The Higher Power of Lucky, by Susan Patron has won the Newbery award and has been banned by some librarians and schools. The problem is one word. The offending word is "scrotum". So, the book is being banned because of one word taken out of context. The reasoning is that children should not read such words-one complaint was that quality children's books don't deal with "male genitalia".

Well, oh gosh, I agree, it is hard when vocabulary words come up in school and it has to be explained. I've seen ways to handle that, just go through every book with a permanent black marker and cross it out (no, I didn't do that). Not to worry, with all of the publicity, teachers won't have to explain, because kids will know all about it including the page number where it is found.

So, this book will be placed along with the famous Harry Potter and Judy Blume books. If you read Harry Potter, you will know about witchcraft and Satanism. If you read Judy Blume books, you will learn about menstruation and question religion. Furthermore, if you read about it, you will do it. So goes the reasoning. Maybe that's why Judy Blume books are mostly read by girls.

I don't get it. Let's protect our children from these words and thoughts, but we'll let them watch T.V. nudity and bedroom scenes, listen to profanity in music, and bring all of this to the big screen with violence and the bizarre. And, how about the actions of sports heroes, politicians, movie stars, and parents. Again, I don't get it.

I know, I'm too open-minded. What do you think? Here's the news about it: http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/childrens-book-stirs-battle-with-single/20070217193109990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001