Books save lives, Minions. In particular, YA books save lives. When I was growing up, hated by virtually everyone, and so terribly bullied, my escape, my refuge, my island in the storm was the library. I escaped the painful world that was my own and delved into other worlds–worlds that entertained me, worlds that gave me hope. Without those books, I might never have known that some people had it worse than I did in school (CARRIE by Stephen King) or that I wasn’t alone in my body changes (ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET by Judy Blume). Books helped me get through being a tween and teen–they helped me to stay alive, when I had thoughts of suicide. Books saved me.
So I’m completely confused at why the Wall Street Journal would post an article saying the opposite (click that link, go read that, and then come back here), that books about darker issues are inappropriate in any way for today’s teen. One of the books mentioned, RAGE by Jackie Morse Kessler, blew me away. In fact, I loved it so much that I blurbed it. And when I said, “RAGE is raw and real, a truly dark, honest look at self-harm and the teenage psyche. Kessler left me breathless.” I meant it. Jackie’s book is truly fantastic, and gives us a great avenue to discuss the issue of self-harm. The fact that Megan Cox Gurdon (the author of the WSJ article) actually insinuates that RAGE would make anyone want to self-harm disgusts me. It also tells me two things: 1. Ms Gurdon needs to read Jackie’s book again and again until she fully understands it, and 2. Ms. Gurdon clearly does not understand how a teenage brain works, and grossly underestimates your intelligence, Minions. Not only are you smart enough to know that a book like RAGE is showing you what NOT to do and why, you can figure it all out without someone crying out for censorship, thankyouverymuch. People like this make me crazy. We NEED books. Particularly dark issue books. So that we know that we’re not alone. So that we know we’re not a freak. So that we can find a shred of solace during some pretty scary times.
Jackie’s response is here – you should go read that. Then you should go read RAGE, if you’re interested in darker YA themes. And never let the censors win. This is your life, Minions. Live it.
P.S. Auntie loves you. 
Tags: censorship, RAGE, vent
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COOL!!! im first
ya were gonna quit 2gether, like were partners. if she quits i quit, and if i quit she quits. her name is amber.
every1 calls her bloody mary thou. just becase she cuts. im still in my pj’s that have a copple of blood stains on them, and every1 thinks im in here case i killed some1 lol so ya……… my poor skellanimal pj’s with maching black bunny slippers
my step mom forgot to bring me my cloths. it was eather these, or donation bin. and since im a size 0. there is nothing mmy size. so i had 2 stick with these
i am soo lucky my room mate has a hair stratener.
and we’re the same shoe size. we just haven’t been in the room all day 2 c if we fit in eachothers clothes.
I got %79.8165137614679 on the
Ultimate Zombie Apocalypse Survival Quiz!
wow my thing wont post anything
i got a 100.504587155963 on the quiz
finally it posted i kept hitting the submit coment and it finally posted
i read the book called the zombie survial guide by max brooks it has all the important infomation on how to survive a zombie invasion including real life reports on zombie invasions i recomend it for anyone who wants to be really prepared
Hey heather I love your books and I think you Rock . Your my roal modal i<3 u friend me on facebook or come see my blog
jhbuihbi
srry guys tht was me lol i wanted to see if her name was locked
o my glob i was about 2 say “ahhhhhhhh its aunti heather!!!!!!!!!” but u just had 2 ruin it diddnt u |( =(
lol srry:(
it alright
yay! im luved again!
Hi bfmv how r u today? I typing this from my iPod touch right now lol.guess what I’m watching my favorite tv show in the world.it is Roswell. It’s a tv show about aliens and it awesome.I own it on DVD all 3 season and I love it to death.
well g2g ttyl bye p.s.I love aliens and vampires too.bye
omg…
AUNTIE U NEED TO BLOG U PROMISED NOT 2 LEAVE US ALONE FOR ANOTHER MONTH!!!!!!!!!! YOUR DEADLINE IS NEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AUNTIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hey Ilovetokiohotel and bill kaulitz sounds cool! i love all things supernatural. my favourite show is charmed i have all the seasons and wish they would bring it back on TV. well I’m gone! p.s oh I’m good
I like charmed and i seen bout 20 episode and kinda like it but I will have to start watching it again. It come on my tv on we channel at 5&6 pm and also got to go so ttyl bye . I love alien & vampires alot .one more thing is I can’t watch it right now but will try and watch it tomorrow nite.and who ur favorite on charmed? Mine Chris. I love aliens and vampires alot bye
Sorry to bfmv what I wrote was too u sorry.:)
To bfmv guess what my mom thinking bout letting me get my left eyebrow pierced I’m so happy I get one exactley like bill excpet his is on his right and mine will be on the left cause I have a big scar on my right eyebrow. so I can’t get it there well g2g ttyl bye
how did u get the scar???
