The Enfield, Connecticut, Board of Education has removed Matthew Loux’s graphic novel Sidescrollers from the ninth grade Summer reading list. It was removed after a parent complained about the titles use of profanity and sexual references. This is one for libraries to pay heed to because it shows that a well received title can still be challenged. Sidescrollers was a 2008 Young Adult Library Services Associations “Great Graphic Novels for Teens” list and Publisher’s Weekly praised it in it’s review. It is unclear if the Board removed it without review or if they removed it to pend review per their policy. Follow the link below to Comic Book Legal Defense Funds site for more information.
Graphic Novel Challenged in School Library
Word from the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) lets us know that a concerned parent is calling for the removal of Stuck in the Middle: Seventeen Comics from an Unpleasant Age for language and references to drugs, alcohol, and sex. The title itself was praised in Booklist, New York Times, and Publishers Weekly. The CBLDF along with American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom has sent a letter of support, to the school district for the library. Follow the link below for the full article and letter that was sent to the school on CBLDF’s website.
Publishers Weekly and CBDLF
Calvin Reid of Publishers Weekly has written an article about the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. It discusses the fund raising that the organization is doing and how comic books are being challenged in libraries or personally owned. Jump to the article with the link below.