Tabook!
Children's books are in the news lately -- and not always for good reasons. Books for people under 18 are disproportionately the targets of bans and censorship. This is obviously a major issue for free speech, for the rights of often underrepresented groups to tell their stories and for the rights of others to be able to hear those stories. But it’s also a sign that children’s books are actually right in the middle of important political conversations, and attempts to ban them can be ignored at our peril.
This podcast is a deep dive into the children's books that have been censored over the years – and the reasons why. Because it turns out that for as long as children’s books have existed, controversy has never been far behind.
We hope you’ll come along, whether you love children’s books like us, or just enjoy a good story about sex, drugs, war criminals, government crackdowns, accusations of Satanism -- and rabbits drinking tea.
For business inquiries: hello.tabook@gmail.com
Tabook!
The Scariest Kids' Books Ever?
With its two sequels, Alvin Schwartz's Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was some iconic 90's horror. They're still cult classics today -- but they were the most banned books in America in the 90’s, just for being too scary for kids.
We (gulp) read them and discuss some of the gory bits. How scary is "too scary", anyway?
Sources:
>Smithsonian Magazine: "Why ‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ Frightened So Many Parents in the 1990s"
>New York Times (1995): "What Johnny Can't Read"
>Seattle Times (1992): "Fearful Books Versus Fear of Censorship"
>Star News (1995): "'Scary Stories' Alarm Parents"
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For business inquiries: hello.tabook@gmail.com
