Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Ellen Wittlinger's SANDPIPER Under Attack in Alabama

Is there something in the air? Another AS IF! member is under fire for a book she's written. This time, it's Ellen Wittlinger and her wonderful and wonderfully thought-provoking young adult novel, Sandpiper. A teenager in Alabama checked it out from her school library, and was so offended by the book's content that she decided, with the support of her grandmother, that she wasn't going to ever turn it in again.

Alas, this is a very common tactic on the part of book censors, so I hope this teenager doesn't think she's being particularly clever. These folks seem to think that by destroying public property, they're "protecting" society from some nefarious "evil"; we at AS IF! think they're depriving others of the fundamental right to decide for themselves what books they want to read and striking at the very heart of what it means to be an American--and that they're stealing to boot.

You say "potato," I say "potahto."

But why am I blathering on when we have the oh-so-eloquent Ellen Wittlinger to tell us exactly what she thinks about all of this?
I was surprised at just how chilling it was to read in the Tuscaloosa News that a fifteen-year-old girl, Lysa Harding, and her grandmother were calling my novel, Sandpiper, “offensive” and “sick.” I know that there are people in this country who, in the name of religion, feel high school students should be kept as ignorant of sex as possible, but I was shocked that the girl herself was equally afraid of knowledge.

Lysa says, “At my high school they teach abstinence and no sex before marriage, but then all the book is teaching is how to do those things.” Which tells me that she didn’t read past page two on which there is one paragraph, six lines, describing the protagonist’s take on oral sex. The last line of the paragraph is, “It’s like I’m not even there anymore.” Hardly a recommendation or a how-to guide. This is the only sex in the book except for a near-rape at the end, also not an advertisement for early promiscuity.

The reason I wrote a book on this subject to begin with was because I kept hearing about middle-school girls who were very blasé about oral sex. They didn’t think of it as “real” sex. They also didn’t enjoy it much, but it was becoming a cool thing to do. It seemed like a worthy topic to tackle in a book, but I knew if I set it in a middle-school I’d have lots of parents upset with me, so I made my protagonist a fifteen high school girl, an age at which there are probably very few students who have never heard of oral sex.

Of course, the bottom-line, as always, is that Lysa Harding didn’t have to read the book if she didn’t want to. But there are no doubt other students who do want to read it and she should not be able to decide what anyone else can or cannot read.
And if you're reading this, Lysa, please know that among the 86 members of AS IF!, there are almost certainly some of your favorite authors (definitely some of mine!). Be aware that virtually all of us, including these authors of the books that have inspired and enchanted you your whole life, are saddened by your actions.

31 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Saddened, maddened, horrified . . . at the actions of the censor, of course, because the book is gorgeous.

12:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am a library studies grad student who lives in Tuscaloosa, and I was extremely disturbed by this story. It seems that it is just as Wittlinger has said--the girl either hasn't fully read the book, or she just isn't intellectually mature enough to understand the point of it. But, of course, too often in this world people form opinions in the midst of ignorance. If this girl retains this attitude throughout her life, she's going to miss out on a lot of riches the world has to offer. I feel sorry for her.

As a library employee, however, I think she's just a thief. :)

1:27 PM  
Blogger Allison Madsen said...

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3:54 PM  
Blogger Allison Madsen said...

Allison said...
I plan to discuss this situation on my teen blog for my public library's celebration of Banned Book Week later this month. My library is in an extremely conservative and wealthy community. Many of my teens are raised with the same attitude as this young girl. They would prefer that I refrain from ordering books that are 'questionable'
However, I believe so strongly in intellectual freedom and the freedom to decide for yourself what you should/shouldn't read, that I will always support authors that ask us to think and step outside our comfort zone to think about things that are timely and relevant.

To Ms. Wittlinger; I think you will find that there are more of us for you than against.

Now, won't she be charged for the book? Does that mean that her money would go to supporting a library she is protesting against?

I fully agree with Amy's comments.

4:01 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

There are so many things- important things- that we do not discuss in our society. This is a great book that provides an outlet for such discussion.
-Just one Young Adult Librarian's opinion...

4:17 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

the sad/funny/ironic/pick-your-adjective result of Lysa's actions will probably be to actually sell more copies of the book. If she really wants to make an impact, she needs to learn how to create thoughtful, supported arguments about specifically why the book is "dangerous," not just steal it, get fined, have it replaced, and have a book on her hands that she doesn't want.

9:08 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great comments! This article has been "farked" by fark.com . . .

http://forums.fark.com/cgi/fark/comments.pl?IDLink=3066534

11:09 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Can we donate more copies of the book to the library?

3:16 PM  
Blogger SafeLibraries® said...

