So, last night I was all stretched out on the couch in front of the fire, happily reading Rachel Vail’s, IF WE KISS, when I discovered a new kind of censorship. Apparently, if you don’t like something in a library book, you can just take a felt tip pen and cross it out. Yep. Someone did that.
The characters are getting ready for a Halloween party and it goes like this: Darlene wanted to come over before the party, too, so I said sure, despite the dreading that she’d be dressed as usual, as a prostitute.
Apparently, a previous reader did not think that it was appropriate for YA readers to read a word like prostitute, so said reader drew a thick, blue line through it. The stupid thing is, not only could you guess what she was going to say from the context, but you can still see the word if you hold the book up to the light. Way to go! You successfully brought to the attention of all future readers the exact word you objected to in the first place!
I object to characters referring to others as “tards” or “retards”, but I never thought to just black it out with a Sharpie! Silly me. Just look at all the opportunities I’ve wasted. I could’ve been telling all kinds of people, especially easily influenced teens, what to think and instead I’ve just been reading along enjoying the story.
What drives you crazy in library books?
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