Jacqueline Woodson is an award-winning bestselling author of children's, middle-grade and adult books. She is the (US) National Ambassador for Young People's Literature who is known for "confronting controversial subjects". Her books include topics like addiction, interracial relationships, police brutality and mass deportation. (Nothing like what I read as a kid, when life was all sunshine and roses in my world).

I just read an interview with her in which she says that her books are "being challenged all over the place" because of subject matter. She said "my books are not controversial to me. I'm writing about real life and real issues and real people".

That thought resonates with me - we're interested in our own experiences, issues and opinions, which are the centre of our world. That's what we reflect on and discuss and live by and we kind of take that for granted. Maybe we aren't so accepting when the source is different from us.

But when a person talks about their life, which comes from a vastly different place to our own, they are not being controversial for the sake of it, it's not "controversial" to *them*, as Woodson says about her own selection of topics.

As I often say, perspective is so important. It's useful to recognize that others are coming from their own angle which is bound to be different from ours. I try to see things with their eyes or at least to realize that the world can be vastly different from their viewpoint. We can be standing on the same street, living in the same neighbourhood, but have vastly different perceptions and experiences of that place. It's not all automatically the same.

Woodson speaks of her books being "challenged" (by parents, for instance). She said there are schools and other places where she is never invited to speak. Naming BYU as one such place, she said "I've never been invited to Brigham Young University, which has this huge children's literature component. I'm sure that's about race or sexuality or gender - who knows?"

I'm not sure if she is referring to a bias due to the topics of her books or if she means the bias is directed towards herself, who is described as a "black [disallowed word] woman". Either way, it's regrettable.

I also don't know why BYU would have this "huge children's literature component". Maybe for teachers in training? It would be reasonable to assume they may want to hear from a prolific, award-winning author of popular children's books.

That phrase "I've never been invited to Brigham Young University" struck me. Kinda sad.


The interview I read with Jacqueline Woodson appears in Writer's Digest, September 2018, pg 46-49. All the quotes above are taken from the article.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/2018 05:04PM by Nightingale.

I actually tried to gain admission there and was denied back in 1971. So glad in hindsight they said no.

I’ve been told that if I return to the fold, my alma maitre will name a Building after me—“The Boner Center for Sexual Studies.”

Nightingale Wrote:
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> I also don't know why BYU would have this "huge
> children's literature component".

Probably for indoctrination.

Is she also disappointed that she’s never been invited to North Korea?

Ironically, there she would be welcome. But who in their right mind would go?

Yes, it is very common for elementary and early childhood teachers in training to have a semester length course in childrens' literature. We used to call it "kiddie lit." Childrens' literature also comes into play for virtually every subject area. For instance, teachers who are introducing young children to division will often start the unit by reading aloud, "The Doorbell Rang," a tale in which 12 cookies must be divided and re-divided as guests continue to arrive. Teachers who wish to teach about economics might read aloud, "A Chair for My Mother" by Vera B. Williams (a story in which the family's house burns down, and they must save for a new chair.) There are numerous other examples. A solid knowledge of children's literature is an essential part of a teacher's toolbox. And it is not at all unusual to invite published authors to campus to speak to classes of prospective educators.

The trend toward "keeping it real" in childrens' literature has been going on forever. Many of you will recall "The Diary of Anne Frank" from your schooldays. There are many other examples, some for older children and some for younger children. One of my favorite childrens' novels is "Tuck Everlasting" which has death vs. eternal life as its theme. That is rather heavy stuff for a 4th or 5th grader.

Even Hans Christian Anderson, writing in the mid-1800s, was rather dark. "The Little Match Girl" and his original telling of "The Little Mermaid" come to mind.

So IMO Jacqueline Woodson is part of a story telling arc that is far from new. It is a shame that BYU does not care to consider her ideas.

And the Brothers Grimm were very Grim.

I may have inadvertently given a wrong impression with my subject line. I chopped up the article to focus on BYU, due to our main interest here at RfM (Mormonism).

The author herself, and the interviewer, were not making BYU their central theme. One of the topics of the article I'm quoting was that the author's books are being "challenged" by some parents (as being unfit for their kids at school due to subject matter). The author said she wasn't always aware of where and by whom she was being challenged because "it's not like I would know that, right? It's not like someone's calling me up and saying, 'Yo, we challenged your book in Waco, Texas'". She went on to say "I know that it's a place I never get invited to do a school visit. I've never been invited to Brigham Young University, which has this huge children's literature component" (meaning, as summer elucidates above, that it would seem like a natural, given that she is an award-winning author of children's books and they have a big selection of same and she is an invited speaker around and about).

So, Ms. Woodson wasn't complaining about BYU not issuing her an invitation. She isn't pining to go there. She just used it in the interview as an example of a school, among others, that has not invited her to be a guest speaker. She doesn't really know why. She is postulating it's due to "race or sexuality or gender", as stated in my opening post. As I also said there, I'm not sure if the author means *her* race, sexuality and gender or that of characters in her books. Maybe both? (Because she herself ticks the three (dreaded!) categories, being black, a member of the LGBTQ community, and female).

So here is my tortured clarification, to ensure I didn't accidentally misstate the situation. My original purpose was to point out that BYU popped up in a place I least expected it and, sadly for them, but predictably, doesn't come off too great. Unless they have so many award-winning authors among their guest speakers they just don't have time for any others?

Scary, if it's deliberate, that a university would be so closed to free flow of ideas. But we're not surprised. Unfortunately. Wouldn't you rather hear ideas and debate them and make your own mind up than have somebody else decide what you should hear and what should be kept from you? Especially in your supposedly most prolific learning years?

And again with the books. Trying to hide away books the leaders (in any situation) don't like. {{shudder}}

I haven't read that issue, yet.

Yea, we can Wonder the reception she would get if she was a great white man or at least if her name was Woodrough U. Coursecut or Noone B. Tamer, Oricher, Purchase A. Temple or Hairold N. Gray, and Aboutodie,... or at least sounded masculine and saintly and she didn't look like a beautiful black woman.

Hope she doesn't spend too much time - or worry - at blacks and Mormons, or is it Mormons and blacks, black 'LDS', or zip!, what was that "official" 'LDS' site for "'colorful' Mormons"?

She should speak up and stand out
Oh, maybe she is, hence the shold coulder? LDStINK doesn't like individuals. Even a family woman can be a threat to the leasthood.