For discussion's sake, here is the information on the book, and it contains one of the relevant excerpts the author mentioned, from the Coshocton Public Library in Ohio: Sandpiper / Ellen Wittlinger

(The link appears on the web site of Citizens of Public Education, not affiliated with my own efforts other than borrowing web space.)

6:15 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Given the near absolute statements some of you seem to be making, one wonders if your members would think that it was censorship to take "Hustler" out of a grade school library.

Not all censorship is a bad thing and people under 18 have no business reading EVERYTHING that is in print.

9:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Perhaps some people such as the aforegoing "Anonymous" do not understand standard library procedures.

Books are chosen for acquisition by the library based on that library's stated policies. If one would like to challenge a book's presence on a library's shelves, every library has procedures in place for doing just that.

Removing material from a library simply because one does not like it is more properly called "stealing."

Perhaps Anonymous would like to expand upon the example s/he provided, and share the name of the school district which acquires copies of "Hustler" magazine for its grade school library. I'm sure we'd all be eager to know.

- Jeni in Maine

8:14 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Must be a pretty evil book -- it's already turned one girl and her grandmother into thieves!!

Don't they have courts and police and such in that podunk state?

2:32 PM  
Blogger Lisa said...

Ironically, I have done YA booktalks in this same high school and know for a fact that one class reads Chris Crutcher's Ironman without a problem.

Their library has a good up-to-date YA collection. It is sad that this one student (and her actions) takes attention away from all of the great reading going on in the school. The majority of students I have met there are reading many current YA books (YAY!) and are open-minded and mature in their thinking.

Even though we are in the middle of the Bible Belt, because this is a university town, most of us recognize "citizens" like this. I think most tend to roll their eyes . . . I am sure another copy (or two) will wind up in the library and be checked out more than if she had not said a word in the first place. And, I know I plan to be back out there in the spring doing more booktalks.

7:48 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am a senior Brookwood High, and many of us see it as simply a cry for attention gone to far. Personaly, i love our library and i love our book club, and no one at our school has ever taught me personaly to be pro abstinence or against it. It makes me sad that our school, with its acomplishments, potential and good qualities, has been seen in such a negative light becasue of one girl and her grandmother. I have not read the book yet because, as you know, the book has been taken our of out library by this girl, but from what i have read in reviews (ect.) is that the book is rather wholesome compared to some other books on the sheleves, not only our school, but other high schools and public libraries.

7:00 PM  
Blogger MmGunter89 said...

(Brookwood High Senior again)
p.s. I was in a class that read Chris Crutcher's Ironman and it was lovely, and I agree that our YA books are wonderful.

7:16 PM  
Blogger SafeLibraries® said...

"'Sandpiper' Survives Challenge," by Lydia Seabol Avant, Tuscaloosa News, December 11, 2007. http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20071211/NEWS/712110305/1007

9:46 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Does anyone respect/consider the idea that whether you agree or not, she is making her own moral statement??
To the librarians -While her method was not very 'smart' or effective - if she is willing to pay for the book is it really stealing??

4:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Those who come across saying that this book is "disturbing" and "sick", clearly you must not like facing reality. This book potrays a troubled teenager who does not like the person she has become. If you actually read and study this book, you will discover the talented & friendly side of "Sandpiper". Though i cannot admit that this story was completly relatable, there were still situations which made me think of my own life.
This also is, by far, my favorite book & is on the top of my list.
It's one of those stories that you keep thinking about & can't wait to read some more.
All I can is how much I loved this book..If only there was a sequel!
haha. Thanks Ellen :]

9:35 AM  
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9:48 PM  
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3:38 AM  
Blogger Amira said...

I read this book in just a few hours yesterday, and it immediately made my Top 10 Books List. I am outraged and mortified at Lysa's behavior. She obviously didn't read past the first chapter and missed the whole point and message of this book. It's not encouraging ruthless teenage sexual behavior, it's showing readers a possible reaction if one does partake in such actions. This spectacular piece of literature is not focused on sex, oral or otherwise. I am only 12 years old, and I felt that this was perfectly appropriate for mature (pre)teen readers. I agree that Lysa has a right to state her beliefs, and if she wanted to have the book be removed from her library, she should have confronted the librarians. She has no right to decide what is proper reading material for those around her.
Ms. Ellinger: I love all your work, but this stood out for me, because Piper and Walker remind me so much of 2 other characters of yours, Bree and Leo in the book The Long Night of Leo and Bree. Even how Piper and Bree dislike the names given to them by their parents, and pick nicknames. The Long Night... is by far my favorite book. Thank you for being such a wonderful author! -Amira

1:39 PM  
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