As an anti-censorship media maven, I’m always reticent about ‘book bans’ of any sort, except when they’ve devolved into sexualized slop like Bratz diva doll toxic commercialism with mind-numbingly vapid, unhealthy behavioral “bratitude” and streetwalker style objectification.
I far prefer the commercial free book fairs sans media tie-ins (here’s how to host one!) but at least Scholastic book fairs will now be rid of such ‘literary classics’ as Lil’ Bratz Dancin Divas; Lil’ Bratz Catwalk Cuties; and Lil’ Bratz Beauty Sleepover Bash!
CCFC led the charge for book loving parents everywhere, yet they’d like us to ‘thank Scholastic’ for hearing our plea! You want me to thank Scholastic? How about thanking CCFC?
CCFC successfully mobilized 5000+ parents to give Scholastic a bracer to get their act together and go back to their roots of selling books instead of being a mini-mall of branded characters hawking ancillary toys and tchotchkes by marketing in schools. Scholastic was kicking and screaming on this one to keep their money pot sweet, claiming Bratz appealed to ‘reluctant readers.’
The ONLY reason they caved and removed such book fair items as the Bratz Fashion Designer stencil set to design “the perfect purse” was because parents and child advocates flamed their hides in massive mobilization! This is all ‘shades of the Hasbro Pussycat Dolls campaign to halt the marketing of pole-dancing stripper dolls for 6-year olds. Remember that one? If you don’t…then you can thank CCFC for that too, as they intervened at the onset…
Sadly, I’d say you can also thank Joe Kelly of Dads & Daughters, but the nonprofit has ceased due to lack of sustainability. (never fear, Joe’s still crusading with his important work at The Future of Fatherhood, and you can keep up with him at his blog here.)
Let’s not let that happen to CCFC…Send your donor dollars to them now, and THANK them for getting Bratz out of school book fairs!
I’m gonna boost my own donation even though Shaping Youth is penniless and lining up our funding to forge forward with our work too!
CCFC needs to know child advocates on all sides of the media/marketing mix appreciate and applaud their common sense efforts. Believe me, as a passionista, sometimes all it takes is a modicum of support and ‘atagirl’ feedback to refresh and revitalize with new energy to forge forward in making change in this ol’ world…
Help ’em out. I’m next.
Here are some of their other important CCFC campaigns you can get involved with:
Tell BusRadio Stop Promoting 90210 to 6-year olds!
Tell the MPAA to Stop Marketing Violent Pg-13 Films to Preschoolers (Junk Food Merchandising)
Guide to Commercial Free Book Fairs
Here’s a 5-minute YouTube clip from CCFC’s upcoming video Consuming Kids, which we’ll definitely be adding to Shaping Youth’s fall film fest for parent/youth education the minute it comes out!!! (I’ve pre-ordered!—So can YOU…here’s the link to the Media Education Foundation info! ETD: Nov. 2008!)
This is amazing. I am definitely going to mention something about a commercial-free book fair at MSH today. I didn’t realize this was even a possibility, as I remember book fairs, even at that time, as existing strictly as a commercial venture.
Hey, Alex…thanks…to me much of the commercial-free push is due to the kind of ‘Bratz’ infiltration/dumbing down of what could’ve been a worthy selection process of quality literary works and fun finds for pleasure reading…instead it devolved into the ‘gift with book’ mentality seeding consumption and buy, buy baby perpetuation…
I mean, c’mon…most kids don’t even think about checking out books at a library…they’ll book swap with friends, but it seems to be based on pre-purchased/book store stuff. I think I’m going to do a piece on book swaps, now that I’m thinkin’ about it…It’s another fresh alternative that online media mavens can embrace with ease…
Sites in beta like 2swap.com that cries, “free the captive books” (cute) and larger sites like Swaptree.com which are AWESOME for FREECYCLING stuff…:-)
Thanks for commenting…Haven’t forgotten my changeblogger post…just slammed. Back atcha soon, Amy