Hartsfield, D. E., & Kimmel, S. C. (2021). Supporting the right to read: principles for selecting children’s books. The Reading Teacher, 74(4), 419-427. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1002/trtr.1954

For this activity I chose to analyse the above peer-reviewed journal article by Hartsfield and Kimmel. I achieved this by reading the article, highlighting important points, re-reading the article and taking further notes. I then read additional articles by other authors to study the subject further and consider the ideas and thoughts shared.

The article discusses the role educators play in the selection of literature for children and the issues surrounding pre-emptive censorship. Hartsfield and Kimmel aim to provide support to educators through the provision of selection principles which can facilitate a selection process free of pre-emptive censorship. The selection principles take into consideration the curriculum, relevant interests, reading level, literary excellence, diversity and author credibility (Hartsfield & Kimmel, 2021).

This was an informative article and I noted that these authors have co-written numerous articles on the topic of censorship in children’s literature. Prior to reading this article I had not heard of the term pre-emptive censorship. I learned that pre-emptive censorship occurs when a person chooses not to select a book based on personal disapproval or opinion. I have witnessed the use of pre-emptive censorship both in my workplace and as a parent. As a library assistant I find parents are wary of inappropriate content, often not allowing their child to read certain books based on reputation. Understandably, as a parent you naturally seek to shield your child from exposure to distressing or harmful information. However, restricting access to certain books may inhibit a child’s ability to learn and gain valuable information that is applicable to their own circumstances (Hartsfield & Kimmel, 2020).

Allowing children access to a diverse range of books that may mirror their own life or provide a window of access to new ideas and experiences is critical to a child’s personal development (Hartsfield and Kimmel, 2021). This enables them to better understand others who may be different to themselves and develop empathy. Diversifying literature can also help children learn about people from other cultures, religions and socio-economic situations. Children may also identify with the characters which may allow them to better understand their own identity and build confidence within themselves.

Hartsfield and Kimmel’s article was mainly targeted towards educators within the classroom setting, however; the information is still applicable to library staff. In my workplace we are often asked for book recommendations and understanding readers’ individual needs is critical. It must be considered that what is suitable for one child may not be appropriate for another child of the same age. Selection greatly depends upon individual life circumstances, maturity, reading capability and the child’s interests. This may be challenging when selecting a book for a group of children. Different parents will have differing opinions, which is why it is important to form partnerships with parents and enable open communication (Fanetti, 2012).

When dealing with controversial material, prior preparation is also critical in ensuring that staff are fully prepared to handle any complaints (Downey, 2017). Collection development policies can help guide staff to confidently defend the collection. While completing this activity, I realised that I am not familiar with the collection development policy at my workplace, particularly regarding potentially controversial material. I think by reading the collection development policy I can better understand our collection and prepare myself for any future censorship issues.

References

Downey, J. (2017). Public library collections in the balance: censorship, inclusivity, and truth. ABC-CLIO, LLC. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

Fanetti, S. (2012). A case for cultivating controversy: teaching challenged books in K-12 classrooms. The ALAN review, 40(1), 6-17. https://doi.org/10.21061/alan.v40i1.a.1

Hartsfield, D. E., & Kimmel, S. C. (2020). Exploring educators’ figured worlds of controversial literature and adolescent readers. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 63(4), 443-451. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1002/jaal.989

Hartsfield, D. E., & Kimmel, S. C. (2021). Supporting the right to read: principles for selecting children’s books. The Reading Teacher, 74(4), 419-427. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1002/trtr.1954