If a library refuses to acquire a gay-themed book for teenagers, he explained, they can still find it in other places -- like bookstores or online -- because they have disposable income. But most younger children do not have this freedom and are dependent on adults for books to read.
This puts immense power in the hands of librarians, because books like Freeman's are most commonly sold to libraries. If the titles aren't sold in sufficiently large numbers, there is little chance they will be reprinted in less expensive paperback editions. If that happens, the books may quickly go out of print.
Publishers typically market books like "The Trouble With Babies" by sending out a limited number of review copies, and presenting them at book fairs and trade conventions. Most librarians, however, learn about new titles from reviews in professional journals -- and this may have created problems for Freeman's book.
A majority of reviews mentioned the presence of the two gay fathers, thus tagging the book as one with "alternative lifestyle issues," Sutton said. Never mind that Freeman's title is mainly about Holly, a 9-year-old who meets new friends and has zany backyard adventures when she moves to a new neighborhood.
"For some readers, the mere use of the word 'gay' is inappropriate, and they can't separate the word from the idea of sex," said Mary Cash, Holiday House's executive editor. "It's a problem we've seen over and over with books for children, especially when it comes to getting them on the shelves of public and school libraries."
Indeed, several gay-themed books for younger readers have remained atop the list of the nation's most-banned library books in recent years, according to the American Library Assn., which tracks the issue.
Titles such as "Heather Has Two Mommies" and "Daddy's New Roommate" have sparked legal battles across the nation, causing many books to be removed or segregated in special collections.
Yet many experts believe a more subtle and prevalent kind of censorship happens when school or public librarians simply decline to buy a book like Freeman's, fearing it may cause a political furor. These decisions are made in private, but they are no less crucial to the life -- and public availability -- of certain children's books.
