One girl gets a boyfriend not because there’s a true and deep connection but because she thinks she needs to have one. The books definitely deal with female sexuality. When you’re that age, language can be used for a shock factor, especially for girls-you’re trying to carve out your identity. I don’t write books to teach lessons, but if a girl can read a story like that and think, “Maybe I won’t take off my shirt at a frat party when people have phones there,” my work is done.Īnother girl has a potty mouth. One girl goes to a college party when she’s still in high school. What are the “bad decisions” the girls make in the books? One said to me, “I can’t believe you introduced my 13-year-old daughter to thong underwear.” I’m pretty sure she knows about them already. I understand why parents worry about books-they’re worried about their kids. If you’re skimming it, words jump out at you: “fuck,” “penis,” “condom.” It triggers a set of reflexes. There’s an initial barrier of “this does not look like literature to me.” And most people who challenge a book haven’t actually read it. Grown-ups see it as a kid version of “don’t look over my shoulder.” But the language is easy to figure out-my mom said the learning curve is about 10 pages.Īlso, a lot of people of book-banning mentality think we should be very proper about grammar.

The knee-jerk reaction is that it’s different than adult language. I think part of what makes people nervous is that the books are written in instant messaging. The series is a testimony to the power of friendship-finding your tribe, having your friends’ backs. The books are about three dear friends, good girls who make bad decisions. The Internet Girls series is about three high-school girls who like to text each other about their troubles. Says Myracle, “If you’re gonna be on a list, you might as well be No. The Internet Girls series also topped the list in 2009 (and took third place in 2008). It’s not the first time Myracle (yes, that’s her real name, she says) has received top billing. (Translation: Talk to Ya Later, Ta Ta for Now, and Later, Gator.) Critics say the books, which focus on a trio of high-school friends, are sexually explicit and offensive. The books’ titles: ttyl, ttfn, and l8r, g8r. 1 with her Internet Girls series-three books written entirely in “instant-messaging” language. Myracle, who has been called a modern-day Judy Blume, is at No. The reasons range from “offensive language” to “racism,” according to the American Library Association. In other words, these are the books that receive the most complaints at libraries and schools-the books people want to ban. A series of her young-adult novels has topped this year’s annual list of “ Most Challenged Books,” released by the American Library Association. Lauren Myracle, a New York Times bestselling author, knows how to make parents mad.

Lauren myracle ttfn