Leonard S. MarcusRecensioner

Gr 7 Up—Introduced by a brief history of the struggle over intellectual freedom in the United States, this anthology
documents conversations with authors whose books for young people have been frequently and famously banned.
Each conversation is prefaced with an engaging summary of the author's life and work. Those studying freedom of
speech will find important primary sources and gain insight into the harmful impact of censorship on individuals and
society.

I enjoyed this book, though it was not always heart-warming to read about an admired author's quirks and imperiousness. She was a complicated person, with a rich artistic and spiritual life, and it's clearly not easy to keep all that together with family life/public persona/etc. Glad I read it, though, and it's pointed me to another memoir by her friends that I think I shall also have to read. And to go look through my library to see if I still have my Madeleine L'Engle collection.

L'histoire de l'édition des petits livres d'or, partis de France pour les Etats-Unis puis revenus en Europe.

How appropriate that I have been reading this book...since my library is currently being challenged by a far right wing of extremists who are seeking to ban books. I don't care if you agree or not with LGBT or Christianity or whatever and what not....IT IS NOT GOOD WHEN WE TRY TO IMPOSE BELIEFS ON OTHERS. (And I say this as a white heterosexual Christian)

I have some killer quotes forthcoming!! Anyone who wants to reflect on the power of words, here from these popular authors who have been "silenced" for one reason or another. It's a good read. And timely.

FROM SYNC: Multiple narrators reenact interviews with authors on censorship and free expression. The discussions are between editor Leonard S. Marcus and 13 authors of controversial books for kids and young adults. Narrator Tom Parks reads all of Marcus’s interview questions; each chapter features one author represented by a different narrator. Parks’s delivery style is stiff, but the authors’ answers seem genuine and conversational. Narrator Janet Metzger is particularly good at narrating author Katherine Paterson’s (BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA) sharp-witted Southern-accented responses. Narrator Thom Rivera is also upbeat and enjoyable as author David Levithan (BOY MEETS BOY). Narrator Susan Dalian ardently delivers Angie Thomas's answers and her explanation of the connection between THE HATE U GIVE and hip-hop.

Censorship has been around for a long time. Much of the time it is politically motivated. Is it right for a few to tell everyone what they can and cannot read or say? Hear what some famous authors have to say about their experiences with censorship.
The interview format of this compilation of stories about authors who have faced censorship brings to light the true feelings of people being silenced for presenting their own cultures and views. These stories could be selected to be read aloud to start the conversation about censorship. It would make a great addition to a banned books week display. Students will be able to read about how real people are affected by censorship not just the books.

Synergy: Abraham Lincoln

ABRAHAM LINCOLN (1809-1865) served as the 16th president of the United States. Leading the nation during the American Civil War, he abolished slavery, preserved the nation, and modernized the economy. He was assassinated just days before the end of the war.

Read the recently published work of nonfiction for middle grades, then learn more at the websites:

MR. LINCOLN SITS FOR HIS PORTRAIT by Leonard S. Marcus uses a historical photograph to jumpstart a discussion of Abraham Lincoln and a day in this life. The author’s use of historical photos, artifacts, and timelines along with the short text blocks will draw the attention of young readers. In addition, youth will enjoy the way Lincoln’s son Tad is woven into the narrative. This book provides an engaging alternative to the many traditional Lincoln biographies already available in the library. ARC courtesy of Farrar, Straus and Giroux, an imprint of Macmillan.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN is an article from National Geographic Kids providing an introduction to Abraham Lincoln.

To read the article, go to https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/abraham-lincoln.

THE MASK OF LINCOLN is an online exhibit from the National Portrait Gallery sharing photographs of Lincoln during his presidency.

To explore the exhibit, go to https://npg.si.edu/exhibit/lincoln/.

Reading the Classics with Ilan Stavans (NYPL/Jones Library)

Saw at the Carle Museum shop

Read the introduction (to p. xli), mainly a biography of Norton Juster and Jules Feiffer, how they came to collaborate on The Phantom Tollbooth (and, much later, The Odious Ogre).

Author's notes to two characters he ultimately chose not to include in The Phantom Tollbooth: The Exact Moment (1. the Exact Moment you pass from wakefulness into sleep, 2. the exact moment water becomes ice, 3. the exact moment forward motion becomes backward motion, 4. the exact moment good becomes bad) (xxix)

"Fairy-tales were plainly not primarily concerned with possibility, but with desirability" (Tolkien 1966) (xxxi)

"for it goes without saying"
Here the author makes a place for his favorite childhood pun (79)

You might think that all writers have a similar response if their book is banned or challenged, and to some extent you'd be right. For example, nearly all the writers featured in this collection say that they understand that parents who seek to have books removed are doing it out of love and a feeling that they need to protect their children. I'm not sure I actually agree with that, but I appreciate the impulse behind such a generous interpretation. Beyond that, the writers' thoughts vary quite a bit.

