FINAL: PROFESSIONAL BOOK REVIEW

Becker, Beverly C. and Susan M. Stan. 2002. Hit List for Children 2: Frequently Challenged Books. Chicago: American Library Association.


For as long as libraries have existed, there have been challenges to the material that this selected for the shelves. The American Library Association, ALA, Office of Intellectual Freedom is continuously receiving reports of censorship attempts. The Director of the Intellectual Freedom Office Judith Krug says, “…some challenges actually prove to be valuable learning experiences for most of the parties involved” (preface, ix). While these challenges may prove to be learning experiences, challenges from parents and the community can be overwhelming and intimidating. Librarians may not know what to do or where to turn. This books offers information and lifelines for a librarian in the midst of controversy.

Hit List for Children 2: Frequently Challenged Books presents case studies for over forty books that have been routinely challenged. Each case study is separated into an individual chapter. These chapters are organized alphabetically by the author’s last name. A table of contents outlines the authors and books included. A concluding appendix provides information, websites, and other helpful support for librarians who are faced with a censor.

Each case study is presented in the exact same manner. It opens with a brief summary of the book. If an author has more than one book included, a summary for each book is available. Excerpts from positive reviews accompany each summary. After each summary, a brief outline of challenges the book has faced are listed. Reasons and explanations for the challenges provide librarians with the viewpoint of the potential censors. Many of challenge explanations also include the outcome of the challenge; unfortunately this is not the rule. Outcomes for all challenges are not included.

If a book is challenged, librarians will be expected to produce reviews, references, and other citations that prove the worth of each text. This information is presented in each case study. Citations for published reviews and informational articles, references about the author, awards that the author has won for this or other works, and sources recommending the books are published in each case study. This bibliographic support could prove invaluable to an embattled librarian.

The case study for The Giver by Lois Lowry is an excellent example. The first paragraphs provide readers with a detailed summary of the text. A quote from a review from Horn Book is interjected here. After the summary, several challenges are outlined and outcomes are given. Following this, users are given seven different review sources to consult. Five articles about the specific book are cited as well as four articles about Lois Lowry. Librarians faced with a challenge would find this information helpful. They do not have to search to find the support that they may need. It is provided in a concise manner.

When faced with a challenge, librarians are often overwhelmed and unprepared. Hit List for Children 2: Frequently Challenged Books provides the necessary information and support for a librarian in desperate need. In addition to the information in each case study, the appendix outlines what the American Library Association can do for any librarian in the midst of such turmoil. Censorship is never ending. In order to effectively combat this, librarians must be prepared. Hit List for Children 2: Frequently Challenged Books can provide and support any preparation the librarian has prepared or could be the sole scaffold for a censorship battle.