Using Historical Fiction and Informational Books Together

Reading informational books are great.  We must have them to learn about things.  However, if there is not anything to connect the facts to, then we forget them in a short period of time.  That is when the historical fiction books come into play.  Children and adults needs characters and events in stories to connect the facts to in order to remember them for a longer period of time.  It's that text-to-self, text-to-world, and text-to-text connections that they need in order to comprehend for life-long learning.  Learners need to be able to feel like they are a part of the story.  In return, the person learns about history while they are engaging in the experience.

Top Ten Challenged Books

“Not every book is right for each reader, but we should have the right to think for ourselves and allow others to do the same."      
                                     - ALA President Roberta Stevens

Roberta Stevens gives a broad statement which is true.  There are many factors to be concluded from this statement. The maturity level of the reader being one of them and another would be the parents’ way of bringing up their child. I believe that young adults should have the right to choose books of interest with guidance from a counselor, parent, and librarian.  However, ultimately, the decision should be up to the young adult.  I have read “What My Mother Doesn’t Know.”  In my opinion, the book would help a teenager’s struggles with teen sexuality, peer pressure, and boyfriends.  I have also read “Twilight” which I enjoyed the fantasy and romance parts of the book.

This is the OIF’s Top Ten List of Frequently Challenged Books for 2010:

1. And Tango Makes Three –– Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson.
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian –– Sherman Alexie.
3. Brave New World –– Aldous Huxley.
4. Crank –– Ellen Hopkins.
5. The Hunger Games –– Suzanne Collins.
6. Lush –– Natasha Friend.
7. What My Mother Doesn’t Know –– Sonya Sones.
8. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America –– Barbara Ehrenreich.
9. Revolutionary Voices –– edited by Amy Sonnie.
10. Twilight –– Stephenie Meyer.

American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF). (2011). Top Ten Challenged Books of 2010. Retrieved on July 10, 2011 from http://atyourlibrary.org/top-ten-challenged-books-2010

What makes a book controversial?

A book is controversial when the content includes sexual issues, religious or anti-religious, graphic illustration and descriptions, inappropriate language, and other issues that go against one's beliefs and morals.  A school librarian must be prepared and have in place policies and procedures that will prevent censorship and address Intellectual Freedom for Children.