Hello Friends!
I know this is a week of “What fresh hell is this?” The mistake I’m making—and that I made all through the four years of Trump Round One—is reading news for hours on end, asking myself just that question. I missed a co-write on Wednesday morning, completely forgot about it, because I was pouring over news and opinion pieces. Last Friday, I forgot the time of one of my online critique groups and logged in after it was over. This week I also slept through a work session.
I need to step away from the chaos and do the work. My lifespan is a ticking clock. I don’t want to waste four more years in the anxiety whirlpool. I want to stay informed and keep up the letter writing and other campaign support. But I think I have to set a limit to my news/opinion consumption each day and adhere to it. Right now it’s about five hours per day. Maybe an hour is enough to be informed? And a few extra hours per week for the letter writing, etc.? (*How much time do you spend on news and politics on a given day?* Any helpful hints for keeping anxiety under control are welcome.)
So I got the “Substack Reads” (that is, a post from Substack itself, which is automatically sent to people who have Substack accounts) lauding free speech and saying that Elon Musk is a “vocal supporter” of free speech. My initial reaction was to find this shockingly ignorant, as Musk has removed X users, deleted comments and silenced critics on his platform. Then the deeper worry: perhaps it’s not about ignorance but about bending the knee, which appears to be the hottest new hobby among both legacy media and tech bros.
I’ve generally been lucky on Substack because I consistently engage with decent people. But a troll popped in last week because I wrote a bit about Bishop Mariann Budde in my post. I clicked on his account, where he defined himself:
I read some of his commentary. It was downhill from there. All misogyny. You don’t need to see it.
I hope Substack doesn’t become like X/Twitter. It’s been nice discussing some of the things I care about—reading books, writing books, book bans—with people who care about the same things. It’s also been nice to periodically discuss faith and religion, particularly as it relates to … books. (😉) If I can’t do that here, I don’t think there’s a place I can.
I’m writing this a few days early because I am going to hang out with my sisters in Palm Springs over the weekend. Since last week’s post centered on Bishop Budde and her hopeful message, I want to add this week that there is/was a resolution pending in the House of Representative to condemn her for her plea for mercy. I’m not even going to look to see how that panned out. Ugh.
I found an interview of Bishop Budde in the New Yorker interesting. They give her a chance to talk about the other three parts of her sermon that didn’t make the news. While the NYer doesn't give subscribers a limited number of ‘gift articles’ to hand out, I believe non-subscribers can read a few articles each month for free.
Why Bishop Mariann Budde Wanted to Speak to Donald Trump
“If you know what people are thinking about when they’re coming into church on Sunday morning, it’s very important to acknowledge that,” Budde says.
This was a key takeaway for me:
I try not to do this in isolation anymore, because I just need more eyes and ears to help me think this through. And so I was with the director of communications at the Cathedral, a dear friend, Kevin Eckstrom. And I said, “What do you think?” He said, “Yeah, yeah, put it in there.” And he himself is a gay man. And I thought, O.K. I wasn’t speaking in the abstract. These are not stick figures in my head, these are real people, my friends’ children.
Yes, she was speaking for our families, friends, and neighbors. If you think you don’t know any LGBTQ folks or immigrants, here’s a news flash: they aren’t telling you out of self-preservation. You might be too mean for them to tell you the truth.
Let’s grab hold of the positive
I really enjoy Lidija Nagulov - ArtDHD Substack because it asks important questions. It’s a nice space to ruminate in, and I hope you’ll subscribe. This week’s post:
Made me think, oh I want to support her! And there was a ‘buy me a coffee’ link, so I bought her some coffees!
(BTW—yes, I have a ‘buy me a coffee’ link, but it doesn’t work! I don’t know why, but if you click on it, it goes to a page that says, ‘this site doesn’t accept donations’ or something like that. I’m going to try and get help fixing that.)
For another place to find solace, try Dan Rather’s Steady Substack. He will periodically do a “Lessons in Courage” post. Here’s the first one. (Of course, it includes Bishop Budde, but also discusses corporations and more.)
