FREE MONKEY WORLD TOUR

This weekend, I was at the Princeton Teen Book Bash, which was a very good time. Free Monkey was there with me, enjoying the sun and all of the good company. I got to meet some of you, which is always a pleasure.

Several people came up to my table to talk to me about the Battle of Bartlesville. A lot of those people were librarians with words of support for this campaign. Librarian after librarian came up and said things like, “It was interesting hearing what it was like for you—but weird because this is what happens to us all the time. We are constantly dealing with challenges. It’s good to know that the authors are willing to fight back.”

Yup. I know. I find it shocking, and Free Monkey is always rendered speechless by this fact, but it’s true.

A confession: there were moments in this like I felt like kind of a jerk, like I was giving people who were probably otherwise quite nice a hard time.

But here’s the thing . . .

I don’t for a moment think that people who challenge books or who serve on committees that recommend book removal wake up each day, rub their hands together gleefully, and ask the human skull by their bedside, “What eeeevil shall we do today, my boney friend?” The decision to ban/remove/challenge/burn a book is always dressed up as something else, something noble, or something administrative or biological that simply can’t be helped, like taxes and death.

As E. Lockhart, who is currently sitting next to me, just said, “Nobody calls themselves a book banner.”

Exactly.



Bad things are sometimes not as obvious as they could be.

Good things have come out of the actions of some otherwise reprehensible people, and some terrible decisions have been made with the very best of intentions. We all have to sit in the naughty corner from time to time. So I stand by everything I’ve said, and I object to the action.

So let’s get to the update!

One of the committee members—the same one I spoke to on Friday—has written to me today to reiterate the fact that the book is not banned yet. He said that the committee sent a recommendation to the superintendent, and apparently he will make the next move.

I asked this committee member the following questions directly:

1. What was the committee’s recommendation?

2. Since the book is now only mid-ban (whoopee!), would they accept a box of donated copies?

3. Has he had the chance to read the book since the meeting on Friday, April 27th?

The responses:

1. He won’t say. He asked me to write to the head of the committee, and her e-mail address is toast. The local newspaper is trying, too. So I just don’t know what they said! (I’ll bet I can guess, but guessing doesn’t count.)

2. No answer on the donated copies. I’ll take that as a “Yes, please!”

3. He said he read the book LAST WEEK. Yes, that would be after the meeting at which (as far as I know) the still-secret decision was made. And yeah, I’d read it too if the paper was calling me and hundreds of well-spoken readers were dropping eloquent notes into my inbox . . . so that if I was asked, I could SAY I’d read it, even if I hadn’t read it when it really mattered.

Do I think that the people on the committee are covering their posteriors? I’ll say this . . . I think there was a reason it took a full week and a hundred or more letters and a call from a newspaper before I got a somewhat fumbling reply of any kind—and the best anyone can tell me that the book hasn’t been banned yet.

One of the more bizarre aspects of all of this is the secrecy in which this action was conducted. Without the actions of the librarian, no one would have known this happened. Book banning often happens in small meetings, out of sight. If you’re going to do something like this, I think you have the responsibly of making it public. It’s amazing what happens when you just add public knowledge to the equation.

And now this whole affair is public knowledge, why couldn’t he just tell me what the committee’s recommendation was? What’s the big secret?

Well, who knows? And maybe just asking that question here will get me an answer. I can’t seem to get the Law and Order people, but I sure can get a lot of seriously proactive book lovers. When I post questions here about this issue, they seem to get answered, like magic.

In any case, I can’t change what happened in the last few weeks, and I can’t do anything except speculate on the bureaucratic cha-cha that’s going on now. The good news is that now, because of everyone’s effort, the outcome is still open. Now it remains to be seen what the recommendation was, and whether it will be taken.

For me, a few really important things have come out of this whole experience.

- When you let people know that book banning is going on, they (and by they, I mean you guys) will act. I never expected the response I got when I first put this news out there.

- I think some potential book removers have been put on notice. When you try to take books out of libraries—WE MAY ALL TALK ABOUT YOU. Shame is an amazingly powerful thing.

So, now I’m going to pack up a box o’Bermudez and send it down to the school, then I’m going to wait and see what happens next. You can be assured that I will tell you guys the minute I know something.

While all of this has been going on, the Girl At Sea release date has rolled closer. I was shocked when I looked at the calendar and saw how soon it was coming!

FREE MONKEY, however, has been on top of this. And he has something to say.

Those of you who subscribe to my newsletter, (that little box to the right, top of the page) already know that FREE MONKEY is planning something special for the release of Girl At Sea. You see, I can only go so many places for the tour. I also have a book I’m working on right now, and while my editor Emma Lollipop has not yet superglued me to my desk chair, that may be something she considers in the future.

So, FREE MONKEY has offered to do some of the traveling for me.

Yes, you heard it right! Free Monkey wants to get out there and meet you! Here’s how that can happen. Send me an e-mail using the link below explaining who you are, where you live, and what you would like to do with FREE MONKEY. Will you take him somewhere exciting and take pictures? Will you care for him?

Those selected will have 48 hours with Free Monkey! Then you have to send him back to me. You must be very trustworthy! And not hurt him!
FREE MONKEY himself will make the selections, and there can only be FIVE visits--so make your letters good! He is very discriminating.

He’s just set the deadline for these entries. Get your letters in by Wednesday, May 23rd!



Where will FREE MONKEY end up?

And rest assured, there will be more Girl At Sea events, and more videos are on the way. In the meantime, here’s hoping for the Battle of Bartlesville. What do you think will happen?

UPDATE: check out this video from Bartlesville . . . Viva la Internets!