Censorship means book is a 'waste of effort'

KATASHA MCCULLOUGH -  April 24 2015 - stuff.co.nz

Ted Dawe's book Into the River won the New Zealand Post Margaret Mahy Book of the Year and also the Young Adult Fiction category in 2013.

A "wonderful" book for teenagers is going to waste due to censorship, a former teacher says.
Betty Robb, 76, borrowed Into the River by Ted Dawes from Glenfield Library in Auckland and was told by staff it was restricted to readers aged over 14.

Betty says the librarian then added insult to injury by telling her she was not allowed to lend it to anyone under 14.
"It is probably easier to steal a car and go for a joy ride than borrow a restricted book."

Into the River is a coming-of-age novel that sees a 14-year-old Maori boy struggling to find his own way while battling with his cultural identity.
He moves from small-town rural New Zealand to a prestigious boarding school in Auckland after winning a scholarship.
Into the River was named book of the year at the 2013 New Zealand Post Children's Book awards.
But the Office of Film and Literature Classification determined it was not suitable for anyone aged under 14.

Betty says teachers and writers have made great strides to engage boys in reading. More