One of the most interesting news reports I stumbled across this week was from the New York Times and featured a picture book entitled “Go the ---- to Sleep” by Adam Mansbach and illustrated by Ricardo Cortes. Intended for adults but packaged as any other children’s book, this story is meant to give an inside look at what it really is like for parents as they attempt to put their children to bed at night. Interest in the item has risen so drastically over the last few months that the publisher is moving its release date from October to June 14th of this year.
The main controversy behind the story is the objected use of swear words, but the idea of verbalizing such thoughts is upsetting parent groups as well. The article (see link below) goes on to discuss how children’s books have pushed boundaries over time by emphasizing material once thought unsuitable for children (they mention sloppy manners, untoward language, disobedience, etc.), but that parents’ books are not given the same leeway.
After reading the article, I do not see what the fuss is over the book itself. If it is intended for adults as a spoof of frustrating parental duties, and its call number reflects its classification as adult material, then I don’t see how parents could object to its publication and inclusion in library collections.
This story did make me think about the use of swear words in titles and on covers of books though, which is the real reason I wanted to discuss this topic with the class. What do libraries do if the titles of books use racial or offensive slurs? Or if the titles contain harsh swear words? It is no longer an issue of the material inside of the covers being offensive, but visual aspect of the book itself.
I know that I have had books on my cart in the cataloging department before that have swear words in their titles (example: Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook: Crazy Delicious Recipes that Are Good to the Earth and Great for Your Bod by Kim Barnouin), but what happens when these books are sent to the branches and put on new arrivals displays? Is this even an issue?
See more by Google Books:
I don’t know what the policy is for books with offensive language on the cover, but I do know that at my local branch they put on display the romance novels that have half naked men and women in various positions. So which is better…a book with a swear word in the title or a book with a picture of naked people?
ReplyDeleteNot a parent myself, I agree with the article's observation that this book gets to the heart of the "articulation of verboten parental thoughts: We are not supposed to not want to be with our children. We are not supposed to not want to be a parent all the time."
ReplyDeleteFor at least a couple of generations of parents, it seems like there is an obsession with being the best parent in the world and doing everything you can do to "not mess your kid up". I imagine a lot of parents being concerned about being judged by other parents about every single little publicly displayed interaction with one's won children.
It's as if there is the notion of a single "right way" to be a parent.
I suspect there is a lot of self-censoring by parents due to a feeling that, at least in public, there are such rigid expectations that society, at least on some level, has come to accept and almost celebrate.
I agree that I'm not concerned about the content since it is an adult book. However, I would question if it's appropriate to have that book out on a new book shelf for all to see. I imagine that a lot of kids who saw the title of that book purposely going over there to read it. Hopefully, once they read a little of the content of the book, they would become bored by it and put it back.
ReplyDeleteI had seen this book on Amazon and even posted to my FB for my parent-friends to see. I think it looks funny and most parents have probably wanted to shout those words to their small children during a particularly arduous night. I did not consider whether it would be an appropriate purchase for our library though. I can see it in the parenting section, but you are right, displaying it on the new book shelf could be problematic. We did buy the Sh*t My Dad Says book, but it does use the asterisk in the title, so the cover wouldn't be so inappropriate I suppose. It appears the cover of this book will have the moon blocking out the two interior letters of the word. So, if it is displayed in the adult department, perhaps it won't be as big a deal? I kind of doubt our buyer will purchase however. I think it might be a better gift book in the home, rather than a library title actually, but in the parenting section it might be appropriate.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest problem with the book is probably the appearance. If it looks like a children's book, then more than likely a child will pick it up. Whether this is on display at the library or lying around the house at home—a child is likely to get a hold of it. Whether or not the content is destructive enough to frighten the child is another matter altogether, but adult books should not be disguised as children’s literature.
ReplyDeleteAs for your question about language on covers, as long as the books are in the appropriate location in the library this shouldn’t be a problem. If mom or dad takes the child into the section of adult books, then they are certainly doing so at their own risk. However, if the books are displayed in a “new” section at the front of the library, than an issue can rise.
Great topic.
The first thing that popped in my head when reading about the language issue was that show "S*** my Dad Says" which was based on a very funny Twitter feed. It just got cancelled, but every time I saw a commercial and saw the title written like this and announced as "Bleep my dad says" it really annoyed me. Why make that the title if it was such a problem?
ReplyDeleteNow I understand the need for that particular word when it comes to this book, but I don't see the problem when it comes to book titles. Just make sure that they are in the appropriate section, which would be adult.
I hate to sound cynical, but I feel like kids are pretty immune to bad language, due to its presence in so many things in popular culture.
I echo what everyone else is saying. As long as it is in the correct area of the library, then I don't care how it is displayed. I do get annoyed however, when a book is for adults but made to look like it is for kids. It is frustrating for me. Let's just say the cover didn't have any bad language but the rest of the book did. If it is made like a picture book a parent not realize what they are getting at first. I just don't like mixed messages.
ReplyDeleteI doubt many authors think about how a book will be displayed in a library when they write their books. Darn you, authors!
ReplyDeleteAn author I enjoy, Patrick Rothfuss, recently wrote a book that looks like a kids book but isn't a kids book. He was chagrined when, after a fellow author and blogging buddy had received an ARC of the book and set it on his desk, fellow author and blogging buddy's young daughter picked up the book and gave it a read...you can read his blog post on it here.
It is not the first thing he talks about - scroll down to the picture of the baby with said suspicious book.
Luckily it was a small press, limited edition print run. He had stickers made up embossed with the words, "This shit is not for kids. Seriously" and they were sent out with the book.
Just reminded me of that story. I want to buy copies of Go the F... to sleep for all my baby-having friends!