hey my laptop is dying, and i forgot 2 bring my charger from the hospital, or i droped it somewere
to Ilovetokiohotel and bill kaulitz so cool1(bout eyebrow ring) and my favourite charmed one is phoebe. and i fell in love with 2 new songs they called never surrender and its not me its you, both by skillet. you should look them up.
found charger. i droped it when i came in. it was in the lost in found
good thing i put my anitals on it
aunti heather this is unecceptable. u owe us a new blog, becase u prommesed not to ever leavve us agen.
lemmi guss, its ur summmer vacation and ur very very bussy. and ur on some extended trip??
well i bet u have enoth cash to buy a laptop, and post a new blog on this succer.
ur time is up, and we r not happy with the results >:(. becase of u telling us all 2 read rage, and i always try my best 2 do everything u tell us minions to do. i read the book.
AND GUSS WHAT HAPPENED!!!!!!
i almost killed myself in my sleep.
there i said it.
and im not proud of it.
i should break out of this sucker and go die in a well
To I’m goth and may kill myself I got it from my cuz when I was lilttle playing at there house and I was in the sand box and my cousin mom told him to put away the airpump that blow up air in bike tires and he didn’t so i was playing on a thing that spin when u sit on it and I went to fast and fell off so when that happed I fell and cut my right eyebrow then got a butterfly band aid cause my cousin mom didn’t want to take me to the emengency room so that how I got it.now to bfmv I like the band skillet I like the songs monster and savior by them. Well g2g ttyl bye hope u feel better I’m goth and may kill myself bye:)
@ im goth and may kill myself
how can u almost kill yourself….in yuour sleep?
there is actually a mental illness that makes people kill themselves in their sleep which is kinda weird
oh thts weird….
kinda like how some ppl eat a bunch in their sleep….
cheddar cheese buscuits thats what i want to eat
eating the cheddar buscuits
cheddar cheese buscuits thats what i want to eat
:hungry: grin
yes it worked if you backspace the picture or part of it it wont work
I fell inlove with these books the moment i pickt it up i bought all five books the same day i spend all thw monie i had but it was well worthit i culd relat to the book so much thas y i loved it the fealing of not fiting in is one of the thing but theres much more i hope you make another book about what hapenos after graduation an Snows eyes love you and love your books hope you keep making more love and kisses <3
I just red wat i wrought and i figurd its so girly eeewwwww lol… but iment every word dont judg me.
@vamp. converse
i cut myself wile i waz asleep, becase the book rage had some strong memories in it, so therefore i almost killed myself now im stuck in rehab borrowing my roomats cloths, shes an anerexic that cuts herself 4 plesur, kinda like me, but i dont binge, and im not anerexic, im a natrial size 0
“if we are unwilling to be aware of the dark, we cannot see the light.”
books do save lives, save me from bashing my head in the wall…
AND they keep my mind VERY VERY active, so my creativity doesnt go down
wow not 1 person came on 2day
??
@im goth and may kill myself
im glad u get to keep ur arm , sry i havent been on in like forver(ive been grounded) hope u do better
i call feeding the thing under the bed!!!!!!!!!
you are sooo lucky, auntie heather!!!
and i vote yes for the chat blog thing!!!
i sooo can’t wait for bloodbound! i’m sure it’s going to be friggin’ EPIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Its sad that parents think this way, most os this books most likely help kids feel better about themselves, help understand themselves, or help feel less lonely, people sometimes cant understand
i love your books and cant wait for the next one!
i am lonly and cant do anything right. I wish i could be a vampire so bad.
Sucessfull Auntie Heather, loved by all who read her work had a simmilar childhood to me?
Gives me hope. Anybody else feeling the hope or am I more crazy than I thought?
i cant believe she said that about our books!
so not cool!
vee..u so lucky to have a name tht has an awesome meaning like that..mine(carly)means little ans womanly..lamest name ever
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