A short list of books kids should not be allowed to read.
Download the Bushwick Song of The Week — “The Need to Believe” by Joy Mills | inspired by the poetry of Gabriela Denise Frank
Last week was Banned Books Week and a good time to reflect on how the tiniest of offended sensibilities turn people into moralistic monsters that believe they are saving humanity by plucking The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the shelf. All sorts of nonsense happens when people get in it in their heads that they are doing something “for the children.” Last week we got to revolt against the high-minded book-banning enemy, fly our freak flags, and advocate for the younger versions of our weird little selves. Let kids read what they want, we rallied!
Why did the Riverside Unified School District ban The Fault in Our Stars? They claimed it was because they didn’t want “kids dealing with their own mortality” but we all know it was about the sex. Everything is always about sex. And in this case it’s pretty ridiculous, considering that the sex in the book is just a do-you-want-to-yes-okay-now-fade-into-black-next-chapter-it’s-morning-and-look-at-the-beautiful-sun-do-I-look-different?
However.
It came to me today that there actually are some books that might not be super cool for highly impressionable 10 year-olds. There might be some things that are better left for an older, wiser reader who has already, let’s say, figured out that her math teacher was a pervert when he reached out and caressed her bare leg as she stood next to his desk collecting her homework assignment. We can’t stop children from being introduced to the evils of the world, but some things can maybe just be introduced a bit later. There are at least five things I think we probably shouldn’t let 10 year-olds read:
In November of 2012 Bushwick teamed up with Jack Straw Productions to create original music inspired by the Jack Straw Writers Anthology 2012. For this event, each Bushwick artist was paired with one of the writers from the Anthology. And it was the poetry of Gabriela Denise Frank that inspired Joy Mills to write this song.
“The Need to Believe” by Joy Mills | inspired by the poetry of Gabriela Denise Frank
5 Books 10 Year-Olds Probably Shouldn’t Read
/4 Comments/in Uncategorized /by Cassie CrossA short list of books kids should not be allowed to read.
Song of The Week: The Need To Believe by Joy Mills | inspired by the poetry of Gabriela Denise Frank
/0 Comments/in Song of the Week /by Mike VotavaDownload the Bushwick Song of The Week — “The Need to Believe” by Joy Mills | inspired by the poetry of Gabriela Denise Frank