2007 Newbery Award Winner, The Higher Power of Lucky, by Susan Patron has caused considerable controversy because of its inclusion of a single word: scrotum. The book is a coming-of-age story about Lucky, a ten-year-old living in the California desert, who goes on a trek for a Higher Power. Lucky sees a snake bite a dog on its scrotum and remarks that the word “sounded medical and secret, but also important.” Many librarians, however, say the word is inappropriate for children and have chosen not to purchase the book for their libraries. The book is a long way from being banned, however. Heated discussion online was inflamed by an article in the New York Times and quickly gained international exposure. Patron has been likened to a radio “shock jock” by some outraged librarians, while others abhor the idea of rejecting a book solely because of its use an anatomical term. Apart from the debate about content, this controversy shines a light on the roles of librarians, who must both provide access to literature as well as determine which materials are appropriate for their collections and which are not.