Through the interviews in this book, Leonard Marcus gives readers insight into not just the writers' responses to having their books banned or challenged, but also into their writing processes. This book is certainly a must-read for fans of any of the included writers, and for defenders of intellectual freedom, but also for anyone interested in hearing writers' thoughts on their own work.

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.

I was a volunteer in a school library for many years, and the very concept of this book, encapsulated in the title You Can't Say That is quite scary. I will never be in favour of banned OR compelled speech. How do we, as a society, decide where the boundary is between on the one hand free expression and history and on the other contemporary ideals governing those concepts, with an eye to improving the state of disadvantaged individuals? And how does this play out in what is available for young to people to learn from? Is it best to only young people to read "approved" ideas? Pretty much all these authors would disagree, but a few of them are part of a movement which is just substituting new "approved" ideas for previous ones.
Altho I felt that the interview format brought the author forward a bit too much, some pretty important kids' and young adult authors contributed their thoughts. And unfortunately the vast majority of the writers were 50 or 60 years old or more, only one young-ish writer was included at all. I particularly enjoyed Dad Pilkey's contribution - I used Captain Underpants to read my little girls in French and Italian so they would get some current colloquial vocabulary in those languages. I actually sought the potentially offensive as that is where kids live in language. Additionally interesting is that he used making comic books as a way to help himself thru ADHD, an actual therapeutic goal that might that should bring his work forward rather than lead to its banning.
This is an interesting book for those interested in this idea, and to hear from the actual creators of works challenged for their content.

Madeleine L'Engle is perhaps best recognized as the author of A Wrinkle in Time, the enduring milestone work of fantasy fiction that won the 1963 John Newbery Medal for excellence in children's literature and has enthralled millions of readers for the past fifty years. But to those who knew her well, L'Engle was much more besides: a larger-than-life persona, an inspiring mentor, a strong-willed matriarch, a spiritual guide, and a rare friend. In Listening for Madeleine, the renowned literary historian and biographer Leonard S. Marcus reveals Madeleine L'Engle in all her complexity, through a series of incisive interviews with the people who knew her most intimately. Vivid reminiscences of family members, colleagues, and friends create a kaleidoscope of keen insights and snapshop moments that help readers to understand the many sides of this singularly fascinating woman.

“Don't join the book burners. Don't think you're going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed. Don't be afraid to go in your library and read every book...” --Dwight D. Eisenhower

You Can't Say That is a set of 13 interviews with authors of banned books. They talk about their experiences, what books inspired them, and why they write. It is a good book, designed well and belongs in the young adult section of your local library.

Matt De La Pena
Robie H. Harris
Susan Kuklin
David Leviathan
Meg Medina
Leslea Newman
Katherine Paterson
Dav Pilkey
Justin Richardson
Sonya Sones
R. L. Stine
Angie Thomas

So many good authors/books on this list and I've added their bibliographies to my TBR excel spreadsheet (now at 8812 entries). I have read a number of them and I think The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas should be on every American bookshelf. Dav Pilkey gives me a warm feeling when I think about reading his books to my daughter.

Keep fighting for books, keep fighting for authors.

Synergy: Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week is an annual Fall event celebrating the freedom to read. Launched in 1982, it seeks to promote awareness of book challenges and express support for intellectual freedom. The event is intended to draw attention to the harms of censorship.

Read the recently published nonfiction for young people, then learn more at the websites:

YOU CAN’T SAY THAT! compiled and edited by Leonard S. Marcus shares the experiences of thirteen authors for young people who have dealt with censorship. Each writer discusses their thoughts on free expression through interviews by the book’s compiler.

The BANNED BOOKS WEEK website is maintained by the ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom and Banned Book Weeks Coordinator in partnership with a coalition of groups supporting intellectual freedom. The website contains news, promotional tools, event information, virtual read-out videos and other useful resources.

To visit the website, go to https://bannedbooksweek.org/.

ARC courtesy of Candlewick Press.

"You Can't Say That!: Writers for Young People Talk about Censorship, Free Expression, and the Stories They Have to Tell" offers an insider's look at the author's craft and how they respond to challenges to their work. These interviews, conducted by author Leonard S. Marcus, offer insight into each author's approach to their writing but focus mainly on the push back they have received for their work. The end result is an engaging if somewhat meandering look at censorship and what it means to be on the receiving end of it.

The interviews are with authors ranging from R.L Stine (known for his "Fear Street" series and other works of kid and teen-friendly horror) to Susan Kuklin (young adult nonfiction looking at topics such as transgender teens and young undocumented immigrants) to Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell (writers of "And Tango Makes Three"). I particularly appreciated Marcus's decision to focus on children's and young adult authors, since this provides an additional sense of unity throughout the interviews and since these are the books that often draw the most ire and face the most direct and indirect censorship.

