Posted on 05/24/2005 9:00:04 PM PDT by CHARLITE
Here's a rich irony: I'm writing today about a new children's book, but I can't describe the plot in a family newspaper without warning you first that it is entirely inappropriate for children.
The book is "Rainbow Party," by juvenile fiction author Paul Ruditis. The publisher is Simon Pulse, a kiddie lit division of the esteemed Simon & Schuster. The cover of the book features the title spelled out in fun, Crayola-bright font. Beneath the title is an illustrated array of lipsticks in bold colors.
The main characters in the book are high school sophomores -- supposedly typical 14- and 15-year-olds with names such as "Gin" and "Sandy." The book opens with these two girls shopping for lipstick at the mall in advance of a special party. The girls banter as they hunt for lipsticks in every color of the rainbow:
"Okay, we've got red, orange, and purple," Gin said. "Now we just need yellow, green, and blue."
"Don't forget indigo," Sandy said as she scanned the row of lipstick tubes.
"What are you talking about?"
"Indigo," Sandy repeated as if that explained everything. "You know. ROY G. BIV. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet."
"That's seven lipsticks. Only six girls are coming. We don't need it."
What kind of party do you imagine they might be organizing? Perhaps a makeover party? With moms and daughters sharing their best beauty secrets and bonding in the process?
Alas, no. No parents are invited to this get-together. A "rainbow party," you see, is a gathering of boys and girls for the purpose of engaging in group oral sex. Each girl wears a different colored lipstick and leaves a mark on each boy. At night's end, the boys proudly sport their own cosmetically sealed rainbow you-know-where -- bringing a whole new meaning to the concept of "party favors."
In the end, the kids in the book abandon plans for the event and news of an epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases rocks their school. But the front cover and book marketing emphasize titillation over education, overpowering any redeeming value the book might have. Indeed, according to Publisher's Weekly, the bound galleys sent to booksellers carried the provocative tagline, "don't you want to know what really goes down?"
The author and publisher of the book seem to have persuaded themselves that they are doing families a favor. Simon & Schuster did not return my call seeking comment, but Bethany Buck, Ruditis' editor, told USA Today the intention was to "scare" young readers (uh-huh), and Ruditis told Publisher's Weekly:
"Part of me doesn't understand why people don't want to talk about [oral sex]," he said. "Kids are having sex and they are actively engaged in oral sex and think it's not really sex. I raised questions in my book and I hope that parents and children or teachers and students can open a topic of conversation through it. Rainbow parties are such an interesting topic. It's such a childlike way to look at such an adult subject -- with rainbow colors."
Teenage group orgies are "an interesting topic"? Is Ruditis out of his mind? We can only pray Simon & Schuster keeps him away from the preschool "Rubbadubbers" books.
In a small sign that decency and common sense still survive in the marketplace, a number of children's book sellers are refusing to stock "Rainbow Party." But as Ruditis' comments indicate, it's just a matter of time before the book ends up on public school library shelves in the name of "educating" children and helping them "deal with reality." The teen lit market is now awash in sexually explicit books that would require brown-paper wrapping if sold at 7-11; their authors are being hailed as "edgy."
For once, radio shock jock Howard Stern has my sympathy. When Oprah Winfrey aired a show last year in which a guest joked bawdily about teenage "rainbow parties" under the guise of enlightening parents, Stern pointed out the regulatory double standards. Why should he be punished for indecent broadcasts while Oprah escaped scrutiny for equally explicit -- and exploitative -- content?
Stern is in the wrong line of work. If you want to peddle smut with society's approval, children's books and sex ed is where it's at.
I'm homeschooling my kids forever. In fact, they're never leaving this house again.
Alas, no. No parents are invited to this get-together. A "rainbow party," you see, is a gathering of boys and girls for the purpose of engaging in group oral sex. Each girl wears a different colored lipstick and leaves a mark on each boy. At night's end, the boys proudly sport their own cosmetically sealed rainbow you-know-where -- bringing a whole new meaning to the concept of "party favors."
WTF!
Oh my gracious!! And I thought I was a square for not wanting to share a soda can with anyone.
I've said it before, but liberals hate children.
There's going to be a war in this country, with guns and bullets and blood...
Let me add: What we read when I was in school (class of '82) was pretty smutty, too. Anyone else remember "Wifey" being passed around?
And I used to think Spin The Bottle was edgy.
Again sounds like the satire of Bret Easton Ellis, but in the wrong venue. His books are clearly for adults. And if this book were satire for parent's reading it probably would convince most to keep a tight leash on their kids....And to look suspiciously at any lip stick purchases.
Just when you don't things could possibly sink any lower... along comes something more debasing. This borders on child abuse and any public school that accepts this trash should be sued, on those grounds. Parents had better wake up and see what the public schools are teaching our children. This kind of slimeage happens when parents are too busy to participate in their kids education and let the liberals do it for them.
I'm sending my daughter to a nice convent in Romania, full of those fun Romanian nuns and across three mountain ranges from the nearest male. She's not going to date until she's 47.
GAH! When I was that age, I was reading stuff like Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, and the Baby Sitters Club.
Barf. I don't know if this is from the back cover, but this is on Amazon:
Rainbow Parties. Are they real? Who's going?
GIN and SANDY
One's been with all the guys, one's terrified of them.
It's Gin's party; she invited everyone.
ALLISON
President of the Celibacy Club. What's she thinkin'?
HUNTER and PERRY
Friends...with benefits.
JADE
Hanging on to it for the right guy.
SKYE and ROD
Totally doing it, totally curious.
VI
Skye's BF who has it for Rod. The party could change everything.
RUSTY and BRICK
One thinks he's a playah. One's built like it. Neither's getting any.
ASH and ROSE
The class couple, not ready yet. So why are they going?
Would you?
Moral Absolutes Ping.
Childrens' literature (sic) has been "reality" themed for a long time. Reality themed means gutter language, immorality, broken families, and heaven forbid there should be a moral lesson. It's called "bringing every kid down to the lowest common denominator".
Kids learn to read better and learn better life lessons reading classics like "Kidnapped", "Robinson Crusoe", and thousands of others. Well written, realistic, much more gripping, real life heroes, and character and moral lessons included generally without being "preachy".
Parents: Whatever your kids are going to read, read it first.
Let me know if you want on/off this pinglist.
I was just about to ping you to this when you pinged me. This is pathetic.
Remember when Judy Blume books were considered raunchy?
when I was that age I was reading Virgil's Aeneid... in Latin.
'nite, vixen.
and we luvz ya :)
oh, that's awful.
morality aside, the repellent crudity is simply ghastly.
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