Overview
Robert Cormier was one of the most widely respected authors of young adult fiction, acclaimed by critics and loved by readers. However, some people say that his books are inappropriate reading for teens. Author Wendy Hart Beckman interviewed Cormier's family and friends, and in Robert Cormier: Banned, Challenged, and Censored, she discusses his life and times, analyzes three of his books, and helps readers understand both sides of the book censorship debate.
About the Author:
Wendy Hart Beckman is an award-winning writer and editor. She holds a master's degree in English from the University of Cincinnati
Synopsis
Robert Cormier was one of the most widely respected authors of young adult fiction. His books have been acclaimed by critics and loved by readers. However, his realistic worldview and mature themes and language have made him a target of those who do not believe young people should be exposed to such books in school. Author Wendy Hart Beckman discusses Cormier's life and times and analyzes three of his best known books. She also explores the history and current state of book censorship, showing why it occurs and how it can be addressed. She helps readers decide for themselves whether the books should be banned.Editorials
VOYA -
These biographies on Cormier and L'Engle exemplify the quality of a series that also includes J. K. Rowling, Mark Twain, and John Steinbeck. The books are similar in format and identical in length. In each biography, the authors do an excellent job of looking at both sides of the censorship debate while examining the life and works of the two authors. Cormier's biographer devotes three chapters, one for each book, to analyzing The Chocolate War, I Am the Cheese and After the First Death, whereas McClellan focuses on L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time and Many Waters. The comprehensive notes and additional information at the end of each book will lead researchers to more information and fans to a complete list of published works. This series of informative biographies will be useful for teens who are reading the author in school or researching banned books or censorship. They will also be useful for biography assignments. The focus on the censorship issue, however, interferes with reading these biographies for entertainment. A teen wishing to learn more about Robert Cormier will be disappointed to find that chapters two and three of his biography rarely mention him. Instead these chapters focus on the history of book banning and the organizations involved. Also each biography gives away details of some of the author's challenged books; Beckman even warns that "plot spoilers lie ahead." Nevertheless these biographies will enhance collections through the biographers' exhaustive research and their well-drawn portraits of each author's life. Reviewer: David GoodaleSchool Library Journal
Gr 8 Up
Cormier is generally cited as one of the finest and most challenged writers for teens. This combination of biography and literary criticism explains his appeal to readers as well as the most common objections to his works from parents and school districts. A history of other censorship, including several recent court cases involving the First Amendment, and a biographical sketch of Cormier precede the discussion of The Chocolate War (1974), I Am the Cheese (1977), and After the First Death (1979, all Knopf). Beckman notes Cormier's use of various literary devices and provides contrasting viewpoints on the themes that have caused his writing to be the target of so many challenges. A section on Cormier's manuscript archive and stock photographs of incidental figures is less relevant to the subject. Discussion questions are appended. A helpful overview of the works of a major YA author.-Rebecca Donnelly, Loma Colorado Public Library, Rio Rancho, NM