I first picked this book up on a whim. I heard about it from another source a few years back and saw that it had several authors in it that I read as a child/middle schooler. At the time I had little experience with censorship or banned books (my school district, by in large, held an indifferent opinion towards the reading material of their students) so when I saw that Judy Blume had been censored several times I kind of stared in stupification. It's Judy Blume for crying out loud--she was almost as popular a choice for me as the Baby Sitter's Club books or the Boxcar Children. I never in my life thought she was inappropriate.

Apparently quite a few people did.

In her introduction to "Places I Never Meant To Be" (which you can read online here, at her webpage) she talks about a particular book that first her mother told her she couldn't read until she was older, and then a public librarian told her she couldn't read without permission from her parents. A Rage to Live by John O'Hara was the book. I never read it, but Blume explains that once she had read it far from being influenced by the going-ons of the characters in the book, she was interested in reading the rest of O'Hara's books.

The other contributors to the anthology don't express similar stories, but they do talk about when their books had been challenged, their feelings, how it influenced their writing or the fight that ensued. Their stories push the boundaries of what is considered 'age appropriate'. In "Spear" by Julius Lester, he tackles the issue of a mixed-race (potential) couple when both sides are racist and narrow-minded, in "Going Sentimental" Rachel Viehl paints an unfettered look at losing one's virginity, and in "You Come, too, A-ron" by Harry Mazer talks about Aaron and Kenny in the foster system.

These aren't stories filled with sex, drugs and (my favorite reason for censorship) disrespect for authorities and adults. They're real stories about real problems teenagers face. Some end well, others end sadly and a few end with a bittersweet wistfulness, but they don't try to sugar coat reality. And maybe that's why parents and teachers censor or ban their books. Keep the real world from intruding. They can't change reality, but they can keep it from touching the children as long as possible.

Not all the stories were to my liking. Katherine Paterson's story "The Red Dragonfly" seemed disjointed to me and too subtle (and I credit her book, Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom, as first getting me interested in asian history) for me to understand. And other authors I had never read before (oddly Norma Fox Mazer and Walter Dean Meyers, though I remember their books on my shelves).

I don't read genre fiction as a rule (reality depresses me), but I don't think that I am meant to 'enjoy' the book. Not in the same way that I enjoy Brandon Sanderson's epic fantasies or Georgette Heyer's historical romances at least. This anthology was thought-provoking and interesting, something I recommend if you want stories to discuss and reflect on.
( )

Must read. ( )

This is an important book. I'm glad my library owns it. I would never dream of telling any of you what you, or your kids, should or should not read. However, I did not particularly enjoy the stories, just as I'm not a big fan of most of the novels that the included authors have written.

At least I got one misapprehension/ confusion out of my head. [a:Norma Klein|56326|Norma Klein|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1274322052p2/56326.jpg] and [a:Norma Fox Mazer|70862|Norma Fox Mazer|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1256002427p2/70862.jpg] are two different people. (Doncha just hate it when you've never had the opportunity to recognize something like this? It reminds me that it's only recently that I learned the difference between [a:Richard Peck|22414|Richard Peck|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1299893364p2/22414.jpg] and [a:Robert Newton Peck|17541|Robert Newton Peck|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1309161608p2/17541.jpg].) ( )

Old favorite. Also, it's Judy Blume! Awesome collection. ( )

As the subtitle says, this is a collection of stories by written by writers who have often been banned or censored. The writers are best known for their work for the YA and children's markets, and I recognize a few from my own youth (e.g. Paul Zindel, Norma Klein). Along with the 12 stories, each writer also has a short essay on their experiences with censorship, and there are essays on censorship from the editor and from the director of the National Coalition Against Censorship. I found all the essays very interesting and inspiring.

As for the stories themselves, there were only two I didn't care for, so I think that makes this a successful anthology. I can tell that several of these stories will stick with me for years. These stories represent some of the better writing in the YA field. I particularly liked "Going Sentimental," by Rachel Vail, "Spear," by Julius Lester, "Ashes, by Susan Beth Pfeffer, and "Baseball Camp," by David Klass (and I am NOT a baseball fan).

Recommended for: anyone who appreciates quality YA, short story lovers, teachers, librarians and anyone interested in censorship issues. ( )