Comments on: Zombies, unicorns, scrotum (updated)

By: Your Say, insideadog.com.au

Your Say, insideadog.com.au — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 03:07:02 +0000

[...] In honour of the long-raging debate running between Justine Larbalestier and Holly Black (amongst others), I have decided to throw the floodgates open. [...]

By: Annie

Annie — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 18:32:21 +0000

I'm a visitor from Diana's blog and found it so amusing to have seen an link for these avenging unicorns on my LJ friend's page after seeing the unicorn v. zombie debate here. So thought I'd share.

By: The Cracks Don’t Seem to Show » Blog Archive » Conversations around the web

Tue, 20 Feb 2007 12:27:56 +0000

[...] The Great Scrotum Debate of 2007 rages around the internet. Here’s a look at the other side of the issue. My opinion? God forbid we let kids know the correct word for a body part. (On the bright side, at least it’s not just icky, dirty, girl parts we must protect our children from. Apparently. Here’s to equality?…)* [...]

By: Penni

Penni — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 10:20:46 +0000

I’ve tried.
And I’ve tried.
And I just can’t find a stance on unicorns and zombies. I can’t love zombies. They’re all fall aparty and their dialogue is tedious. But then the whole unicorn thing…well. I have a terrible feeling my eldest daughter is going to discover unicorns one day. She likes horses. She likes pink and purple. She lives in a strange dreamy haze most of the time.
Go scrotums. Personally I think she should get extra points for using it in a sentence.
How about the Times article’s suggestion that the newbery award is the equivalent of Oprah’s book club in the children’s literature world? Yeah, nuh. It’s a highly prestigious award for the most distinguished contribution to American literature, which is a world away from celebrity endorsement (which alas probably generates more sales, but in my world at least says a great deal less about the literary value of a book).

By: Justine

Justine — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 23:26:38 +0000

Karen & Sarah M: I’m sorry if my post made it look like I thought a majority of librarians are part of this banning madness. I did use the word “some” on purpose. And as I said upstream in this comment thread the vast majority of librarians are on the side of justice. I think you librarians are awesome.

By: Sarah M

Sarah M — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 19:48:28 +0000

just for the record, not all of us librarians think that books should be banned (not even for the use of the word scrotum) I hate being lumped with the few (and it really is a few rather than the majority) librarians that seek to censor. in fact, I’ll make sure I have extra copies because now the book will be in high demand.

By: Karen

Karen — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 17:37:45 +0000

i run a small library in rural canada and just ordered patron’s book (the best way i could think of to protest this silly censorship thing). mind you, i don’t think it will be a big deal here. all sorts of critters walk around with exposed scrota. the kids don’t seem the least traumatized.

By: Maud Newton: Blog

Maud Newton: Blog — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 17:27:43 +0000

[...] Some librarians hope to ban The Higher Power of Lucky, this year’s Newbery Award winner, from elementary schools, because it includes the word “scrotum.” Justine Larbalestier responds. [...]

By: Justine

Justine — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 16:38:48 +0000

Chris S: But, you know, I still think this is a very small minority of librarians. The vast majority, like ALA itself, are actively against censorship and work hard to defend books. I’ve now met librarians from all over the country and been incredibly impressed.

I love that acronym: Scibwee! Sciiiibweee! Sciiibweeee!!!

By: Chris S.

Chris S. — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 16:32:46 +0000

I was just at the SCBWI* conference at which we heard from Robie Harris, a writer whose friendly, factual books about the facts of life have been banned in more than 30 places. She talked movingly about how brave and strong children’s librarians are these days.

Boy, she’d be disappointed.

*Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Our motto: Worst Acronym Ever!

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 07:29:38 +0000

bloody scrotum! the “concerned adults” are at it again.

as for seth’s words: ewwwwwwww. especially the third one.

and i, like the idiot that i am, just had to google “the scrotum song.”

By: Nicky

Nicky — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 07:07:47 +0000

Long time hidey person but the unicorn/zombie erm, debate has been a source of great amusement. Both to read here & then to continue debating with my partner (he’s pro zombie fyi). Me, I just wonder what would happen if the unicorn/zombie encounter crossed over with the whole astronaut/caveman issue. Perhaps it’s dependent on which type of writer one is (with tv/film writers going for the non-fantastical animal debate).

I’m going to go hide quietly now…away from both unicorns & zombies.

By: Salokin

Salokin — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 04:15:55 +0000

I know I’m probably going to make a complete ass out of myself, but what’s the point of all this censorship? Why do librarians find the need to ban normal books? I can see not buying Laurell K. Hamilton for an elementary school, but it should be up to the students to make their own choices. And if parents can find a way to be offended, maybe they should take an interest in their child’s life themselves, and not leave it up to the school.
And um, endrant.
scrotum.

