“We believe that it is, in part, a reflection of the popularity of ‘helicopter parenting’, overprotective parents, but the impulse to restrict youth access to certain books or ideas has been with us for centuries.” “The challenges arise from the desire of parents or adult community members to shield young people from language, ideas or views that they deem objectionable or too mature for adolescents,” said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, deputy director of the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom. The ALA’s list of the year’s most-complained-about titles is topped by Sherman Alexie’s award-winning teen read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which came under fire for reasons ranging from its inclusion of violence and sexually explicit scenes to its offensive language. Put book after book after book into a kid’s hands. Reading engenders critical thinking, not to mention empathy, so don’t take a book out of a kid’s hands. “Adults who would like to police the thoughts of others might very well be acting from a place of love,” she said, but added: “Teenagers are smart. “Teen lit takes on everything – sexuality, gender identity, oppression, violence and every other topic under the sun – so it makes some people uncomfortable.
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