Banned Books Week [Graphic Novel Edition]: Blankets « Del Rey

Blankets_cover It’s Friday and we thought we’d take a look at a few of the graphic novels that have been challenged and removed from public libraries (even if only briefly) over the past couple of years.

Leading off is Craig Thompson’s Blankets, a poignant coming-of-age autobiography.

The Story

This is the story of the author, Craig Thompson. Or, it is the story of a part of his life. We read as Craig navigates the stormy waters of childhood and young adulthood, wrestling with questions of spirituality, identity, first love, and sexuality (the discovery of your own sexuality as a child and the maturation thereof as you grow).

Clocking in at just under 600 pages, the author has time to explore his coming-of-age and ruminate on scenes that lead him to be the man he is today.

In a nutshell, we meet Craig as a child growing up in Wisconsin. He is dealing with being the child of two somewhat distant parents, a sexually abusive babysitter, and on top of these things, he has begun to search out his own spirituality, which runs at odds with his conservative home town. To say his young life is tumultuous is a bit of an understatement.

But then, at Bible Camp, he meets a fellow misfit and companion in Raina and their relationship grows throughout the book. This is Craig’s first experience with falling in love, and as you would expect, Raina and the relationship they forge together has a lasting effect on young Craig. Unfortunately, as with so many first loves, it doesn’t last, but looking back on the experience gives Craig the perspective he needs to accept himself and explain his spiritual beliefs to his family.

The Controversy

By now, you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that bits and pieces of this story were cherry-picked out of the whole and presented as being representative of the quality of the work.

*Sigh*

So, without any further adieu, here is the recent complaint:

The Complaint Against Blankets by Craig Thompson

Challenged in the Marshall, Mo. Public Library (2006) because some members of the community deemed the book “pornographic” and were concerned that children would be exposed to the book. The library director was quick to defend Blankets, citing the many professional reviews that praised the book while also warning against “the slippery slope of censorship.”

Blankets was temporarily removed from the shelves as a result of the challenge and a new library materials selection policy was created. The library board then voted to return Blankets to the library and the book was moved to the adult book section, rather than the young adult area where it had been shelved before.

More information: Blankets, “Critical Reception,” Wikipedia.org

The Final Word

Blankets has been praised for its artwork, storytelling, message, and the overall quality of the project. A multiple-award winning book, it should have a place on any library shelf that orders it, including, thankfully, in Marshall, Missouri.

Blankets by Craig Thompson has won a number of awards, including: