This is the situation: Some guy thinks a rape scene is pornography, and wants to keep the book out of the hands of “impressionable teenagers”.
Myra McEntire has already said everything that I was thinking about on the subject. (McEntire has a YA of her own, due to be released in May of 2011, which I’ll be putting on my ‘To Get” list based purely on the linked post).
Then I realized that next week is Banned Books Week, and ideas began to form.
You see, Speak was recommended to me nearly a year ago, and I did buy myself a copy, but I’ve still not read it. It’s partly because I have so many other things on my shelf (about 100 at last check) and partly because I sort of have a feeling this book is going to be painful.
I’ve not been through the same events as the main character has, but high school was not easy for me (is it for anybody?) and I don’t revisit those days by choice. There’s a reason most of the YA I’ve read has been fantasy or urban fantasy in nature.
I think it’s time to stop being afraid. So for the next two weeks (through the end of Banned Books Week on October 2nd), I’m going to be reading Speak and discussing it here. I’m not sure what I’ll be talking about, because I haven’t read this book before, but we’ll all think of something.
On top of that, and in support of Laurie Halse Anderson and this book, I’m going to be running a giveaway. Comment on this post before 12:01 am EST on October 2nd and you’ll be entered for a chance to win a copy of Speak. And I’ll ship it anywhere The Book Depository delivers.