X-RatedChildrensBooks

Book Reviews and Interviews with Banned, Censored, Challenged Authors
of Banned, Censored, Challenged and Burned Children's Books

The X - Rated Children's Books Newsletter is no longer being written or e-mailed. Archived issues are, unfortunately, not available either. However, the newsletter's author has opened an online book shop, specializing in children's books; books of yesteryear, today, and tomorrow; books for reluctant readers, and banned, censored, challenged, and burned books. Most of the newsletter interviews will soon be on the book shop's web site. Feel free to visit at: http://www.MyFavoriteBookShop.com.	November 8, 2001 Interview: JANE YOLEN Book: BRIAR ROSE "As I write in the books I autograph, We Must Remember. And of course, story is one way we humans have of remembering."
November 18, 2001 Interview: AUDREY WOOD Book: ELBERT'S BAD WORD "When I use a wizard or suggest any form of magic in my stories, I know that I will lose a certain number of readers and sales."	December 18, 2001 Interview: NORTON JUSTER Book: THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH "Sometimes you'll get a letter that's just hilarious like, 'Dear Mr. Juster: I'm writing because I read you are still alive."
January 8, 2002 Interview: LOIS DUNCAN Book: WHO KILLED MY DAUGHTER? - Part 1 "The one thing we're absolutely sure of in our own minds is that this was not a random shooting - Kait was assassinated."	January 18, 2002 Interview: LOIS DUNCAN Book: WHO KILLED MY DAUGHTER? - Part 2
February 18, 2002 Interview: LESLEA NEWMAN Book: HEATHER HAS TWO MOMMIES "Anybody who affirms - is an 'out' lesbian like myself and writes for children is, in a sense, asking for trouble."	March 18, 2002 Interview: M.E. KERR Book: DINKY HOCKER SHOOTS SMACK "Book banning has a mystique of its own, often one person in a community is the catalyst, often a troubled person displacing her/his own misery."
April 8, 2002 Interview: LYNDA MADARAS Books: WHAT'S HAPPENING TO MY BODY? BOOKS FOR GIRLS, BOYS, and their PARENTS. "We send kids a lot of messages that this part of your body is not okay.	April 18, 2002 Interview: LYNDA MADARAS Part 2 That it's not okay to talk about sex. That there are parts of our bodies we never name."
June 8, 2002 Interview: Gloria Pipkin and ReLeah Cossett Lent Book: AT THE SCHOOLHOUSE GATE: Lessons in Intellectual Freedom. "Protecting intellectual freedom is a lifelong battle, censors are persistent, and the victories never final." (Gloria Pipkin)	June 18, 2002 AT THE SCHOOLHOUSE GATE - Part 2 "Of course, many did oppose the restriction of the classics, because it made us the laughing stock of the country." (G.P.) "I was as burned by their hatred as the books they wanted to eliminate." (R.L.) "Our critics repeatedly bristled at the suggestion that they were advocating censorship, and talked instead about 'quality control.' (") (G.P.)
July 8, 2002 Book: MAUDIE AND ME and THE DIRTY BOOK by Betty Miles July 28, 2002 Book: 50 WAYS TO FIGHT CENSORSHIP and IMPORTANT FACTS TO KNOW ABOUT THE CENSORS, by Dave Marsh	July 29, 2002 (Cont'd.) Book: THE RABBITS' WEDDING by Garth Williams Book: THE STORY OF COLORS (LA HISTORIA DE LOS COLORES) by Subcomandante Marcos
August 18th, 2002 Interview: John Gilstrap Book: NATHAN'S RUN "Nathan's Run was placed on the controversial list because 409 of the 109,000 words in the book were judged by someone to be 'objectionable.' "	September 18, 2002 Interview: Joyce Meskis, owner of Denver, Colorado's Tattered Cover Book Store "It is more important than ever in these disquieting times that we remain vigilant in protecting our Constitutional guarantees. I truly believe that the freedom to read and the First Amendment are the bedrock of our governmental system. To diminish them is to diminish the strength of our own system of government."
October 18th, 2002 Interview: Judy Blume "It takes only one parent to challenge a book. It often takes a community to defend it." ----------------------------------- "What gets me really angry these days is hearing from a young reader who says she'll lose points if she chooses one of my books for a book report."	"[Parents who read my books as kids] are my best, most supportive fans. They can't wait to share my books with their children. I've signed books to their newborns (I've signed books to their fetuses!). They bring their children to book signings. Sharing books - mine or anyone's is a great way to stay close to your kids."
December 18, 2002 Interview: Carolivia Herron Book: Nappy Hair "There's a great power in African-American call and response. It's the most significant gift African Americans have given to ourselves and the world...........in African American contexts, call and response is profoundly democratic and cannot exist without the voice of the people!"

Do you have an unusual writing job? RoseEtta Stone would like to interview you for her new column for Absolute Write, "WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT? Interviews with People who have Unusual, Unique, Novel, Unordinary, Uncommon, Off The Beaten Track Writing Careers." There is no pay for interviews, but we're happy to run your bio, photo, and links. If you're interested, e-mail RoseEtta at JRoseEttaStone@aol.com.

By RoseEtta Stone

With

Children's Author, Kathi Appelt

Florrie Kichler, Publisher

Children's/Young Adult Author, Cynthia Leitich Smith

Best-Selling Novelist, Jeanne Ray

Novelist, Jodi Picoult

Harriett Logan of Loganberry Books

Author, Rare Book Collector/ Dealer, John Dunning

Norton Juster: On Writing THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH

Irwin Gonshak: "READING, WRITING, and RADIO"

N.Y. Times Best-Selling Author, Richard North Patterson

Book Doctor, Lisa Rojany-Buccieri

WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT?
Interviews with People who have Unusual, Unique, Novel, Unordinary, Uncommon, Off The Beaten Track Writing Careers
By RoseEtta Stone

Ed Rosenthal, Best-Selling Author and Columnist on Marijuana

HOPE For Writers - C. Hope Clark and FFW

Calendar Author Thomas J. Craughwell

Jenna Glatzer, Absolute Write's Editor

Website courtesy of Absolute Write.