More Books You Shouldn't Read

As we noted yesterday, it is almost time for Banned Books Week. Coinciding nicely with the start of school, people with too much time on their hands good folks everywhere are ferreting out literary works that should be read by kept away from our children for their own good.

We are saddened relieved to note the end of a fantastic shocking series of books aimed at preteen and teen girls, written by Nancy Springer.

The Enola Holmes Mysteries begin with the disappearance of Eudoria Vernet Holmes - mother to the well-known Sherlock, his very proper brother Mycroft, and his much younger, very unladylike, sister Enola. Shocking as their mother's disappearance is, the brothers quite sensibly and quickly agree to pack Enola off to a finishing school. There she can be safely ensconsed in a corset and have her delicate female mind cleansed of the scandalous notions her suffragist mother has implanted in it.

Unfortunately, Eudoria's notions of feminine independence are too far ingrained, and an ungrateful Enola flees to London - unescorted! Amazingly, the child not only manages to survive several exciting completely inappropriate escapades, but she sets herself up as the secretary to a fictional perditorian (i.e. detective), and actually ends up in competition with the great Sherlock Holmes! Her successes can only be the result of a strange sort of luck - after all, it is not possible that a female, and a child, could be as intelligent or perceptive as her elder brother....or could there be a thing or two Sherlock could learn from her?

This final book, while even more scandalously improper than the others, does at least offer a satisfying explanation as to what happened to their mother (finally!) and wrap things up in a way that will please many readers. We will admit to laughing out loud during several scenes, mostly involving cabs in some way. Hrmph.

Regardless, we simply can't have girls growing up thinking they are as strong and capable as boys, can we? Of course not. We urge you to run right out to your local library and make sure they have in remove from their collection this abominable series. Then check Ebay for corsets for your daughters.