Young adult literature takes a turn for the smutty:
A battle could be brewing in the book stacks over a new novel about teens and oral sex. Rainbow Party, aimed at the teen market (ages 14 and up), has some booksellers and librarians wondering whether author Paul Ruditis sensationalizes the subject — and, more significantly, whether they should carry it on their shelves...Rainbow Party (Simon & Schuster, $8.99) is about a group of teens who plan an oral-sex party at which each of the girls wears a different color of lipstick. Ruditis says the book was never meant to sensationalize sex parties. "We just wanted to present an issue kids are dealing with," he says..
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Suzanne Kelly, a buyer for the Chester County Book and Music Co. in West Chester, Pa., which will stock a limited number of Rainbow, agrees. She says the book's message that oral sex "really is sex" and that teens can contract STDs through such sexual practices far outweigh the controversial story line."I can't imagine anyone reading this book and saying, 'Hey, what a great idea. Let's send out invitations,' " Ruditis says...
Something tells me Ruditis doesn't know a lot of teenagers. Not surprisingly, conservative columnists are appalled:
...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?"...[Author Ruditis said]...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.
Ace of Spades notes the "cautionary-tale" cover for smut has been around for some time:
The whole idea of a "cautionary tale" is just ass. In the fifties, there were dirty-ish magazines featuring names like Teenage Confidential and the like that would be all about good girls going bad and taking barbituates and having lots of sex and then having an epiphany or some tragedy that convinced them that they had chosen the wrong path.But, obviously, no one was reading those stories for the obligatory moral point cynically packed in to the last two pages. They were reading for the barbituates and the sex.This is so well-known and so obvious I'm surprised this guy even attempts this spin.
Editors in Pajamas has the most concise response:
Like Malkin says, "You can't make this stuff up." Home schooling it is.
The customer reviews on Amazon aren't too great, but the thoughtful comments from some who have actually read the book lead me to think that perhaps parents should be reading this.
Posted by kswygert at June 2, 2005 08:39 AM