« The Passionate English Club | HOME | Bokoum's story »

August 23, 2008

Yes to Age Banding

I'm fed up of the hysterical language being used by children's authors in the ongoing age-ranging debate. Darren Shan has declared war. Anne Fine has called it stupid and cruel. Anyone would think the Publishers Association were proposing to coat the pages of children's books with strychnine, but all they are actually saying is that it would help book-buyers if there were age guidance on the back cover of children's books. And well over 80% of children's book buyers agree with them.

Bookshops and online retailers already group their books in age ranges. So why not let the age recommendation for any one book be decided by the author and publisher, who know the book best?

I write in both 'junior fiction' and 'young adult' categories, which occasionally confuses retailers. In Waterstones last year I saw 'The Yellowcake Conspiracy' on the 8-12 shelves. I pity any 8 year-old given 'The Yellowcake Conspiracy' for Christmas. If the book had 'Young Adult' printed discreetly on the back cover, so much the better.

The only convincing argument against age-banding is that Little Timmy on the school bus might be caught reading a 7+ book when his friend Vernon is reading 9+. Well yes, that'll probably happen, but if the story's good enough, Timmy won't care. Besides, the fact of his owning a book at all puts Timmy in a privileged 5% band of children worldwide. Besides, he can always poke Vernon in the eye.

Posted by sahelsteve at August 23, 2008 06:49 PM