And no, it's not In the Night Kitchen.
It's a book he illustrated -- I Saw Esau, by Iona Opie.
From The Daily News Journal:
"I understand that it is a book of poetry, but there is a fine line between poetry art and porn and this book's illustrations are absolutely offensive in every way," Taylor said. "They are inappropriate for a third-grader, and the fact that she had access to this book frightens me for what else she has access to."
The book, by Iona Opie, is a collection of schoolyard jokes, riddles, insults and jump-rope rhymes. Watercolor, colored pencil and ink illustrations accompany the text. It was published in 1992.
...
Until she gets some answers about the book, Taylor said she's not "giving them this book back, so it can disappear."
It sounds like the parent didn't go to the school with her complaint, but straight to the press, so I'm not sure who she wants the answers from. Or what exactly the questions are.
Be sure not to miss the other Post-It photos.
WOW. I'm always so amazed when a complainant in this situation announces they're never going to give the book back. That's stealing. Also I really wish those pictures were bigger, or that the "search inside this book" feature was up and running on Amazon.
Posted by: Lisa | 07 February 2007 at 12:27 PM
:( How rotten.
I remember giving my dad that book for father's day the year it came out...
Posted by: rae | 07 February 2007 at 01:14 PM
I think that there should be some sort of rule that if your criticism is mis-spelled, it should be immediately discounted. Not to say that it might not be discounted anyway, but mis-spelling obscene hardly gives a personal credibility as a literary critic.
Posted by: Jen Robinson | 07 February 2007 at 03:16 PM
I hope we get a follow up story where the woman is fined for not returning the book!
Posted by: Gryph | 07 February 2007 at 03:43 PM
Censors almost inevitably display terrible grammar and spelling. Perhaps because they rarely actually read anything?
Posted by: web | 07 February 2007 at 04:44 PM
I'm with Jen Robinson on this one -- if you can't spell it, you can't tell it.
Posted by: Kelly Fineman | 07 February 2007 at 07:55 PM
I agree... if you can't spell, you shouldn't be allowed to censor!!
Posted by: Me | 07 February 2007 at 10:54 PM
Count me in for the ignorance exception. Since when is there a fine line between poetry art and porn? There isn't even that fine of a line between nudity and porn. This is a child's book. If the drawings are not intended to sexually arouse or to simulate sex, then it's not porn.
I thought the whole In the Night Kitchen controversy was beyond ridiculous. Little kids should know about their bodies. It's not dirty, it's natural. Sheesh!
Posted by: jmfausti | 09 February 2007 at 01:05 PM
Whenever I see a story like this, especially when a self-proclaimed censor takes it on him or herself to remove a book from the library, I want to donate a new copy of the book to that library. Is there any organization that does that sort of thing? We really need one...
Posted by: DaBroad | 18 February 2007 at 06:25 PM