Censorship In Children's Literature: Textbook Analysis

In this week’s readings there were many topics covered. In the textbook is where majority of the topics are covered. In chapter one it goes over what is needed in a good piece of children’s literature, different time periods in history and reading, English language learners with books, and censorship. In chapter two it goes over settings, characters, and plots, which are all important. Chapter three covers a lot about picture books, the different kinds of picture books that are available, and the different types of artistic media used within picture books. I also read ten picture books this week which varied in topics some of which included accepting others, loving your family no matter what, and being grateful. The first assigned article this …show more content…
Censorship is “to deny someone access to books or ideas” (Temple, Martinez, Yokota, 2015, p. 17). Censorship is most commonly done with literature that involves sex, violence, or magic (Temple, Martinez, Yokota, 2015, p.17-18) It is harmful to put so much censorship in children’s literature because it is “the opposite of true education and learning” (Temple, Martinez, Yokota, 2015, p. 18). So much censorship creates a “sterile conformity and a lack of intellectual and emotional growth in students” (Temple, Martinez, Yokota, 2015, p.18). An article I read had similar viewpoints to the textbook and it was titled “Creating a Controversial Picture book: Discussions with the Creators of and Tango Makes Three”. The article talks about a book titled and Tango Makes Three and about the fact that censorship is a problem. It states that if the book in question is seen as “inappropriate” then the book is put through “a controversial debate” and if the book is seen a bad way during this debate then “it may fall victim to censorship” (Young, 2011). The book and Tango Makes Three, is about two same sex penguins and their baby penguin. The book was taken out of some schools and public libraries because parents did not like the fact that the book had two same sex parents. One parent went on to say that “they don’t want the book taught because they think that it’s going to make their …show more content…
Some of the categories are toy books, which are the kinds that young children often play with or are more fun like “pop up” books, concept books which are there to teach something like “alphabet, numbers or colors”, and wordless books which gives the “opportunities to imagine what the words could be” (Temple, Martinez, Yokota, 2015, p.52). Within the different styles of picture books, are the illustrations on the covers and on the pages which is done using different techniques which is referred to as artistic media. Artistic media is what the illustrator uses to create those images on the pages. Some of the different ways of illustrating the picture books are paintings, drawings, paper crafts, three dimensional arts, scratchboard, photography, computer generated and mixed media (Temple, Martinez, Yokota, 2015, p.60-63). This week I read ten books that all were different in not only topic, but in their artistic media and styles. Comparing two of the books I checked out from the library, I picked the oldest one I checked out and the newest one I checked out. The oldest is titled Marshmallow, and it was published in 1942. When look at the artistic media it is done in “charcoal” (Association for Library Service to Children, 2001, p. 138). The other book I am comparing is The Adventures of Beekle, the Unimaginary Friend