Overall, the book is enjoyable and enlightening, though it isn't a book that I would read through again and again. Instead, I see it as more of a reference book, particularly if I wanted to learn more about how particular authors handle censorship. Other reviews have noted that it isn't clear who this book is for, and I tend to agree with that summation. That said, I can definitely see it being a useful text for teachers, librarians or anyone interested in issues related to censorship and for teens who want to know more about the writing process and how authors navigate challenging topics.½

This book is fine for what it is. I wish it had been more inclusive (but that would have required a different editor). It's a collection of interviews from some really nice authors.
But who is this book for? I have no idea. Young people will not want to read it. Librarians and book lovers are going to find it too useless, too fluffy. There's nothing of substance here - no discussion of what censorship really is or isn't, no discussion about how free speech absolutism is ruining things, no discussion about the tension between the rights of authors vs readers vs publishers vs librarians. Just a bunch of fluff pieces about "hey my book got banned but it's okay because I'm such a great author." It was fine, but I can't see myself recommending it.

Norton Juster's 1960's classic, The Phantom Tollbooth is an all-time favorite of mine. It is a gem -- a book for the ages, all of them. It is chock full of wisdom. Every time you read it, you find something meaningful. Sadly, I think the annotated version detracted from the magic of the book, which is an allegory. I had to read each chapter in full, and then go back to read the annotations so as to follow Milo's adventures.

The few annotations I liked by Leonard Marcus were those regarding synesthesia and how Norton Juster himself was able to get over his own troubles with numbers by association with colors, how the wonderful chapter entitled Colorful Symphony was almost deleted by the editor, how colors were an important element of psychedelic rock in the late 1960s, Juster's decision not to include the Chocolate Mouse, and how many readers were upset that the Mathemagician's letter to his brother, King Azaz, all in numbers was not written in code. Hopefully, I have spoiled this version so all of you can read the original version, which is a fantastic 5 star read, which I recommend without reservation. Jules Feiffer's classic illustrations have withstood the test of time too.

Here are my two favorite quotes in this reading:

"For always remember, that while it is wrong to use too few [words], it is often far worse to use too many."

"For you often learn more by being wrong for the right reason than you do for being right for the wrong reason."

I was also amused again by the cure for jumping to conclusions was a swim back through the sea of knowledge.

I was hoping for more from this book in terms of reflection on what censorship is and when it's valuable and how we discern the difference between quality free expression and something like hate speech. I'm sure every one of these authors has some kind of line they would draw but this question is never asked. Unfortunately, the gist of the arguments are that censorship is always bad, we authors can decide what is right and those who oppose us are fools. I was especially interested to read Dav Pilkey's interview given that he recently self-censored by withdrawing The Adventures of Ook and Gluk from sale due to its containing "unintentional and passive stereotypes and racism." Ironically, he ends his interview by telling Marcus "I don't think book banners need my help to make them look foolish" (141). R.L. Stine also admits to self-censorship in no longer writing the Fear Street series: "It's not a good time to be killing teenagers in fiction" (185). When is a good time to be killing teenagers, I wonder? Thankfully Stephen King also saw the wisdom of this in pulling Rage from sale after it led to at least four real incidents of life imitates art in schools. It thus seems rather disingenuous of Katherine Paterson to say that kids don't imitate what they read (114).

This book was also dismissive of the very children for whom they are writing. Several expressed that it was always the adults who are to blame for censorship. Some gave parents and guardians the benefit of the doubt for wanting to protect their children but seemingly they cannot conceive that the youth themselves could have a different opinion. I still remember having to read a book for class in grade 9. It was required reading but contained a single paragraph that left me feeling icky. If that had been removed I would have much happier but I wasn't empowered to speak up and these authors seem to prefer to speak for young people rather than empower them to have an opposing voice.

I hope that in future a volume such as this can be written in which authors reflect on how and where to draw the line on permissible speech. This is especially important for the young adults to whom they are writing as they grapple with their place in this world and how to express themselves. Not everything goes and a positive, helpful reflection on drawing boundaries would greatly assist the fight against censorship.

middlegrade/teen nonfic-- interviews with a diverse bunch of leading artists/illustrators in the graphic book/webcomic format. I was expecting this to be told through more of the artists' work, in graphic format, but I guess they've probably already told a lot of those stories. Instead, we get to sit down and read conversations/interviews between the artists and the writer/editor (with samples of each artists' work). Recommended for kids/teens who are considering a similar career in this expanding publishing field.

