Quick thoughts of the day: Don’t have knee jerk reactions to this story: http://www.theatlanticwire.com/entertainment/2013/08/masturbation-gets-book-banned-summer-reading-list/67872/ — the inclusion of Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian probably does not belong on a summer required reading list (with required writing assignment attached) for INCOMING 6th Grade students in the first place!
And … seen on twitter – a list of YA books for adults who will NOT read YA. And Reluctant Adult YA Readers have to be cured… because……?
Fairrosa Cyber Library 
To make this book required is misjudged. Yes, the book should be available and even recommended but obligatory – no. Overlooking what many students and their parents are comfortable with at eleven-years-old just gives the likes of FOX news the opportunity to diminish one the best YA books of any and all time to “a book on masturbation”. Sometimes I feel like well-meaning educators show up with the kindling for the book burners.
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“Sometimes I feel like well-meaning educators show up with the kindling for the book burners.” That’s such an image… I am not saying that there are no 11-year-olds who are able to appreciate, process, and even benefit from reading this book. I just won’t give this to a bunch of incoming young students without first knowing who they are as readers.
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Exactly. I would never tell my students what they should or shouldn’t read, but having a relationship with them helps me understand what different children will be ready for and guide them appropriately. I, personally, would have died of embarrassment at the age of 11 or, 18 for that matter, if I’d read Alexie’s book, but I think at least one of my own children would have loved it at that age.
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