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Skim by Mariko Tamaki & Jillian Tamaki, ill. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2008.

Kimberly, aka "Skim", attends Catholic school and practices witchcraft. She has an affair with her female English teacher, and when that teacher suddenly leaves the school her whole world is turned upside down.

    - ISBN 978-0888997531

    - Media: Pen and ink, pencil

    - Rating: 5Q/5P

    - Potential Challenge: The main protagonist practices witchcraft and has a same-sex affair with her teacher. This could potentially cause some religious groups to challenge this book if they were to find it in a school library or public library's teen collection. My own response to this hypothetical challenge would be to point out that teenage years are a difficult time and everyone goes through some kind of searching/sorting out of who they are during those years. The girls practice witchcraft but they do not use it to harm anyone. Skim is clearly depressed after Ms. Archer leaves but she doesn't do anything drastic, even in the wake of another teenager's suicide. The way that Skim copes with her depression and her love for her teacher is very realistic and the book ends on a positive note with her making a new friend who is going through a similar depression. The book also never indicates that she is a lesbian, despite the same-sex affair, and that's not really the point of the story anyway. The point is that high school years are awkward, confusing and sometimes depressing, and it's important for teenage readers to know that they are not the only ones with those types of feelings.

 

DPower 8/1/09

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TOP TEN. Skim by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki, ill. Toronto, Ontario: Groundwood Books, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-88899-753-1

Annotation: Kim, nicknamed Skim because she is not, is an introverted, gothic outsider navigating a high school hysteric over a youth suicide while exploring her love for the same sex.

Media: Pencil and black ink.

Rating: 5Q/5P.

 

Curricular connections: English/Language Arts, GLBT.

 

School level: High school.

Challenge: Skim is a book that is likely to be challenged for its inclusion in a library's collection because of its non-judgmental incorporation and investigation of sexuality in its storyline. Books that have homosexual subject matter are often challenged, such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower and And Tango Makes Three on ALA's 2008-09 challenged and banned books list, and this text has the added layer that the primary love interest is also the teenager Skim's English teacher. The relationship is short-lived, but the two characters kiss, with Skim being a minor. Another element of Skim's life that can lead to a challenge in the library is her investigation in to the practice of the Wicca religion. This coincides with challenges to other books that have occult subject matter such as The Supernaturalist.

 

The first thing I would do is educate myself prior to an actual challenge on the collection development policy of the library and how that policy relates to the mission of the library. Then I will be able to explain the criteria behind why this book is included in the library's collection. The first thing I would do if an actual challenge presented itself would be to listen to the patron's concerns. Nine times out of ten a person just wants their concerns to be listened to and not actively ignored by the person in front of them. Should the patron want to make their challenge formal, I would explain the process that is set in place by the library, especially detailing what kind of time frame and acknowledged response the person can expect. In this process, I would continually try to engage the patron to talk about their feelings and needs so that I can try to meet them in the best way that I can, perhaps giving them a physical copy of our policies, the necessary paperwork or feedback forms for the library, or whatever makes the most sense based on the circumstances presented.

 

One of my main talking points is that the library is serving all people and because of that we have all kinds of materials in our collection. Because library users have different information needs and are a wide variety of ages, there will be a wide range of materials, some of which will not be appropriate for other users. Skim is an important item in the collection because it provides a first-person viewpoint of someone searching to find how they fit into the world. The book is not stereotypical, it is poetic in its text and illustrations, uses humor and the graphic novel format to engage readers, and ultimately provides a viewpoint that can help people identify with and provide information on the life learning that the main character goes through.

 

It will also be important to mention that the library does not endorse the viewpoints of every item it carries, also being careful throughout the conversation to not state my own opinion in the matter. Finally, I would also encourage the patron if they are an adult challenging Skim that they can control what their child reads by going with them to the library and engaging with their child during their materials selection process.

NP 07/01/09

 

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Citation:  Skim by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki, ill.  Toronto: House of Anansi Press and Berkeley, CA: Groundwood Books, 2008.

One of my Top 10 selections

ISBN: 9780888997531

Annotation: Skim is a social misfit who must deal with accepting herself, her love for her teacher, and her friend’s suicide. Her experimentation with being a witch and her attempts to reach out are heart-wrenching.

Media: Pen and Ink drawings in a graphic novel format

Personal Rating: 5Q/5P

Curricular Connections:  This would be an excellent choice for counselors at a Middle School and High School level for teens who coming to terms with their own homosexuality.  Tamaki treats Skim’s realization that she is gay with respect and dignity. This book would also be a good addition to a Social Kindness curriculum.  Many schools have curriculum that teaches tolerance of all sexual choices and it is the law for schools to teach acceptance of the right to be gay. This book could be used to support this curriculum.

