By Jacob Hope

Guidance is about suggestions that are implicit, there for the uptake when the need dicates that... The proposals to explitly and indelibly 'brand' every children's book is rather more than that. It negates the wide context within which these books are able to be utilised whether that be for introducing less confident readers, whether it be comfort reading, whether it be for readers for whom English might not be their first language, or those who have specific learning needs. This system negates and undermines all of that by assuming a system whereby all children conform to rigid development... This is easily disrupted even by the way 'childhood' as a term is constructed and definited - whether that be in legal terms, psychological terms, educational terms, religious terms, political terms, familial or individual terms. This reduces children's literature as a form capable of disseminating ideas, thoughts and cultural opinion to a formula, transitional stepping stones that are purely functional. As such it undermines children's books as a form of literature entirely. In finding the right book for the right child at the right time, it is entirely right to state that guidance is needed. This goes a step above and beyond that and the ramifications this has upon the needs of other sectors of the trade - in addition to gift buyers - have been given no consideration whatsoever, much less the rich history and development of children's books which would not for a moment stand up to age-banding - how would we age-band Grimms fairy tales, how would we age-band 'The Fairchild Family' when the children are shown a decaying corpse on the gallows, how would we age-band 'Gullivers Travels', are we claiming thatthese works which have spoken of and around childhood for many years are sudden;y inapproriate for today's children? If so why is that and what does that say about the context of modern childhood and the seemingly rigor-morised socio-political backdrop that children now exist within???

03 Jul 08 13:00

Unsuitable?

By David R N Livesley - Woodstock Vermont

I feel that Jacob has made a some what wordy comment that is however very relevant and Antennae has made a more easily understood observation, which also expresses an informed concern. I feel that both individuals plainly must have a good knowledge of writing for old and young, must consume many books every year and will discuss what they learn/enjoy with many folks. However surely the point of 'age suggestion' is to get to the folks who currently consume other forms of media but find the humble book daunting, to have more confidence in actually giving a book to a child. I do think the child consumer who actually reads often, knows what to look for. However most kids do not 'choose' to read many books. The idea perhaps should be looked another way. The title is being 'suggested' as being suitable for a reader of ability/limited ability etc. to the ill informed consumer. I think the only easily understood way of doing this is by age. Putting a 3 - 5 age range on a book could I agree pigeonhole it, but putting 3+ could I feel satisfy most parties. My hope is that the great mass of Ipod/DVD/Gameboy consumers out in the world will be stimulated to consider the guidance of this long overdue idea, and currently they will consume almost anything else other than a book. From my years of sales experience at Walker Books I found all level of age banding on shelves, displays, removable stickers simply did not achieve a great result. The majority of booksellers in the large stores would run a mile to avoid 'that messy kids section'! The title is removed from a display and placed elsewhere in the store and then what....it rarely gets correctly shelved until the informed and lonely kids bookseller comes back to work. I don't doubt librarians and educational folks do a grand job in guidance, but sadly a large section of the outlets for what is a 'commercial product' are retail stores. Or perhaps the Amazon route is the way to go, with 'guidance age ranging' on screen but not on the book. I somehow think Tesco et al will not accept this! The real debate to my mind is who actually thinks that they own the property, the publisher or the creative? Did film age banding have such controversy all those years ago?

04 Jul 08 00:42

Unsuitable?

By Alex

David - You're probably right, film age-banding did not cause such controversy - but that rates content and not ability. To decide if the system would work for children - you only need to simply apply the same system for the other end of the market. Should books about twenty-somethings dealing with various modern issues and technology and using modern slang be labelled "Not Suitable for those over 50 years of age". Absolutely not some may reply - but the point is there are people 50+ who won't understand some of the language - or just won't be familiar with unconventional novel structures - and may find it difficult to grasp just what's going on. That may be a sweeping generalisation and quite offensive - but so is age banding.

04 Jul 08 10:24

Unsuitable?