American Libraries

Stephen Chbosky: “How do you know when a story is true or just made up? What if a story you think is fiction ends up being a story of someone’s life? Some stories make you think about very complex issues, fiction or non-. It’s strange, no matter how much you tell yourself it’s not real, whether it be a horror novel or about a man who sees his own death before it happens, or a heart-felt short story about a three year-old girl battling cancer. Books of many kinds get to you. I think books are one of the best gifts to man. Television is interesting, too, but books bring you to places only you can imagine. One book that I get scared about, someone else may just laugh at; it’s different for everyone. Therefore you, as an author, have to write, to draw, and to act.

"The Perks of Being a Wallflower is the best book I’ve ever read in my life”—no disrespect to the other authors here, especially Judy Blume. (Laughter) She’s 13. She says, “I am very young but I feel as if my life is already used up. I’m not sure if you understand what I mean, but it is a feeling deep inside like I am numb. I am now 13 years old but so much has happened to me in these last four or five years that I have more life experiences than many average 30-year-olds.” I love that that’s old here. “Between taking care of myself and taking care of my mother and her many boyfriend troubles, I feel like my life no longer has any meaning. Believe me, I’m not proud of this as much children think they would be in my position to be so mature and independent. I actually didn’t want any of this to happen to me. The point that I am trying to make is, just when I thought it was all over, I was on the verge of taking my own life when I bought your book. I read it in less than a day. And after laughing, crying, and relating to Charlie, I realized that life is not as bad as it seems. I now write more, care more about getting my life on track, and I’m letting my mother solve her own problems. You may think it is strange that I could change my life and get so inspired over just one book of a child’s life, but it meant a lot to me. I felt for Charlie, Sam, and Patrick. I just though you should know that you are an incredible writer. I am not a stalker, (laughter) nor am I important in any way. But not many things in life touch me the way your book did and that meant more to me than you could ever know. You don’t have to write back, but if you could just send something back to me so I know you got this letter, I would appreciate it.” And then she goes on—she wants to be a writer and she asks for advice. It’s very sweet. (Applause)

So the reason why I’m sharing this letter—sorry I got choked up—is that the postmark is Long Island, New York in 2001. In the summer of 2007 in Long Island, New York, very, very close to where she lived, my book was challenged by a group. And it’s because of the efforts of people like you, like Jim, and like Donna—where’s Donna? If you could stand up, Donna. This is Donna Smith. (Applause) Donna is a librarian and when my book was challenged in Wisconsin at the Arrowhead School, she led the defense. And because of her and because of people on Long Island, my book is still available. I pray to God it never happens again. But it breaks my heart that a book that meant this much to this kid—and she’s doing great, by the way, and we still write and she’s great—that six years later in the same area, it could be challenged. And when you talk to certain folks and you go, “Look, I know you object to this part, I know you object to that part, but I am begging you—what this will mean. You’re talking about life and death.”

I want to thank all of you—Judith, Jim, everybody here for fighting for kids like this and their lives because this is not a political issue. This is to me, a very, very personal and emotional one. Thank you.