut down the speech and then the police took down the entire posting claiming it violated the law. The one bright spot is that there are organizations out there like FIRE who immediately protested the incident.

There are rumors abounding here that there may be social media policies being put into place for students and for faculty. This makes me nervous as well. The word "policies" has the word "police" contained within the letters. My Spidey-senses are already tingling.

I am wearing my #SpeakLoudly button this week and have several on my desk for colleagues who want to join me. We need to continue to #SpeakLoudly, defending even the speech and expression of those whose ideas we find abhorrent. That's what makes #SpeakLoudly more than a slogan. Join me? And join in the Virtual Read Out:

AMERICUS

AMERICUS by M.K. Reed and Jonathan Hill (First Second Books, August 2011) is a graphic novel about censorship. Neil is a middle school student who somehow manages to tolerate the bullying and teasing. His friendship with Danny helps a lot. So does their mutual love of a series of fantasy novels they both have read over and over again. And then Danny is shipped off to military school when he announces to his fundamentalist parents that he is gay. Next, Danny's mother spearheads a campaign to rid the library of the series Danny and Neil love. <349>

If this were not happening all over the country, someone could rightly criticize books like this for being diatribes. However, just in the past week, the same three books that caused a stir in the fall are once again on the chopping block: SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE, SPEAK, and TWENTY BOY SUMMER. Two of the three board members voting against the books admitted they had not read them. So, how far away from the truth is this piece of fiction. Pair this with the GN version of Bradbury's FAHRENHEIT 451 for the beginning of a ladder on censorship. Add in THE SLEDDING HILL, MEMOIRS OF A BOOKBAT, and THE LAST SAFE PLACE ON EARTH for a start.