Elsewhere, someone mentioned Heather Cox Richardson as an important person to subscribe to since she is a history professor and, in her daily posts, places everything in a larger historical context . I’d just figured everyone was already following Richardson because she adds her post to Substack, Facebook, and will also send it as a newsletter. But it was a good reminder for me—if there's a chance that you don’t subscribe to Richardson, you need to!
One of the things she included in her newsletter this week caught my attention because it mentioned Meals on Wheels:
The administration’s pause of all federal funding and grants until it could make sure “DEI” had been purged out of them cut everything from Meals on Wheels, a food delivery program for shut-ins, to education, local law enforcement, and the Medicaid on which programs for the elderly depend.
Trump/Musk’s pausing of federal funding and grants isn’t legal (and so, at least for now, not happening). Nevertheless: I have two sons that work for Meals on Wheels. One texted me that they were fielding all sorts of calls from frightened elderly folks who thought their meals would be cut off. Meals on Wheels also provides for disabled veterans of any age, so cutting them off would be quite the slap in the face after their service to the country.
Give blood
This is something healthy adults of any age can do! They don’t retire senior citizens! There are a number of organizations that accept blood donations, the biggest being the American Red Cross. But I have also given blood to the City of Hope many times. When I worked in public schools, they had LifeStream Blood Bank come to campus and we donated to them. (They work through So Cal, but blood banks are in many places.)
I recently got an email from the Red Cross with an image representing that I had donated 8 gallons of blood to them. Actually, I received an 8-gallon pin a long time ago, but some of my donations are under the name “Vicki,” so I think they got separated as two different people. At any rate, it’s fun to get little badges and pins. You can put them in a box with your scout badges. 😉
Alright. It’s my great desire to get back to talking about specific books and writing challenges next week. There are some great YA books being challenged and pulled or banned in various libraries. And since I’ve not only read them but, as a high school librarian, also talked lots of teens into reading them, I want to share them with you.
What I’m reading
I finished reading the manuscript of Scout’s Honor by Carlos Cortes. It will be published later this year. Here’s my take on it:
When Harry Vincent turns up dead at Boy Scout Camp, inquiries test the fidelity to ‘Scout’s Honor’ of his friends, patrol members, leaders, and the local sheriff’s department. All have something to hide from a curious female newspaper reporter. Through these characters, Cortes explores questions of loyalty, trust, and a shifting grasp of reality. In an era when ‘boys will be boys’ excused sexism, prejudice, and bullying, the pursuit of truth just might be a trap.
I’ve gone back to reading The Bog Wife and hope to finish it in warm, cozy Palm Springs.
Audio
I finished listening to How We Learn to be Brave by Bishop Mariann Budde. She discusses a lot of great examples, all of whom are people of faith (various faiths). Several were active in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, both well known and unheralded. She discusses Father Gregory Boyle of Homeboy Industries, whom I deeply admire.
Part 2: Let’s talk books and libraries
Unintended consequences
This little excerpt from a comment by Christina’s Substack on Kathleen Schmidt’s Publishing Confidential Substack made me realize how often I don’t think of all the repercussions of actions:
If Fed funding for libraries and schools is stopped or significantly decreased, that sales channel will crash, which will have a more significant impact than specific bans.
What that means is that authors will sell fewer books. as if things aren’t already hard enough for writers.
Book ban news
ALA to U. S. Department of Education: Book bans are real From the American Library Association
Book bans are real. Ask students who cannot access literary classics required for college or parents whose children can’t check out a book about gay penguins at their school library. Ask school librarians who have lost their jobs for protecting the freedom to read. While a parent has the right to guide their own children’s reading, their beliefs and prejudices should not dictate what another parent chooses for their own children.
The new administration is not above the U.S. Constitution. Federal judges have repeatedly ruled that removing books from school library shelves based on the objections of a person or group, or due to prejudice against a group – book banning– is unconstitutional censorship that violates students’ First Amendment rights. Already several states have wasted countless taxpayer dollars defending lawsuits that seek to vindicate students’ Constitutional right to read freely in a safe and supportive environment.
Everyone, everywhere, regardless of their age, background, or political views, deserves access to information from a wide range of perspectives and books that reflect their lived experiences. Libraries have provided that access for hundreds of years. We won’t stop offering access to the world of ideas, and we won’t back down from defending everyone’s Constitutional right to access and read any idea free from government censorship.
The 2025 Texas Legislative Session: Criminalizing Librarians and Teachers From the Texas Freedom to Read Project
In Texas, several bills have been pre-filed in an attempt to get rid of affirmative defenses against prosecution for library materials, including those that have scientific, political, artistic, or literary value. (Click the link for a complete list.)
In past legislative sessions, a number of states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, and more, introduced various bills attempting to criminalize librarianship - many of these laws have been challenged in court. While the trend of attempting to criminalize librarians and teachers is not new, it is one of the most concerning aspects of book-banning laws and policies. Historically, teachers and librarians have been exempt from prosecution under obscenity laws because they are obligated to provide access to diverse books and materials to uphold the First Amendment. In Texas, several bills have been pre-filed in an attempt to get rid of affirmative defenses against prosecution for library materials, including those that have scientific, political, artistic, or literary value.
The 23 Most Banned Picture Books of the 2023-2024 School Year from PEN America
I spend a lot more time with YA books (books for teens) than I do picture books, so I’m not familiar with many of these titles. But I have mentioned here in the past how much I love No, David!, In the Night Kitchen, And Tango Makes Three, and Baseball Saved Us. The whole thing with nudity being “harmful to minors” is insane. David’s cute little butt and Mickey falling through space in the nude. Toddlers all have butts and they’ve seen them. All toddler boys have little boy penises and lots of sisters have not only seen them but taken baths with them. (Is any parent crazy enough to bathe their preschool boys and girls separately? All that extra time. All that wasted water.)
The article linked above includes links to purchase each of the books. Here are the titles:
1. And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell,Justin Richardson, and Henry Cole, 7 bans
The heartwarming true story of two male penguins at the Central Park Zoo who adopt a baby penguin.
2 (tie). The Family Book, by Todd Parr, 5 bans
The Family Book celebrates families of all kinds — big or small, messy or clean, or with two moms or two dads.
2 (tie). Julián Is a Mermaid, by Jessica Love, 5 bans
Inspired by women in costumes, Julián uses a curtain and other household items to transform into a mermaid.
4 (tie). When Aidan Became a Brother, by Kyle Lukoff and Kaylani Juanita, 4 bans
When Aidan was born, everyone thought he was a girl until he settled into life as a boy. So when his parents announce that they’re going to have a baby, Aidan wants to make sure everything is right for his younger sibling.
4 (tie). Draw Me a Star, by Eric Carle, 4 bans
This 1998 title from the author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar features a young artist bringing the world to life around him. It also features an image of an Adam and Eve-like couple without clothes.
5 (tie). This Day in June, by Gayle E. Pitman and Kristyna Litten, 3 bans
This Day in June features a pride celebration, with facts about LGBTQ+ history and culture.
5 (tie). Prince and Knight, by Daniel Haack and Stevie Lewis, 3 bans
In this book published in partnership with GLAAD, Prince and Knight find their own fairy tale ending.
5 (tie). Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress, by Christine Baldacchino and Isabelle Malenfant, 3 bans
Morris likes to play in the dress-up center at school, even though classmates say dresses are for girls.
5 (tie). Milo Imagines the World, by Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson, 3 bans
On a long subway ride, Milo imagines the lives of people around him. When he discovers another boy getting off at the same stop, he learns to questions his assumptions.
5 (tie). In the Night Kitchen, by Maurice Sendak, 3 bans
“Milk in the batter!” This Caldecott Honor book features Mickey’s adventures as the night bakers make cake. A Moms for Liberty leader called nude drawings of Mickey “harmful to minors.”
5 (tie). Baseball Saved Us, by Ken Mochizuku and Dom Lee, 3 bans
A moving story inspired by true events of playing baseball in a Japanese American internment camp during World War II.
5 (tie). A Is for Activist, by Innosanto Nagara, 3 bans
An alphabet board book preparing young activists to stand up for LGBTQ+ rights, environmental justice, civil rights, and other progressive causes.
