[CALIBK12] Golden Compass controversy

[Passonneau, Sarah]

Hi Chris,

This book has a long and storied controversy around it.  I love the book
and it has won numerous awards attesting to its quality and made many
lists for top literature (that is for all literature not just children's
lit.) award in the last part of the 20th century.  Phillip Pullman
states, "my most well-known work is the trilogy His Dark Materials,
beginning with Northern Lights (The Golden Compass in the USA) in 1995,
continuing with The Subtle Knife in 1997, and concluding with The Amber
Spyglass in 2000. These books have been honored by several prizes,
including the Carnegie Medal, the Guardian Children's Book Award, and
(for The Amber Spyglass) the Whitbread Book of the Year Award - the
first time in the history of that prize that it was given to a
children's book."  

 

This book was challenged as a lit. circle reading in my district.  I
investigated it even more than I had before.  It was for a 5th grade
group.  I am not sure if that is the best age for it but I argued to
muzzle the book after it had already been started would teach students
something very bad about freedom of speech, autonomy of schools, and of
confronting debate.  

 

That said many of my friends think it anti-religion or established
religion.  Many of my friends also think that it supports healthy
questioning of all institutions.  It does have "anti-establishment" view
of organized religions and all institutions.   Frankly for 6th grade if
the students love to read I think it is a prefect book to bring
children's power to judge and question to piece of literature.  It will
bring the teacher's and student's ability to use their critical thinking
to the forefront.    It would also be wise to supplement it with
excerpts of other books like the The Chronicles of Narnia
<http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/narnia/> , Wrinkle in Time.

 

Like those books The Golden Compass is courted by controversy and like
those books this book will make students think.  I advise you and the
teacher to read up on the book, argue for its use (even if you don't
agree with it) and know that someone will probably challenge it.

Sarah Passonneau

Library Services Supervisor

TUSD

13601 Browning Ave. 

Tustin, CA 92780

(714)730-7398

 

	-----Original Message-----
	From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu
[mailto:calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu] On Behalf Of
CWeberjohn at djusd.k12.ca.us
	Sent: Monday, December 03, 2007 10:37 AM
	To: calibk12 at listproc.sjsu.edu
	Subject: [CALIBK12] Golden Compass controversy
	
	
	Hi,
	A sixth grade teacher would like to use The Golden Compass as a
lit circle book.  She was told that there is a controversy about it.
It seems to involve the Catholic Church suggesting that people not go
see the movie.  Does anyone know more about this and what the church's
objection is (if it is objecting)?
	Thanks,
	 
	Chris Weber-Johnson
	Library Media Teacher
	Robert E. Willett Elementary School
	Davis Joint Unified School District
	 

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