Every librarian, administrator, and any person attempting to ban a book should read this. The candid interviews were eye-opening. Angie Thomas sums it up well when she says, "...when you ban a book, what you are essentially doing is telling kids who see themselves in that book that their story makes you uncomfortable. Their life makes you uncomfortable...I don't want to know more about you. I don't want to know you. That's the message that censorship sends."

Censorship is a contentious issue. Leonard Marcus’s new book, YOU CAN’T SAY THAT!, helps tween and teen readers understand some of the nuance that makes the censorship of books — including restricted access and unfounded challenges — so problematic.

I have been working with the topic of censorship academically for more than a decade, so I am grateful to have the chance to review this book. Leonard S. Marcus is one of North America’s top experts on writing for children and teens; with his deep and broad knowledge of the field, he is the perfect author for this title, and the book delivers.

YOU CAN’T SAY THAT! is a collection of interviews between Marcus and thirteen diverse authors whose books have been challenged, restricted, or banned outright in the United States and Canada. The conversations are much bigger than censorship alone, of course. The authors talk about their backgrounds and influences, writing process, voice, and artistic goals. Any reader with an interest in what inspires writers, how writers work out ideas, or how writers work with editors and publishers will likely enjoy the broader discussion of this volume.

Although this volume is intended primarily for middle-grade and teen readers, the accessible presentation could make it a useful primer for anyone who works with young people, words, and books. It is a sensible choice for school libraries — although, ironically, it may not be purchased by librarians who have been involved in challenges — and for public libraries that serve middle-grade and teen readers. It provides an excellent and up-to-date supplement to broader texts on the topic of censorship and book banning, and may introduce readers to new authors and titles. A solid package all around.

Is YOU CAN’T SAY THAT! going to the change minds of would-be censors? Probably not. But it is going to raise awareness of how censors work, and introduce these authors and their books to a large audience of young readers, inviting them to engage in critical thinking and independent decision making — and this is certainly the knowledge the upcoming generation ahead needs.

Pandemic read. Thank you to Library Thing and the publisher for sending me this copy. Though it was not what I expected, there were conversations with several authors with whom I am familiar. The format took me a little to get used to, but there are gems on these pages, and also a lot for me to learn about the art of writing in today's world (as well as yesterday's). I have been a proud supporter of reading banned books, since the inception of the movement, and will remain so.½

Leonard Marcus has put together a set of interviews with children's and young adult authors whose books have been challenged or outright banned. I enjoyed the collection and found it most interesting how attitudes have changed over the last 20-40 years; there has been a great revolution in literature, and marginalized voices (by race or sexual identity) have come to the forefront.

I received a free advanced reading copy of this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

I did not look too closely at the book before I requested a copy, and I was a little apprehensive that I was about to read a list of complaints about political correctness and “PC culture”. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of thoughtfulness and engagement with recurring themes of authenticity – especially regarding the representation of children’s voices – as well as the power of words, and truth and fear as opposing factors in how decisions get made in children’s media.

Each chapter is an interview between Leonard S. Marcus and a Youth, YA, children’s author/illustrator. Some of the authors I was familiar with and others were completely new to me. I was especially impressed with the interview with Katherine Paterson (author of Bridge to Terabithia). Her respect for the power of words combined with belief that we must trust children to understand what is helpful and what is hurtful for themselves and set their own boundaries in regard to consuming media is my new ideal for approaching media with my own children.

I came away with a new appreciation for the children’s publishing industry, especially editors, authors, and illustrators who are willing to stand up for their belief in free expression and authenticity in the best interests of children and adolescents, as well as a long list of books to read!

Leonard S. Marcus' collection of interviews with children's and YA authors is interesting and insightful. Each interview is a discussion with the author about their experiences growing up, on being a writer and on censorship of one or more of their books. It's a good read for anyone interested in learning about how authors decide to write on particular topics for children and teens and how they deal with the backlash from individuals who want to control what children read. The interview with Susan Kuklin was especially interesting to me,but all of them were good and touch on so many current issues. It would be great to use to start conversations with teens.

I received a free advanced copy of this book from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great discussion by Leonard S. Marcus with different writers for young people about their writing process and thoughts on censorship and challenges to their own works. Each chapter is an interview with a different YA, middle grade or children’s book author including some well known names like Dav Pilkey (Captain Underpants), R.L. Stein (Goosebumps) and Angie Thomas (The Hate You Give). There’s also some names you might not be familiar with but probably know their works like the authors of Heather Has Two Mommies, Tango Makes Three and It’s Perfectly Normal.

It was really interesting to read the authors' perspectives on challenges to their works and how that plays into their writing process. The book is also a wonderful exploration of the First Amendment and the rights of libraries to have books that show all walks of life. This is a very timely discussion on freedom of speech and censorship. It would be great for students to read as part of a discussion on that issue. It’s also great for librarians to have on hand as another example to point to for the argument in defense of intellectual freedom.