Newbery Award winner Susan Patron, a target of ire for using the word “scrotum” in her children’s book, says adults are correct in acknowledging the power of the written word. “Children who read widely understand more about the world; they have a foundation for making better decisions. They think, and because of that, they may even challenge their parents’ beliefs. For some, a scary idea, but isn’t a thinking child preferable to one who accepts the world at face value and has no aim to change it for the better?”