Grade Level or Age Range: Middle School to High School

Challenge Book: This book is an excellent book and should be in a Middle and High School library collection. However, I do see the potential for a challenge at a Middle School library. There are themes in Skim that are so important for young people to read about but parents may have issues with these themes. One theme is homosexuality. Skim is a High School girl who is in love with her female English teacher. Skim loves the attention that Ms. Archer pays her and thinks about her all the time. She even visits Ms. Archer’s house, writes her letters, and brings her gifts. Skim’s friend, Lisa, even accuses her of a being a lesbian which Skim denies. Skim does kiss Ms. Archer which is shown in a two page spread.  It is clear that Skim wants this relationship and that it is mutual. Parents at a Middle School level may challenge the theme of homosexuality and that the teacher is kissing her student who is underage. Mrs. Archer eventually stops the relationship and leaves the school. The handling of this theme is very well done which is why it should be included in a Middle School library. Tamaki never judges Skim for her feelings and never preaches that it is wrong for Skim to love her teacher. It is clear that Skim is looking for love and this is her first love. Her being in love with Ms. Archer changes her and matures her.

The relationship with the teacher is never glorified but concentrates on how Skim handles it. If parents were to challenge this book, I would argue that there are many Middle School students who are gay and that the suicide rate of gay teens is one of the highest because they feel so isolated and so confused.  Having literature that validates their feelings and their sexuality is essential for them to have self-acceptance. I would also argue that it is the law for me as a teacher and a school librarian to teach acceptance and tolerance. Part of that acceptance is to offer literature for all students. In an in-service about gay teens at my school, I learned that most students are bullied for being gay whether they are or not and that teaching acceptance is one of my jobs as a teacher. For parents who have issues with literature with gay themes, I would have them fill out a protest form that my district provides. If the challenge went further, my district would have a hearing where the parents, administrators, and the librarian would meet to discuss the challenge. I feel very confident that my district would support this book because I have had several in-services about how gay students need to be validated. However, I know that by putting this book on a Middle School shelf, I would have to have a good argument to keep it.

Another reason why this book might be challenged at a Middle School level is that there are magic and witchery themes. Skim and her friend Lisa are experimenting with being Wiccans. The book shows them going to a Wiccan ceremony and Skim uses Tarot cards to try to predict whether she should pursue her relationship with Ms. Archer. Parents may challenge this theme of witchery but I would argue that to censor people’s religion or beliefs would not be a part of the public school system.  In my school library, there are all kinds of books about different faiths, beliefs, and religions. It is also part of the Standards to teach different beliefs and to expose students to various belief systems. However, I would make it clear that I do not advocate or support one particular belief. Again, if parents would continue to challenge, I would go to the next level and have the parent fill out a challenge form.

The last theme of the book that might be challenged is the suicide theme. The book begins with the suicide of John Reddear.  Skim believes that the reason that he committed suicide was that he was gay and in love with another boy. Katie Matthews, his girlfriend, also tries to hurt herself and may have tried to commit suicide over her sorrow. Skim is also very depressed throughout the book because she is having a tough time accepting who she is and her own sexuality. Parents may challenge the theme of suicide but I would argue that because John Reddear couldn’t come to terms with his own homosexuality and feel accepted, he committed suicide. This is all the more reason to include books about gay teens so that students would not feel so alone. Tamaki never underestimates the pain of being gay and how challenging it is for teens to accept themselves. This is why the book should be on the shelves of a Middle School library, so that more teens would not commit suicide and would move towards a positive self-image.

This book is a wonderful book for opening up dialogue about teens and homosexuality. It would also be a good book for counselors to give students who are coping with self-acceptance and homosexuality. Most importantly, it has excellent illustrations and text. Skim is a unique girl character with complex problems and students would relate to her. This is one of the best graphic novels about homosexuality and it has won numerous awards such as the Best Illustrated Children’s Book Award from the The New York Times Book Review. It is also supported by gay and lesbian groups as well as YALSA. Although parents may challenge it at a Middle School level, the quality of the text and illustrations and the importance of the themes make it a must for a Middle School Library.

By: Joanne Maher July 25th, 2009

 

Tamaki, M. (2008). Skim, Toronto: Groundwood Books.

ISBN: 9780888997531

Skim experiences the aftermath of a student's suicide and her own infatuation with her art teacher. The ink illustrations in this novel of angst and loss are exceptional.

Media: Pen and Ink

Rating: 4.5Q/4P

(Quality of story=4, Quality of illustration=5, Popularity=4)

Subjects: Sexuality, Suicide, Friendship, Loyalty

Ages: Grades 9-12

 

 

km 7/5/09

 

5.18.08 cjm