Writers Decry School Board’s Withdrawal of Children’s Book
The Writers' Union of Canada has expressed its dismay over a decision by Ontario's York Region District School Board to withdraw the controversial children's book, Three Wishes by Deborah Ellis from its Silver Birch Award list.
"It is both sad and ironic that during Canada's annual Freedom to Read Week, we are once more confronted with a challenge to a controversial book," said Ron Brown, vice chair of the Union. "Books that deal with divisive issues should be allowed to encourage discussion, not choke it off," he added. "We urge the York board to return Three Wishes to its nomination list."
The book, which the school board has deemed "inappropriate" for grades 4 to 6, presents children's perspectives on the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The book remains on the Ontario Library Association's list of Silver Birch Award nominees, although the Canadian Jewish Congress has been trying to persuade other school boards to remove it from their Silver Birch lists.
"The Freedom to Read Kit lists literally dozens of books, which groups in Canada have tried to limit or ban," added Brown. "I wouldn't be surprised to see the Ellis book featured in next year's kit," he said.
Freedom to Read Week, which runs until March 4, highlights challenges to books in Canada. Among the higher profile issues listed in the kit are the efforts by Vancouver's Little Sister’s bookstore to prevent Canadian customs officials from banning books at the border, and efforts by The school Board in Surrey, BC to ban children’s books on same-sex marriage.
The Writers' Union of Canada is our country's national organization representing professional authors of books. Founded in 1973, the Union is dedicated to fostering writing in Canada, and promoting the rights, freedoms, and economic well being of all writers. For more information, please visit
www.writersunion.ca.
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For additional information
Ron Brown, Vice-Chair
The Writers’ Union of Canada
416-757-9798
ron.brown8@sympatico.ca
