Journal article review

 Analysis of a companion journal articles about using picture books on confronting topics.

Lillis, (2010). Middle school teachers and picture books: The Notion of censorship.

Lillis, 2013). Picture books and the concept of war: Connecting children to their world.

Lillis’ articles are among the few that relate to censorship in an Australian context. After opening by defining concepts, she illustrates the importance of realistic portrayal by contrasting two picture books about homeless children.   In her subsequent paper about war picture books, she presents literature as a bridge that can connect the child to the world around them.

Lillis opens by noting the confusion that is associated with the meaning of censorship, which  she defines it broadly as “moral and authoritarian, seeks to regulate the behaviour of others in accordance with fixed ideas of right and wrong and is mainly negative (Lillis 2010).”   “Moral and authoritarian” echo Dillon and William’s (1994) survey of Australian school library censorship, with its finding that challenges were frequently based on conservative ideas. Two thirds of challenges were due to  “moral and sexual orthodoxy and obedience to authority” (Dillon & Williams, p.8). More than half the librarians surveyed had experienced challenges in the last five years which often succeeded (two thirds resulted in censorship) and policies for responding were weak or non-existent.  Similar conclusions were reached in recent American research (Whelan, 2009a).

Lillis skirts crucial, problematic issues of self-censorship, and distinguishing between it and selection. Freedman and Holly (2001, p.357) argue that selection and self-censorship are easily confused, since they both determine what resources are available. Nevertheless, they embody contrasting mindsets and purposes. Censorship seeks objections to resources to exclude them and to restrict ideas, whereas selection is based on strengths, aims to include resources and increase access to ideas. Selection is based on a public selection policy document. Self- censorship is carried out privately to avoid “controversial” resources and ideas. The study found self-censorship by all but one of the teachers, with regard to a book about friendship between a middle class black girl and a poor white girl, who was abused by her father. Although the teachers appreciated the book and sympathized with the victim’s inability to speak out, they were unwilling to discuss abuse, or teach the book, for fear of administrative repercussions (Freedman & Holly, p.360). The authors point out that unwillingness to discuss abuse, means that victims have no-one to turn to when they need to speak (Freedman & Holly, p,363). Self-censorship has been found to prevent well reviewed controversial titles from reaching the majority of libraries (Whelan, 2009,b).

Lillis argues that middle school children are curious about social issues and have the cognitive maturity to respond with rational thought and creativity. They need the opportunity to reflect critically on confronting issues. She recommends Wild’s Space Travellers (1999) and Hathorn’s Way Home (1994) as avoiding “false cheerfulness or hopelessness.”  Space Travellers shows a mother and son living in a playground rocket and Way Home is about a boy who rescues a kitten and takes it to his “home.” As the boy journeys the reader is introduced to some realities of street life. Lillis argues that Way Home presents a more realistic picture of homelessness than Space Travellers, and this point could be used to teach visual and critical literacy.

Lillis (2013) applies similar arguments to picture books that relate to war. Countering the opinion that would censor (Fox & Hunt 1996), she stresses the horrifying exposure on television and the presence of war refugees in school.

“We live in a world where there are millions of refugees and most of us are horrified by this information and feel helpless to imagine these figures, let alone do anything about them. Children are better able to cope with their lives if they are connected to their world in a meaningful way.” (Lillis,2013, p.29).

Again Lillis insists on confronting issues thoughtfully, but her rationale is now grounded in Vygotsky’s social learning theory, rather than Piaget’s cognitive development. This strengthens her case, since Vygotsky emphasises social learning, with open discussion as a scaffold and support for learning and  thinking (Pound, 2006, p.40). Obviously this contrasts starkly with the absence of discussion and support characteristic of censorship.

Lillis recommends three war picture books, My Dog (Heffernan & Mclean, 2007), Ziba Came on a Boat (Lofthouse & Ingpen, 2007) and Home and Away (Marsden & Ottley, 2008). All three have unresolved endings, the first two leave room for hope. Home and Away is about Australians who become refugees, whereas Ziba Came on a Boat is about an Afghan refugee coming to Australia. Poignancy is achieved through clever illustrations, animals and a little humour.  As in her previous paper, Lillis suggests contrasting the books will support development of critical literacy. Home and Away and Ziba Came on a Boat are particularly effective contrasts, since almost the same journey is taken in reverse directions.

In conclusion, Lillis shows how picture books and literature in general can be used to support thinking and critical literacy that relates to confronting topics.  It follows that ignoring controversy through censorship, is effectively an abandonment of the child, leaving him/her unconnected, and without support,  in understanding  what she/he sees and hears.This underlines the importance of avoiding the very common pitfall of self-censorship of controversial resources.

 References

Fox, C. & Hunt, P. (2004). War In P.E. Hunt, (ed), International companion encyclopedia of children’s literature. (2^nd ed.). Oxford: Routledge, pp499-506.

Freedman, L. & Johnson, H. (2001).  Who’s protecting whom? I Hadn’t meant to tell you this, a case in point confronting self-censorship in the choice of young adult literature. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 44(4), 356-369.

Dillon, K., Williams, C.L. (1994). Censorship, children and school libraries in Australia: Issues of concern. Emergency Librarian. 22(2), 8-15.

Lillis, K. (2010). Middle school teachers and picture books: The Notion of censorship. Literacy and Learning: The Middle Years, 18(3), 9-14.

Lillis, K. (2013). Picture books and the concept of war: Connecting children to their world. Literacy and Learning: The Middle Years, 21(2), 29-34.

Pound, L. (2006). How children learn. London: Practical Preschool Books.

Whelan, D.L. (2009a, February 1). SLJ self-censorship survey. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/2009/02/collection-development/slj-self-censorship-survey/

 Whelan, D.L. (2009b, February 1). A Dirty little secret: Self-censorship. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/2009/02/censorship/a-dirty-little-secret-self-censorship/#_

Children’s  literature

Hathorn, L. & Rogers, G. (1994). Way Home. Sydney: Random House.

Heffernan, J. & Mclean, A. (2001). My Dog. Sydney: Allen & Unwin.

Lofthouse, L. & Ingpen, R. (2007). Ziba came on a boat. Melbourne: Penguin.

Marsden, J. & Ottley, M. (2008). Home and away. Melbourne: Hachette Livre Australia Pty Ltd.

Wild, M. & Rogers, G. (1992). Space travellers. Gosford, NSW: Ashton Scholastic.