Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers - ALA Banned and Challenged Books

Some Girls Are

I couldn't get into the book, but I tried and made it about 3/4 of the way through.

I couldn't empathize with the main character. Nor could I sympathize.I wasn't a bully (though we all have times of bullying through the heard,) nor was I bullied in high school. I didn't let it get that far. The drug and alcohol abuse in the book wasn't believable for when I was in high school, nor for the people I spoke with who are currently in high school.

Each new page for me was a cringe. Adults seemed aloof and involved with BLATANT abuse within the school. They didn't follow up with the student in question that had been good students then skipping suddenly. No follow up with rumours that were spreading. No follow up with rotting MEAT in a locker of a student.

None.

No peep.

Even in the school systems where I live that are lower-income or no, staff and faculty would follow up with at least one or ALL of the issues addressed above.

I feel the school and adults in the book aren't believable, as well as the relationship(s) Regina has "post-breakup."

I usually adore YA novels and can easily see this, that, and the other thing happening.

This one, unfortunately, was not my cup of tea.

I wouldn't recommend this book to anybody. I see it as just perpetuating abuse, addiction, sexual and physical violence, and no good ways to get through the bullying as the bullied or bully.

On Good Reads I give this star a 1 and a "tried and didn't finish."



This book was on the Banned and Challenged list 2015-2016 for the following:

Pulled from the freshmen Honors English I summer reading list at West Ashley High School in Charleston, S.C. (2015) after a parent complained about the novel’s dark and explicit content. The book is about a high school senior who is ostracized and bullied by her former friends after she reports an attempted rape by a popular boy.

https://www.ila.org/initiatives/banned-books-week/books-challenged-or-banned-in-2015-2016 

Tell Out Story, I Will by Jeanne Lee

Wow.

It has been a while since I updated a post about books. I am hoping to get into the habit again. I have read an abundant amount of books that I want to make sure I remember that I read, and the following is one of those books!

I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Jeanne and learn some about her sons prior to hearing about her book relating to the eldest, Zack, and the family's growth with learning to work with his Autism diagnosis.

Tell Our Story, I Will reflects the world that a mother, and family, goes through when figuring out their children, coming into the world of medical diagnosis, treatments and "cures," as well as navigating puberty, social skills, every-day life skills, and communication.

I love the straight-forwardness of the book form Jeanne's POV. She details her own thoughts and struggles, the passion she has for her children, the courage and assistance she gained from various people in her life, and an informative view into Zack's life through bits of his own words, emails, phone calls, and texts.

Just as Jeanne stated in her book, there is a lot of scary technical data and books out there for people starting to learn about their emotional and mental health, and when dealing with some so young, we strive to hear about some of the good that is out there. With raising any child, there are ups and downs, and I think this book is a great way to hear "take one day at a time and learn a few tricks from the one(s) you're learning with."

I am looking forward to hearing more about Zack's antics and the family's life as they all continue to grow together.

Thanks, Jeanne for this amazing book and a look into your personal life. It was a fantastic read and I wish you all the best.

Burned (Burned #1) by Ellen Hopkins

Burned is much like all of Ellen Hopkin's books: dark, prose, challenging. We follow Pattyn, teenager growing up in a Mormon household in Utah with her six sisters, emotionally absent mother, and abusive alcoholic father.

Early in the book, we learn Pattyn is challenging her beliefs and the Mormon church, questioning her place in the world and how much control she has over her own body and mind. She eventually starts dating a boy at school after he discovers her passion for using the Utah dessert for target practice. Pattyn starts to question and challenge her parents' authority by lying, talking back, and eventually drinking and contemplating having sex with her boyfriend, which ended with her father walking in on her drunk with loose pants.

After discovering her mother is pregnant with a seventh child, this time a boy, Pattyn's father sends her off to her Aunt Jeanette's farm where Pattyn learns what it feels like to be liked and loved unconditionally.

Falling in love, learning what a good physically exhausting work day feels like, and figuring out personal beliefs, Pattyn doesn't want to go back to Utah to finish senior year of school, but she must, and then can go wherever the wind brings her, which is into the arms of Ethan, her light in a dark place.

Upon return home, she finds life had shifted, but not for the better. Abuse has shifted from her mother to her favourite sister, the elders of The Church pressure her and her family, and incident after deadly incident, Pattyn vows to take the lives of those who caused her the hell she lives on earth.

Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher- ALA Banned and Challenged Book

I had read a Chris Crutcher book whist in high school and forgot how much I love his style of writing and Whale Talk did not disappoint.

While trying to keep a friend from being bullied, and to prove a point in a small city's high school, The Tao Jones (pronounced The Dow Jones), challenges himself and a handful of other misfits from the school to start a swimming team to earn, ultimately, letters.

TJ prides himself on being one of the only people of colour in his high school and is often verbally assaulted for being part African-America, part Caucasian, and part Japanese. He also prides himself on being tough to get onto sports teams. Thanks to a past of physical and emotional abuse, TJ's anger management issues deter him from teaming up with any athletic club at school, to much annoyance of the coaches. He changes his mind shortly after witnessing the school bully picking on a mentally handicapped student who wears his deceased brother's letterman jacket, stating it is school policy that only people who have earned their letters be allowed to wear the jackets.