By: jennifer, aka literaticat

jennifer, aka literaticat — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 03:49:11 +0000

well at least unicorns will give some of the population an opportunity to survive.

zombies will go on wholesale brain-eating rampages, leaving nought in their wake but blood and ichor.

eww!

By: Lenna

Lenna — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 03:45:25 +0000

1. Unicorns ARE fascists for the mere fact that if you aren’t a virgine, they will buck you offf there back like you’re a bull rider. I suggest, in all hatingness of unicorns we invest in unicorn UGGS, i’m sure the UGG company makes them.
2. scrotum’s a bad word?
have you ever herd the scrotum song? it’s fun fun fun. it’s even mentioned in the book “prep”, but that is not how i know of it.
blahblahblah

By: maureen

maureen — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 03:42:08 +0000

I can’t believe I missed this debate. I’m so about the zombie. In fact, I feel like we should all be in a constant state of preparation for the coming of our future undead overlords. Unicorns? Plu-ese.

By: Read Alert » Blog Archive » Read Alert Roundup 19/2/07

Read Alert » Blog Archive » Read Alert Roundup 19/2/07 — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 03:18:56 +0000

[...] There’s a bunch of people getting knickers in twists about the use of the word ’scrotum’ in a children’s book. Read about it here, here, here, here and here. (That last one’s from Justine Larbalestier, who’s coming to Reading Matters.) [...]

By: Justine

Justine — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 23:49:28 +0000

Heh hem, Jennifer, unicorns aren’t just fascists, they’re fascists about women being virgins. I’m shocked that that does not disturb you! And why are all you unicorn lovers so violent about it? Even more disturbing!

Margo Lanagan is a very scary person.

I will stick to wikipedia entries in the future. You are wise. (On that matter.)

By: jennifer, aka literaticat

jennifer, aka literaticat — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 22:34:41 +0000

justine, that’s why you should always google words like that with “wiki” – so at least you get the wikipedia entry and not … well, something else altogether. still gross, but far less likely to include pictures.

and since they have alternate meanings on there as well, you can content yourself that maybe seth meant “felch township, michigan” or “bukkake, the noun form of the japanese word meaning “to splash” or “to dash”, as in noodle dishes ‘bukkake-udon’, &c.”

also, i like the idea of margo lanagan “gunning for you.” i imagine that she hovers above the country in a hot-air balloon, armed to the teeth, silently waiting for someone to slip a opalescent jasmine into their book… and then she strikes!

lastly, unicorn fascists will grind your precious zombies into mulch with their relentless diamond hooves. and i’d like to see you try to stop them.

By: Justine

Justine — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 22:04:11 +0000

I can’t speak for Carol but I wasn’t disturbed because it was a god doing it and it were funny.

Oh and public service announcement: if you’re even slightly appalled by grossness, don’t google Seth’s words. They’re both majorly ewwwwwerific. If you’re anything like me you will now go google them, but you can’t say I didn’t warn you. YUK!

By: Kevin Wignall

Kevin Wignall — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 21:50:42 +0000

you weren’t disturbed by someone tying a goat’s beard to his scrotum?!?! it’s a concept i’m finding very disturbing even now.

justine, you really shouldn’t look up bukkake, though of course, i also now know that my warning will send you off to google – prepare to be… hmm, what’s the word?

By: Justine

Justine — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 21:17:34 +0000

Seth Christenfeld: “Bukkake”? Can’t be bothered googling. Plus if it’s anything like your other word I might not want to look at what I find. Ewww!

Orangedragonfly: I am exactly the same. Sadly, even at my advanced age the best way to get me to do something is to tell me not to do it.

Jessiegirl: It is disappointing. Fortunately, the lame-brained opinions of writers frequently have no bearing on the wondrousness of their books. And no matter what icky things Holly likes her books will still be fabulous.

Margo: There’s clearly some confusion going on or they’d be in the pro-zombie camp.

Carol: Hah! I read that story. But at much older age. In fact in uni when I was studying old norse. Funny!

Are you sure you’ve escaped permanent damage?

By: Carol

Carol — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 20:43:23 +0000

I first encountered the word “scrotum” in the children’s section of the public library – in a collection of Norse myths, where Loki was (I think – it’s been a long time!) trying to make giants laugh by, in this version, tying a goat’s beard to his scrotum. I was eight years old but, apart from some slight anatomical confusion, I think I’ve escaped permanent scarring…

By: margo

margo — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 20:35:50 +0000

I think people are getting unicorns mixed up with My Little Pony here. There’s nothing like a well-done unicorn. Yum.

By: jessiegirl

jessiegirl — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 20:16:39 +0000

I am greatly disappointed to hear that Holly Black places herself firmly in the pro-unicorn camp.

Zombies are way better. No glitter, no frolicking, no mystical phooey. You don’t even have to hunt down a zombie, or worry about spooking a zombie because chances are it will come right for you.