Links of Note: July 6, 2024
Bobby pins, draconian legislation, a classic of the YA canon, and more links to fill your feed.
If there were a single word to describe the last month+ of my life, it would be unsettled. Routines have been off, timelines shifted, mental loads increased, and priorities rearranged. We got some earth-rattling news right after Labor Day and adjusting to the new normal has been the goal.
One of the balms has been really appreciating the nature right here in my backyard. My ketchup and mustard roses have done well, as has my lavender. The native garden is bursting with milkweed, their flowers a never-ending buzz of bees that are fun to say hello and goodbye to each time I come home or leave.
I’ve had to choose my battles because my energy is at an all-time low. Protecting my mental wellness has meant dropping this newsletter for a bit, despite how much it actually fills me up. The time I’d put here has been put into things like reading or sleeping or playing with my daughter in the yard on the days where it hasn’t been raining or sweltering.
But this week, a holiday. With that holiday, I’ve got a few minutes to drop a link roundup of my recent work and some things I’ve been reading and enjoying. Next weekend, you’ll get a full and fresh longform post.
My Work
I’ve organized this roughly by themes and topics. It has been a very busy season of writing, and if I’m being honest, I wish I weren’t writing as much.
Books
What are the trends in the best of children’s and YA books so far this year? I got to write about them for School Library Journal.
Here’s the cover reveal for Ashley Hope Perez’s Banned Together, out in March next year. I have an essay in the collection that I’m so proud of.
The giant roundup of hardcover YA books hitting shelves this summer. Here’s the roundup of YA paperbacks coming out this summer, too.
Take a look at all of the rad cats on the covers of recent books in translation.
Book Bans and Censorship
Starting with the best story I got to write, which is about why Annabelle Jenkins handed her superintendent a copy of The Handmaid’s Tale at her graduation. This got sensationalized in the wider media landscape (shocker) since it has a nice headline. But the actual story is far, far more interesting. I talked with Annabelle on the phone for an hour and it was a treat.
A look at the states which have banned book bans.
Why college and university educators need to care about book bans. This was a piece commissioned by the American Association of Colleges and Universities.
Enid Public Library in Oklahoma once again banned Pride displays. This has been a three-year battle and it’s a vital look inside the mechanisms creating discord in public libraries (it’s the board, btw).
This week, social media librarians and library advocates were shocked that a law passed in Idaho that limits what those under 18 can see in the public library actually went into effect. Meanwhile, it’s been pretty well known for a while–the Donnelley Public Library talked back in May about how it would force them to go adults-only.
The same woman who kicked off book banning in Escambia County Public Schools (FL)–a district now facing two lawsuits over those bans–has turned her attention to the Escambia County Public Library and has already gotten books there moved. Why does one woman have so much power? Why did the public library capitulate? What happens in the schools comes to the public libraries.
South Carolina is going to have bills as bad as Idaho’s going into effect soon. Don’t be surprised. Moreover, there’s the question of why the South Carolina State Department of Education hired a federalist lawyer on taxpayer money to ensure their book banning bill passed.
An Iowa Senator, upon passage of the state’s currently-enjoined book banning bill, told her districts to use Moms For Liberty’s BookLooks and Book of Books documents to weed their schools of books.
Tell me about any interruptions, disruptions, or other ire lodged at libraries, bookstores, schools, and other lit-focused Pride events this year for the annual roundup.
Libraries
“See You at the Library,” the Brave Books/Kirk Cameron created public library storytime is back in August. How to prepare if you work in public libraries.
States that introduced–and in some cases, passed–legislation that would criminalize librarianship.
Most folks have never seen what a book challenge form even looks like, so this is a look at those forms used to try to ban books. You’ll notice how little work goes into them as-is and yet that can be enough to remove access to books for an entire community.
Here are the places where librarians are prohibited from–or the legislature tried to hinder their joining of–the largest professional association for librarians.
How Alabama library supporters took action when their public library was under attack.
Why did Midwest Tape/hoopla implement their own book ratings system for libraries? The distributor’s response leaves little confidence in their decision.
The first US union knew how important public education and public libraries were to democracy and self-betterment, even nearly 200 years ago. A look at the connections between unions and public goods.
Other
Did you have that famous planner in middle or high school? You know the one. It gets its time on nostalgic social media all the time. Well, I tracked down the reason why so many people had this planner and it’s a fascinating story. This was one of the most fun pieces I’ve written in a while (and naturally, one of the least read because of that).
Pride might be over, but there’s no timeframe on when you can sport some Pride in the library.
Maybe you’re looking for the perfect summer bookmark?
Here come the public school closures that are all part of the right-wing plan to kill public goods.
Podcasting
I talked with Hope Jahren about her new book Adventures of Mary Jane and expanding the world of an American classic.
Tune into the fascinating conversation between Paula Yoo and myself on her book about the LA Uprising and YA nonfiction as a category of books.
The Chocolate War turns 50 this year. Here’s a history of the book, as well as why it still resonates today.
Other Things
I have not been good about saving up links of things I’ve read, but I do have a few. You’re getting a cornucopia of interests!
Elite gymnasts are aging up. This is so refreshing–the US gymnastics team at the Olympics this year is 20-somethings, with Simone Biles 27. I grew up in the Little Girls in Pretty Boxes era of gymnastics so this change is to be celebrated.
“Smooth” by Rob Thomas and Santana turned 25 recently. A history of that song–which despite being a big Rob Thomas/MB 20 fan, I loathe, but the story itself was fascinating.
Something weird is happening with tornadoes, and yes, the “weird” means climate change. We went through a period where nearly every day for two weeks we were under the threat of tornadoes, and two weeks ago, we narrowly missed being stuck in several in southern Wisconsin. (Related: who else is counting down to Twisters?)
I did not know how much I needed to read about a bobby pin factory. I love this kind of stuff–did you know, for example, that Jacksonville, Illinois, was a prominent home to the creation of record albums? Here are a couple of photos from when Garth Brooks visited in 1995 to thank the company out there. (My husband and I have spent a lot of time talking about creating a podcast of weird/fascinating Illinois history like this).
As always, ’s one to read and follow if you care about education in the era of censorship. His piece on grooming–and what happens when books about grooming are banned by the people crying groomer about librarians and teachers–is a must read.
Have you been listening to Jamie Loftus’s new podcast, 16th Minute of Fame? I’ll admit not all of them have been up my alley and it’s a more serious podcast than I thought it would be, in a good way. A couple of episodes I recommend are the Boston Slide Cop –no, you need know nothing about this because it’s actually about public records requests!–and the 30 to 50 feral hogs episode. The Black TikTok strike episode is also very good.
I’ve been listening to music off and on between podcasts–and periodically listening to There’s Always This Year by Hanif Abdurraqib–and have two playlists. The first is my summer playlist and the second is the playlist I’ve been building from an A-Z challenge on Instagram. That challenge has been interesting. It’s quite white and quite male, despite the fact my general listening is broader than that.
Thumbs down on the new New York Times game, Strands. I’ll still play it but I don’t especially like it. Meanwhile I threw down an impressive 43 second time on the mini crossword last week and will hold that for a bit, right up there with actually scoring face-value Noah Kahan tickets for next weekend after literal months of seeing nothing under the $400 price point.
I think that about sums up everything. Not responding to emails, DMs, and other requests has been about my time not belonging to me, and it’ll be several months before it does. Despite the not-great circumstances, this has been a nice reminder that I don’t owe folks anything. I already give way more than enough.
And with that, I’ll see you again soon. Thanks for being here <3