Author Kyle Lukoff sent a letter this week to Escambia County (Fla.) School Board over its decision to remove his book, "Too Bright to See," from its libraries because it features a transgender character. The letter was sent in tandem with a request from Penguin Random House and PEN America urging the district to reinstate the book and stop restricting students’ right to read.
Lukoff’s book has been lauded since its 2001 release, winning a Stonewall Book Award and being named a finalist for the National Book Award and a Newbery Honor Book. It follows 11-year-old Bug who is preparing for middle school. "A ghost is haunting Bug’s eerie old house in rural Vermont … and maybe haunting Bug in particular," reads a summary on a Penguin Random House webpage.
Despite the book’s praise, an Escambia County teacher filed a challenge against it, claiming the book's purpose was "indoctrination.” She also said "sexualities and alternate gender identities" prompted her concern. Her challenge went to a district book review committee, which tied on whether to keep the book on school shelves. The vote then went to members of a committee appointed by the school board. Only one of those appointees voted to keep the book on shelves. One member called it "errant and evil," and another labeled it "absolute indoctrination of transgenderism."
Lukoff, a former school librarian, wrote:
Dear Escambia County School Board,
It took me four years to finish writing my first novel, “Too Bright To See,” because I kept giving up
on it. I told myself that it wasn’t very good, that I wasn’t a good writer, that maybe I would
never get a novel published. One day I finally forced myself to read through the chapters I had
drafted, and found myself thinking “Huh, this isn’t…bad.” I was still an elementary school
librarian back then and, for the first time, believed that this was a book that deserved to be on
the shelf. I challenged myself to finish it, and the rest is, literally, history.
I’ve worked in bookstores and libraries for over half my life, so when I told myself that there
could be room on the shelf for my writing, I knew what I was talking about. I’m very familiar
with the reading habits and interests of all kinds of kids, of all ages, backgrounds, and family
structures. I know what titles kids gravitate to, which ones their parents want them to read, and
the books that manage to appeal to both audiences. I know what kinds of readers are lucky
enough to see their identities and experiences explored through fiction, and which ones rarely
see kids like them on the page. When I say that Too Bright To See should have a home in any
library or bookstore, I’m not saying that as an author seeking recognition or royalties. I say that
as a professional, whose whole life has been dedicated to helping kids find books that they will
love.
Yes, it was a National Book Award finalist, and yes it won a Newbery honor, but I understand
that not everyone wants to read a middle-grade novel about a trans kid living in a haunted
house. Some kids are easily scared, and the idea of a ghost story is too much to handle. Some
kids aren’t interested in introspective books, and prefer more action and adventure. Some kids
will only read Greek mythology, or nonfiction about dinosaurs, and that’s okay too. But I have
also met so many kids—hundreds, if not more—who have read "Too Bright To See," and loved it
because of the story, or the writing, or what it helped them learn about themselves.
There are a lot of reasons not to read “Too Bright To See.” But none of those reasons should be
because a small number of adults, driven by bigoted and ideological agendas (here, review
committee members appointed by the school board), have decided that it should be taken away
from young people. None of those reasons are that the book is “errant and evil,” according to
one board appointee. And none of those reasons are that the book is “absolute indoctrination
of transgenderism,” according to another. I am none of those things, and neither is my life’s
work.
My job has always been to help kids find books they love, whether that was at a bookstore, a
school library, or from my own desk and imagination. No one’s job should be taking those books
away from them.
Sincerely,
Kyle Lukoff
January 7, 2025
Skip Dye, chair of Penguin Random House's Intellectual Freedom Taskforce, said in a statement that the decision "deprives students of the chance to discover a beautiful book that fosters empathy and understanding."
Katie Blankenship, director of PEN America’s Florida office, reiterated Dye’s concerns in the statement.
“We hope the Escambia County School Board will reverse the decision to remove 'Too Bright to See,' allow the students of Escambia County access to this vital work of literature, and cease expanding its liability for blatant anti-trans bias in the removal of library books,” Blakenship said.
In May 2023, PEN America, Penguin Random House, and a group of authors joined with parents and students in Escambia County to file a federal lawsuit challenging removals and restrictions of books from school libraries that violate their rights to free speech and equal protection under the law.
A spokesperson for the district told the Tallahassee Democrat that they couldn't comment about Lukoff’s book due to the pending litigation.
Phil Morehart is editor of I Love Libraries and host of the "How I Library" podcast.
Photo of Kyle Lukoff: Erin Jones-Le, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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