Don't like the book? Steal it!

If I don't sound particularly tactful this morning, it's because I'm home sick and I have absolutely zero patience when I feel this crappy.

Also, I loved Sandpiper.

From the Tuscaloosa News:

Fifteen-year-old Lysa Harding picked a book at random from Brookwood High’s library for a book report last week.

Now, she doesn’t want to return it.

Harding and her grandmother, Pam Pennington, say the book is too sexually explicit and shouldn’t be on school library bookshelves at all.

Dude, all that's going to happen is this:  You're going to lose your library privileges, you're going to have to pay for the book, and the library is going to buy a new copy.

How is STEALING the book “the most mature thing to do, to keep it off the shelves”?  At least following an official challenge procedure would be more mature than being a thief. 

And you know, if you don't like it, you don't have to read it.  Why do you think you have the right to make that decision for everybody else who uses the library?

More at ASIF!, including a response from Ellen Wittlinger.

Comments

[Chrissy]

Is it EVEN worth saying this? There's no sex in it. There's consequences. There's also an attempted rape. But still, no sex. So far, it's one of the better books that deals with this subject matter.

Arg. Also home sick and waiting for doctor call.

[Jen Robinson]

I so hope that the controversy makes all the other kids from that girl's school run to the bookstore to buy the book. If I was a local bookseller, I would make a big display.

[Brooke]

What I'm most intrigued about is how the grandmother says she's "raised 11 sets of kids."

What the heck is a "set" of kids? And ELEVEN of them?!?

[Kelly Fineman]

Sorry about the being sick thing. Although this story turned my stomach.

[a Paperback Writer]

And this is a SCHOOL library, which means that besides the fine, the school can hold up her yearbook and report card until she pays for the book. They might even be able to hold up her diploma until she's paid for what she's stolen.
Overall, she'll end up being the loser in this.
Now, I'm going to go have a look at this book to see what I think of it.