Warning: Reading May Lead to Thinking

Charlotte Agell on book bans

This week, we unveil the first of Charlotte Agell’s visual takes on the potential impacts of the Christo-Fash takeover on the world around us. Charlotte, the author and illustrator of many books for kids and young adults, has a strong voice and playful and mischievous style. In her inaugural Crash Report contribution, for instance, she warns of pending dooms, but also shows us that the kids — especially the readers — can potentially save us.

Before we get to Charlotte’s words and pictures, though, a brief aside about the Crash Report and the paywall installation. As I may have mentioned, this endeavor is funded by readers paying seven bucks a month or seventy-five annually. And, as a reward to those subscribers, they skirt the paywall and have early access to new Crash Reports, plus entry to the Chud-Free Chat™, our members-only community bulletin board. Also, paid subscribers are invited to join a monthly Crash-Call™ (via zoom) during which I answer questions, discuss reporting projects, investigative journalism techniques, chud-hunting, hog-raising, goat-tending and more.

That being said, the paywall construction is a dilemma fraught with conflict. On one hand, there are bills to be paid. And having a paywall is the best way to suggest to frequent “free” readers that becoming a paid subscriber helps everyone involved.

Conversely, we consider the work we’re publishing here to be meaningful. And in these crazy days, it feels counterintuitive to block access to stuff that could be helpful to the masses.

Thusly, sometimes Crash Reports will have a 24-hour paywall. And some will not. However, those “free” Crash Reports will include a “house ad” for various entities, including contributor books, favored charities and other Crash-related endeavors. Such as (below) the micro wedding and elopement venue located on our farmstead in the western Maine foothills, where I can officiate your marriage or bear witness to hand-fastings and other commitment ceremonies.

Now, on with the show.

Reading is Thinking

Listen to Charlotte in this audio clip.

Everything seems to be on the chopping block these days. Farm grants. Federal park staffing. Free meals for kids at school. The right to read. While most of my books are picture books, I do have some longer works. Two of them were challenged. My dystopian novel Shift, which came out in 2008, was about the United Christian States of America. (A "wolf in sheep's clothing” mixed with “End Times for Profit” satire).

I remember being at a public event for the book and people would ask me, "Why do you hate Christians?”

Shift was really my attempt to figure out the power dynamics of fundamentalism. And to ask the question, "is it ‘Faith’ if you are being forced to think it?”

I guess some folks do not appreciate satire.

The other “challenged” book was The Accidental Adventures of India McAllister, which came out before Marriage Equality was written into law. India is 9-years old and her father is gay and lives with his male partner. Her mom is an artist. There is a sketch of a breast (oh my!) in the book.

I'm not sure what the problem was, the breast or the gay dad, but at a conference someone introduced The Accidental Adventures of India McAllister this way: “This is a disgusting book.”

Today, there are so many challenged books. Books that folks want to ban. Sometimes as innocent as In the Night Kitchen in which Maurice Sendak dares to draw a penis in a book for kids. As if children had bodies. It’s scandalous! it’s also scary. it’s also silly.

Here’s to the freedom to read. To be in community through the exploration of what it means to be fully human. As Maine author and my neighbor and friend Cindi Lord is fond of saying, “If we don’t go there with children, they have to go there alone.”

Here’s to fighting book bans. Here’s to talking to kids about this stuff. Any stuff. And, especially, listening to what they have to say. Here’s to an informed citizenry. Reading is thinking.

There are so many reasons to hug a librarian today! Go hug a librarian today.

Charlotte came to Maine from Sweden, via Hong Kong, for a liberal arts education and the 70s rock n' roll. (Who isn't searching for a heart of gold?) She's a lifelong public school teacher and the author/illustrator of many books for children and young adults. She believes that artists are emotional first responders and that art gives you questions, not answers. Which is why art is so dangerous and so necessary.