A Clue in the Blue-Bound Books (Presentation Slides)

A Clue in the Blue-Bound Books: An Exploration into the Censorship and Gatekeeping of Historic Children’s Literature Kyra Droog, Master of Publishing, Simon Fraser University

This presentation utilizes the Hardy Boys series as a jumping off point to explore censorship and gatekeeping of historic children’s literature in the modern day. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, due to parental complaints regarding racism prevalent in the Hardy Boys series, the publishers initiated a revision process which saw significant changes to the first 38 books in the series. Changes were not actively publicized nor acknowledged, and when the books were re-released with new binding and branding, most adults didn’t realize that there was a difference between the books they had read as children and the books they were reading to their children. This revamp and its silent release raise significant questions about gatekeeping, censorship, and intellectual freedom as regards children and historic children’s literature. Kyra Droog (she/her)is a writer, project manager, and academic living on Treaty 6 territory in amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton). Armed with a Bachelor of Communication Studies from MacEwan University and a Master of Publishing from Simon Fraser University, Kyra’s academic work considers gatekeeping and censorship of historic children’s literature particularly as they are reimagined or repackaged for modern audiences. Kyra’s Master’s thesis featured a partnership with Simon & Schuster Canada to analyze the efficacy of a reimagined Hardy Boys series in celebration of their centennial anniversary. She has presented at conferences across Canada about writing, editing, and publishing. Her written works – including book-length non-fiction, short stories, and poetry – have been published by Golden Meteorite Press, Ink Movement, and the Bolo Tie Collective.