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Jun. 10th, 2008 07:45 amInteresting petition against age-banding books (prescribing what books are appropriate for what ages of children).
It's signed by a number of writers and illustrators I admire, including Philip Pullman, Quentin Blake, Neil Gaiman, AM Smith, Roddy Doyle, and by many other writers, artists, agents, teacher, and booksellers.
I think on the whole, I'm inclined to agree. There's lots one can do to help parents and kids find books that will be right for someone without creating blatant visual standards that imply that a book is appropriate or (more importantly) inappropriate for a reader simply because of that person's age. I still remember with some frustration the interdict my elementary school library had on younger students exploring, reading, or borrowing books from the "older students'" section. It had nothing to do with making sure that certain books were available if needed or with shielding young minds from material they shouldn't see (we were *all* under 12), but with what it was thought would be "too challenging" for younger students.
It's signed by a number of writers and illustrators I admire, including Philip Pullman, Quentin Blake, Neil Gaiman, AM Smith, Roddy Doyle, and by many other writers, artists, agents, teacher, and booksellers.
I think on the whole, I'm inclined to agree. There's lots one can do to help parents and kids find books that will be right for someone without creating blatant visual standards that imply that a book is appropriate or (more importantly) inappropriate for a reader simply because of that person's age. I still remember with some frustration the interdict my elementary school library had on younger students exploring, reading, or borrowing books from the "older students'" section. It had nothing to do with making sure that certain books were available if needed or with shielding young minds from material they shouldn't see (we were *all* under 12), but with what it was thought would be "too challenging" for younger students.
