At the National Book Awards last fall, teen-fiction writer Mazer, who was chairwoman of the committee that selected the young adult award, said, "Right after the announcement of the five finalists, immediately voices were raised questioning the suitability of these books for the audience. They're too difficult, it was said. Too much violence. Too much sex. Too serious. Too laden with sorrow and pain for young minds and hearts.

"Those of us who write for young people are always aware that the guardians are at the gate. They're on the alert. They're vigilant to protect the innocence, as they think of it, of children, of young readers. These are the same young people who are bombarded daily by the cynicism, the din and lure of the commercial world. These are the same young people who face extreme problems of their own."

Mazer predicted that each book selected as a finalist would be challenged "not just once but many times as unsuitable reading."