Teens NEED Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Today, Christie Tweeted me this:

Talks Cancelled for YA Authors Meg Medina and Rainbow Rowell | Blogging Censorship http://t.co/UnGdNuMxxx @TLT16
— mz_christie (@mz_christie) September 17, 2013

In a nutshell: Two authors – Meg Medina and Rainbow Rowell – had separate school visits scheduled at different schools.  Both of the schools got squeamish about the content of the books and quietly uninvited the authors.  This is not the first time this has happened.  For example, Ellen Hopkins was famously uninvited to a festival in Humble, Texas.  So I went on a Tweet Out against censorship.  It went something like this.

ELEANOR & PARK by @rainbowrowell is a beautiful and important book. Teens need tools for dealing w/real life. BKs are 1 of them.
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

Now, in protest to the censorshop of @rainbowrowell. I shall Tweet quotes from ELEANOR & PARK. Tweet your faves at #EleanorPark
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

“I want everyone to meet you. You’re my favorite person of all time.” #EleanorPark
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

“You can be Han Solo,” he said, kissing her throat. “And I’ll be Boba Fett. I’ll cross the sky for you.” #EleanorPark
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

Join me in Tweeting quotes from ELEANOR AND PARK by @rainbowrowell in protest of this http://t.co/H0QMw9QxB7 #EleanorPark
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

Here is a whole page of amazing quotes from #EleanorPark by @rainbowrowell http://t.co/vWQvUadgBY
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

Important themes in #EleanorPark by @rainbowrowell include Bullying, Poverty, Family, Abuse and Falling in Love. These are real life issues.
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

Yes, they cuss. Yes, they have sex. Yes, they drink. But if that is all you get out of reading the book, you are reading it wrong.
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

So why you are trying to “protect” teens from the bad in #EleanorPark by @rainbowrowell, what about the teens living that life right there?
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

What are we doing to protect them from the men that abuse them. 1 out of 3 girls are abused by the time they reach 18.
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

So are we really protecting them when we try to keep these books away from there? No, I say we are hurting them. Because we need to be real.
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

We need 2 empower them by being honest about life, being honest about emotions,& bringing dark secrets 2 light so we can stand against them.
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

Keeping bad things in the dark doesn’t make them go away. It is only when we bring them into the light that they are exposed & we can stop.
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

Also, #EleanorPark is an empowering story about escaping, growing into who you are, finding true love. And asking for help when you need it.
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

The Eleanors of our world need us to talk about the things to help give her a voice & to end the crap we do to each other. #EleanorPark
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

Everybody go buy a copy of ELEANOR & PARK by @rainbowrowell & send it to Anoka-Hennepin School District in Minnesota http://t.co/H0QMw9QxB7
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

We hurt our kids when we don’t talk honestly about bullying and abuse and sex. Because then they don’t have the right information.
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

Then they don’t know it is wrong or that they should ask for help or how to ask for help. Withholding information leaves them unempowered.
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

Then they don’t know it is wrong or that they should ask for help or how to ask for help. Withholding information leaves them unempowered.
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

If you really love your kids and want to protect them, then you have to talk honestly with them about these things. The more you know.
— TeenLibrarianToolbox (@TLT16) September 17, 2013

@TLT16 Couldn’t agree more. As long as things remain taboo, they have a power that can become malign. It’s all about communication!
— Andy Robb (@ThatAndyBloke) September 17, 2013

Here’s the deal, we can say what we want about what children (teens actually) should be exposed to, but then there is real life.  There are teens in EVERY SINGLE TOWN AND CITY living the life of Eleanor.  Who is protecting them?  We’re not by keeping their story silent.  Books give them voices, and when we say their stories aren’t something we should be reading we silence those hurting teens, sweeping their pain and abuse under the carpet and allowing it to continue in our silence. 

 Here’s Rainbow Rowell discussing the situation.

Filed under: Censorship, Eleanor and Park, Rainbow Rowell. Author Visits