This book recounts in narrative form the influence of Mel and Norma Gabler, two Texas parents, on the purchase of textbooks for Texas schools. Concerned over content they found objectionable, for more than ten years the Gablers used direct mail campaigns, radio talk shows, petition drives, and personal appearances, in addition to testifying personally before the state textbook committee and at hearings of the state board of education, in order to present their arguments. Their major objections were in the areas of patriotism, morality, and religion, as well as in the failure of the textbooks to encourage the learning of basic educational skills. The Gablers' role in the textbook controversy of 1974 in Kanawha County, West Virginia, is also discussed. Numerous quotes from the textbooks involved, as well as from the Gablers' informational materials and the various hearing records, make up a major portion of the text. A number of appendices include editorials, a source guide to listings of recommended textbooks, and information on textbook adoption in several states. (PGD)