TJ bands together a fat kid, a one-legged jock, a motormouth, a mentally different friend, and himself to form the school's first swim team in years. Together, the team not only challenge themselves physically, but also emotionally when they boys create an almost awkward friendship with each other and their obscure coaches, showing that, no matter the background, anyone can be a letterman.

Below are reasons why this book has been challenged over and over. Knowing where this fictional town is located in Washington State, I have no doubts that the raciest remarks and abuse coul dbe every-day for a person of colour. The language in the book, I feel, is normal teenager language when adults are not around to hear. I don't agree with the pulling of the books for these reasons because Whale Talk is such a good book for reluctant or slow readers. It also teaches teens how to stand up for others and how to make lasting friendships.

I would recommend this book to reluctant and low-level readers and any reader who loves a good sports book.


2004-2005
Whale Talk. Greenwillow. Removed from all
five Limestone County, Ala. high school libraries (2005)
because of the book’s use of profanity. Removed from the
suggested reading list for a pilot English–literature curriculum
by the superintendent of the South Carolina Board of
Education (2005). Challenged at the Grand Ledge,


2005-2006
Whale Talk. Greenwillow.
Removed from all five Limestone County,
Ala. high school libraries (2005) because of the
book’s use of profanity. Removed from the suggested
reading list for a pilot English-literature
curriculum by the superintendent of the South
Carolina Board of Education (2005). Challenged
at the Grand Ledge, Mich. High School
(2005). Source:


2006-2007
Challenged at theMissouri Valley, Iowa High School (2007) because the book uses racial slurs and profanity


2007-2008
Challenged
at the Missouri Valley, Iowa High School (2007) because
the book uses racial slurs and profanity. Challenged as an
optional reading in a bullying unit at the Lake Oswego,
Oreg. Junior High School (2007) because the novel is
"peppered with profanities, ranging from derogatory slang
terms to sexual encounters and violence." Students are
given a list of book summaries and a letter to take to their
parents. Four of the eight optional books offered are
labeled as having "mature content/language." Source: May
2007, p. 98; July 2007, p. 149.
de Haan, Linda, and Stern Nijland.

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

I tried to listen to Elsewhere while doing my work and, though I liked the concept of the book, I really didn't care for the audio version. The person reading, Cassandra Morris, chose a really obnoxious voice to read in for the character.

Lizzy is self-centered, pushy, and overall a little shit of a teenager. After waking aboard a ship to Elsewhere, Lizzy learns that she died in a car accident and is on her way to the afterlife.

I loved the idea of a huge ship bringing people to Elsewhere and the concept of decreasing in age until the day one became a week old and was then reincarnated into a new life on Earth. LOVED the concept. The character, I couldn't get into. I may try to read it, but I don't recommend the audio.

I didn't finish this book. I got about a quarter into it and couldn't handle the audio and main character any longer.

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow- ALA Banned and Challenged Book

1984 meets "Red Dawn" and "War Games." 

I am glad that I listened to this as a book on tape because I don't believe that I would be able to get through all the technological information thrown at me through the book.

I liked where this idea could have gone: techie kids playing a find-and-seek game using wifi connections in the city when terrorists blow up part of the city. Panic starts. Marcus and his friends playing the game were black bagged and picked up by Homeland Security. After being released with all but one of his friends, Marcus goes on a viral vendetta against his torturers. 

I don't understand tech very well, so, again, I am glad that I listened to this novel rather than read it physically, and feel that I would have shut the covers shortly into the book.

I feel that I don't get any closure to the bombing terrorism that is happening in the city while Homeland Security is busy trying to capture these techie kids. There are constant reminders that "we're fighting terrorists from Al Qaeda" but never do we see what is happening with these agendas.

Regarding why the book was challenged and removed, I feel that is little compared to the other themes in the book: torture and false imprisonment of teenagers. I don't understand why hacking is the bigger issue instead of the TORTURE and falsifying information in the name of Homeland Security.

This book was on the most current banned and challenged list. Little Brother was removed as the approved reading assignment in the Pensacola, Fla. (2014), One School/One Book summer reading program by a high school principal because it promoted hacker culture. The principal “made it clear that the book was being challenged because of its politics and its content.” In response Doctorow and his publisher sent 200 complimentary copies of the book directly to students at the school. 

I would recommend this to teenagers and people into tech. It was good.

Deenie by Judy Blume- ALA Banned and Challenged Book

Deenie by Judy Blume was cute and quick.

Deenie, who's mother wants nothing but to have her daughter on a modeling contract, learns that she has scoliosis after trying out for the cheer leading team at school. Deenie and her family struggle to come to terms that the youngest of the household is required to wear a metallic contraption for four years.

In the mean time, Deenie learns that she was selfish and mean when it came to differences in people, and learns how to accept people who are different, including herself.

It's a good book to present to middle school age groups regarding social interactions, sexuality, and unexpected changes in life.

The subject matter that the parent challenged regarding masturbation was tasteful. Due to the book being based in the 1970's, it makes sense that Deenie doesn't understand that she is masturbating and that it feels good and why it feels good. She speaks about her "special place" and touching it in very appropriate situations (alone in the bathtub and in bed.) A FLASH-like (Family Living and Sexual Health) class in the book brings up the word "masturbation" and Deenie then realizes what she is doing and that it is natural and safe.

Would reccomend.

Challenged by a parent in the Spring Hill Elementary School District in Hernando
County, Fla. (2003) due to passages that talk frankly about masturbation. The board decided to retain the title, but require students to have written parental permission to access the novel.