void
20-08-2008, 05:31 PM
Apologies if this may have appeared on the forums elsewhere.
Concern over age bands for books.
In the normally sedate gardens of the Edinburgh Book Festival, it is causing quite a furore. From this autumn, a number of publishing houses will "age band" their children's books. Each book will carry a specific marking indicating they are suitable for readers aged 5+, 7+, 9+, 11+ and 13+/teen. Research within the book industry suggests people buying books for children would welcome the guidance. But it is a scheme which has already enraged a number of writers, among them former children's laureate Michael Morpurgo.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7568992.stm
Annoyed writers aside, think of what 'compartmentalizing' knowledge (even in the form of fiction) could do?
Isn't that the perfect control over the next generation? Does this mean that a child of a higher and wider grasp in intellect at age 9 is going to be 'denied' a book deemed suitable for a higher age? Will they be able to obtain such books themselves? Who knows? But it appears that if parents are controlling what a child gets to read, then control is already occuring. To me, although the issue of 'easing children in' has validity, it can also be dangerous.
Keeping someone limited in a narrow box when they are prepared to expand far and wide, is making little clones out of everyone, and can cause existing drive and thirst to wither away unless addressed there and then and encouraged.
Growing up, I loved finding the complex adult encyclopedias in my grandmother's cupboard and such things. Doing so, expands your interests, understanding of our history, and perception of life early on. Keep people regulared into orderly corridors, and you'll end up with little clones, easily controlled and manipulated, and being kept on the same wavelength. Yes once they enter the next age band they'll be picking up more, but they could have grown tremendously in that time. It appears that parents and schools who would be the ones who deem when that change takes place, and not taking into the individual nature of children. You can't treat all children as being the same at age 9. You meet super intelligent 10 year olds, and you also meet very narrow minded 10 years old.
Starting this regulation at age 5, is setting a certain trend and I'm suspicious of it. How about you?
Concern over age bands for books.
In the normally sedate gardens of the Edinburgh Book Festival, it is causing quite a furore. From this autumn, a number of publishing houses will "age band" their children's books. Each book will carry a specific marking indicating they are suitable for readers aged 5+, 7+, 9+, 11+ and 13+/teen. Research within the book industry suggests people buying books for children would welcome the guidance. But it is a scheme which has already enraged a number of writers, among them former children's laureate Michael Morpurgo.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7568992.stm
Annoyed writers aside, think of what 'compartmentalizing' knowledge (even in the form of fiction) could do?
Isn't that the perfect control over the next generation? Does this mean that a child of a higher and wider grasp in intellect at age 9 is going to be 'denied' a book deemed suitable for a higher age? Will they be able to obtain such books themselves? Who knows? But it appears that if parents are controlling what a child gets to read, then control is already occuring. To me, although the issue of 'easing children in' has validity, it can also be dangerous.
Keeping someone limited in a narrow box when they are prepared to expand far and wide, is making little clones out of everyone, and can cause existing drive and thirst to wither away unless addressed there and then and encouraged.
Growing up, I loved finding the complex adult encyclopedias in my grandmother's cupboard and such things. Doing so, expands your interests, understanding of our history, and perception of life early on. Keep people regulared into orderly corridors, and you'll end up with little clones, easily controlled and manipulated, and being kept on the same wavelength. Yes once they enter the next age band they'll be picking up more, but they could have grown tremendously in that time. It appears that parents and schools who would be the ones who deem when that change takes place, and not taking into the individual nature of children. You can't treat all children as being the same at age 9. You meet super intelligent 10 year olds, and you also meet very narrow minded 10 years old.
Starting this regulation at age 5, is setting a certain trend and I'm suspicious of it. How about you?