AASL Conference: Author Banquet Entertains and Enlightens

Authors Charles R. Smith Jr. and Laurie Halse-Anderson generated laughs and cheers from the capacity crowd attending the Author Banquet November 6 during ALA's American Association of School Librarians national conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. Smith talked about his experiences in writing, photography, and sports in his work of creating children's books by mixing presentations of his poetry. He reiterated his desire to show boys that there are many ways to pursue their interests, no matter what they may be. His books include Rimshots, Hoop Kings, Hoop Queens, I Am America, and his latest endeavor Twelve Rounds to Glory. He told the crowd that his initial desire to writing was to be "an engine for kids to be motivated to learn."  Anderson, who said she never intended to be an author, began her presentation by discussing how she grew up as a shy child who escaped in her school library. Her first novel, speak, was a National Book Award finalist, a Michael L. Printz Honor book, a New York Times  bestseller, and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. The book is under consideration for a movie. Because the library "saved her life," Anderson was adamant about book banning, calling it "a profoundly un-American activity." "Censorship is a devil's brew of fear, frustration, and power," she maintained, calling recent increases in book challenges "definitely political." "Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance," Anderson continued. "Every time a library budget is cut or a librarian position eliminated, it is another form of censorship. It's stealing from children and interfering with education." "People who don't value libraries or librarians have picked a fight with me." she said. "When they rip the roof off the library, they are weakening our country. Libraries are not luxuries, but the foundations of our country. Libraries are a holy place, a sanctuary; saving lives, saving our country, and changing the world for the better."