Over the past couple of days, we’ve emailed libraries across the U.S., telling them about Onion Breath and asking them to consider the book for their collections. Libraries are one of the last public institutions specifically dedicated to improving the mental landscape of the nation. They’ve traditionally been great advocates of diversity and tolerance, so we’re approaching them on this basis.
In most libraries, anyone with a valid library card can request additions to the collection. We hope our friends in the humanist and atheist communities will go online or visit their local libraries and ask them to get Onion Breath. As Amanda said, “Whether it helps normalize atheism in broader society will depend on it being carried by libraries and bookstores, and being read by families who do not identify as atheists.” We hope kids with no idea that there are atheists in their communities will open the book in their libraries and run to mommy or daddy asking questions. It all begins with questions.
An early response to the email came from a library administrator in Logan, Iowa. It said:
"Hmmm! No God ? No Creator? I Wonder where they got all
their humor and creativity? A Fish I suppose, Wonder who
created the fish? Something to chew on!!!"
We emailed back:
"Well, we have our own ideas on that, of course. The cool thing is, Onion Breath doesn’t try to slam religion or recruit for atheism. It just mentions that the characters are all atheists. If kids become familiar with the fact that the world they’re living in is filled with diversity, they may grow up more open to different points of view. That’s why we think Onion Breath belongs in your library. Thanks!"
We hope even librarians who are not atheists themselves will put Onion Breath on their shelves, in the name of diversity and tolerance. It’s important for kids (even the most conventional kids) to know there are other types of people in the world. Libraries get endowments, grants and government money to buy books like this. If they’re buying titles that support ethnic, lifestyle, or religious minorities, they ought to be buying Onion Breath. But usually it takes someone requesting the book to alert them there’s a community that needs service.
So please ask your library to get Onion Breath! And please let us know how it goes. Thanks!! Dan & Steph.
