Banned Books Week 2021
My Hair is a Garden by Cozbi A. Cabrera--picture book
A young Black girl named Mackenzie runs to her neighbor, Miss Tillie for hair help after being teased one too many times at school. Miss Tillie tells Mackzenie how she nurtured the beautiful garden in the backyard and explains how to care for Black hair to keep it healthy and beautiful. The back matter contains tips on how to care for Black hair.
I liked the metaphor of the garden and the beautiful illustrations but this book didn't hit the mark for me. I'm not the intended audience. I also didn't understand why Mackenzie's mother doesn't know what to do with Mackenzie's hair. That's never fully explained. The journey towards healthy hair Miss Tillie takes with Mackenzie provides good lessons for anyone, not just girls with hair like Mackenzie's.
Banned because.....? This book affirms the identity of Black girls and gives them confidence to wear their hair naturally. Is that a bad thing?
Nothing Stopped Sophie: The Story of Unshakable Mathematician Sophie Germain by Cheryl Bardoe--picture book
I've never heard of her! What a formidable team she would have made with Ada Lovelace if she had lived a little longer. Sophie Germain was a self-taught mathematician at the time of the French Revolution and Napoleonic France. She figured out how math can explain vibrations and her discovery has led to the building of modern skyscrapers and bridges. She was truly remarkable. I enjoyed the story a lot.
The illustrations are kind of old-fashioned and I like them that way. They're not computer generated or collage style or cartoony. The way the numbers swirl and loop around really adds to the story and emphasizes Sophie's genius. I don't know what they mean though and neither does the illustrator. This book is a good read for all curious minds probably school age and above.
Contains author's note: More about Sophie, "Is this math or science?", Discover the effects of vibration yourself and selected bibliography.
Banned because....? Yes sexist attitudes existed in the 18th and 19th-centuries continuing today. Banning this book is sexist!
Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress by Christine Baldacchino--picture book
Little Morris Micklewhite is a young boy who chooses this tangerine colored dress from the dress-up box at school because of the color. The color reminds him of the sunset, his mom's hair and his cat! He loves the way the dress swishes and his heeled shoes click click across the floor. Other kids at school are mean to him and tell him he can't wear dresses because he's a boy. That makes Morris sad and he gets a tummy ache. While he's recovering at home, his Mommy makes sure he knows she loves him and lets him wear the dress. When he goes back to school he has a fun adventure in his imagination and other kids are jealous. When they come along they see how much fun it is to play with Morris in his imagination and how cool the color of his dress is.
In 2016 a dad in Michigan tried to ban this book because it was 'promoting another life' and may give boys the idea to wear dresses. This dad said his son’s 'right to his freedom of religion wasn’t addressed at all and instead another way of life is just put right in front of him.'
In 2019 this book and three others were challenged by public petition in Orange City, IA's public library. Some conservative and evangelical community members were worried the library was giving away LGBTQIA+ materials to pre-K kids using tax dollars. These people wanted the four books to be shelved separately from other library materials. One local religious activist checked out the four books, then burned them live on Facebook!
I honestly don't understand the fuss. The author doesn't include anything about gender identity or sexuality. Morris is a little boy, like preschool age and has a lovely and lively imagination. We could all learn a lot from Morris about the power of imagination and being true to who we are. He's very sweet and the young reader will feel bad because Morris is being bullied and learn to have empathy for him. The young reader will then learn not to judge others by what they choose to wear. Morris is a good friend to have because he knows how to have fun and that's the only takeaway from the story. Some people need to actually READ the book before they start objecting to it.
Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal--Picture Book
Aww this book is so sweet! A young Latina girl, Alma, dislikes her name because it's so long and doesn't fit on a page. Her dad explains how she got her name. She's named after several ancestors and as her dad tells her the family stories, she sees connections between her past ancestors (and her dad) and herself. The story is based on the author's childhood experience of hating her name but learning to love it and embrace it once she immigrated to the U.S. from Peru.
This is the CUTEST, loveliest simple story. Any kid can relate to Alma and family stories are so important. I love that the text is in English (there's also a Spanish language version) but the text within the illustrations is in Spanish so readers have a chance to learn Spanish. Alma's family is from Peru. I enjoyed how the illustrator drew the pictures from a child's perspective. They really look like a kid took crayons and drew her own interpretation of the stories her dad was telling her. They're simplistic but sweet.
I'm stumped to find a reason as to why this one is on the banned list!