12 (tie). Unicorns Are the Worst! by Alex Willan, 2 bans
This glittery picture book, told from the point of view of an envious goblin, features an image of the goblin’s butt, which a local Moms for Liberty leader called “pornographic.”
12 (tie). Sofia Valdez, Future Prez, by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts, 2 bans
In this bestseller from the Questioneers series, Sofia tries to convince her town to build a new park. Book banners zeroed in on a pin on her grandfather’s hat that appears to resemble a Pride symbol.
12 (tie). Pink Is for Boys, by Robb Pearlman and Eda Kaban, 2 bans
A message that pink is for everyone emphasizes a message that life is not color-coded, encouraging children to love racing or unicorns, no matter their gender.
12 (tie). Our Subway Baby, by Peter Mercurio and Leo Espinosa, 2 bans
The heartwarming true story of a baby found abandoned in the subway and adopted by two men.
12 (tie). Ogilvy, by Deborah Underwood and T.L. McBeth, 2 bans
In Ogilvy’s town, bunnies in dresses play ball and knit, while bunnies in sweaters make art and climb. Ogilvy wants to do it all, and won’t let clothes get in the way.
12 (tie). No, David! by David Shannon, 2 bans
This Caldecott Honor book features a boy serving up mischief — including running through the street with no clothes on. Kids love it; book banners don’t.
12 (tie). It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity, by Theresa Thorn and Noah Grigni, 2 bans
A child-appropriate exploration of gender identity posits simply that some people are boys, some are girls, and some are both, neither, or in between.
12 (tie). I Am Billie Jean King, by Brad Meltzer and Chrisopher Eliopoulos, 2 bans
Part of a popular biography series about history’s icons, this picture book explores the life of tennis champion Billie Jean King and her struggle for equality in sports.
12 (tie). Harriet Gets Carried Away, by Jessie Sima, 2 bans
Harriet enjoys playing dress-up and gets swept away by a colony of penguins. The apparently controversial part: She has two dads.
12 (tie). Different Can Be Great: All Kinds of Families, by Lisa Bullard and Renée Kurilla, 2 bans
When Makayla’s family is about to change, she goes on a quest to find out about different kinds of families.
12 (tie). Bathe the Cat, by Alice B. McGinty and David Roberts, 2 bans
This hilarious rhyming picture book features two dads deciphering scrambled letters in an attempt to get their chores done and a cat who really doesn’t want a bath.
Librarians featured in Sundance doc on book bans receive standing ovation from SLC audience from The Salt Lake Tribune
Days after Utah banned its 15th book from all public schools, an independent film following the pressures school librarians face received a warm welcome from a Salt Lake City crowd at the Sundance Film Festival.
“The Librarians,” a documentary by Kim A. Snyder, follows a handful of school librarians across the country — including in states like Texas, Florida and New Jersey — as they navigate a wave of book bans.
Last week, Utah banned “Damsel,” a dark, feminist fairytale by Elena K. Arnold, from all public schools. Of the 15 books banned in the Beehive State, all but one was written by a woman.
“The Librarians” focuses on mass-ban lists proposed by parent groups, or in some cases, by government officials like Texas state Rep. Matt Krause, who pursued banning a list of 850 books.
The librarians featured in the film detail allegations of being fired, harassed, stalked and targeted for asking questions about why they must pull books from shelves.
Florida judge rules against book ban-opposed parents alleging censorship, discrimination from the Pensacola News Journal
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit accusing the Florida government of discriminating against those opposed to the surge of school library book removals across the state.
A 2023 law and its implementing regulations created a state process for parents to appeal when a school board decides to keep their challenged books on the shelves. But that process doesn't extend to parents who want to contest a school board's decision to remove a book.
Parents of public school students sued, arguing to U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor that the inconsistency violated the First Amendment, penalizing them based on viewpoint.
In a Monday order, Winsor – who was appointed by President Donald Trump and took the bench in 2019 – dismissed the case. He gave the plaintiffs the option to file an amended complaint in two weeks but added that it's "unlikely any amendment will cure the defects."
