-
Welcome
to BookAndReader! We LOVE books and hope you'll join us in sharing your favorites and experiences along with your love of reading with our community. Registering for our site is free and easy, just CLICK HERE!
Already a member and forgot your password? Click here.
Age guidance label for children's books?
- Thread starter SFG75
- Start date
I don't like the idea either but I can see the reasoning behind it.
abecedarian
Well-Known Member
I don't think its a wicked thing at all. As a parent and a consumer, I can't possibly keep up with all the new books coming out for kids. A little help with the guesswork involved in matching books with kids is nice. I look at those age suggestions as 'guides' not 'rules'. ( Too many viewings of Pirates of the Caribbean, sorry!)
Litany
Active Member
When I was a kid, the library had books that they felt weren't suitable for younger children in a separate section and you were only allowed to check them out if you were 13 or over or had parental permission. I got parental permission. I don't really see the problem.
There are certain themes in teen books that you wouldn't necessarily want an 8 year old reading and having an age guide on the cover makes it clear that that book might not be suitable for younger kids. Parents can always override the ratings if they know their kids are mature for their age. I don't know what there is that a 7 year can deal with but a 5 year old can't. Maybe some sort of Santa related issue.
There are certain themes in teen books that you wouldn't necessarily want an 8 year old reading and having an age guide on the cover makes it clear that that book might not be suitable for younger kids. Parents can always override the ratings if they know their kids are mature for their age. I don't know what there is that a 7 year can deal with but a 5 year old can't. Maybe some sort of Santa related issue.
That's interesting. I was approaching this more from the perspective of an adult buying a book for a child such as someone buying a book for a friend's daughter and they weren't sure what reading level is appropriate. I wasn't thinking about themes.
Libra
Active Member
I collect children's books..1930s through 1970s, and I can tell you that many have age suggestions printed on the covers or dustjackets...it's not a new thing at all.
As a kid (upper end of that date range, not lower
), I don't think I even noticed that books had age ranges...if a book looked interesting, I read it. As long as they're not printing these age ranges in neon colors on the cover, I'd bet most kids today won't notice it any more than I did.
As a kid (upper end of that date range, not lower
), I don't think I even noticed that books had age ranges...if a book looked interesting, I read it. As long as they're not printing these age ranges in neon colors on the cover, I'd bet most kids today won't notice it any more than I did.
Gilgamesh
New Member
It would be helpful for parents who just throws books at children to read.
This is for children's books only? It would be good to have it for all books.
I knew a parent who purchased "Wicked" for his 7th grader. The boy returned the book to the parent though. Then there was the Water for Elephants read by a younger teenager. But, her parents wern't aware of the contents. Just thinking it's a bestseller.
This is for children's books only? It would be good to have it for all books.
I knew a parent who purchased "Wicked" for his 7th grader. The boy returned the book to the parent though. Then there was the Water for Elephants read by a younger teenager. But, her parents wern't aware of the contents. Just thinking it's a bestseller.
SFG75
Well-Known Member
I don't know about you folks on the other side of the pond, but in America, toys are generally labeled by age. You'll see labels that read "5 & up" or something like that. To me, doing the same thing to books wouldn't be that bad. I guess the only problem would be if someone used it as a firm guide as to who can or cannot read a book. I attended one elementary school in my younger years where the books were organized by age/reading level. If you wanted a book above or below your "level," you couldn't read it. It was a stupid rule, but then again, that's what happens when some folks take general guidelines and make them into firm rules. Hopefully the same thing won't happen in schools or libraries should books be marked.
Libra
Active Member
I'm sure it'll work just as well as the "Parental advisory" labels on CDs.
and video games.
Sleepy
Member
True, it sounds really stupid to me. But that's school. I think, especially in the USA, yeah US parents like to make a fuss out of everything (not judgemental, just my observation), where schools and teachers sit in a hot seat.
The parents are a different thing and I truly believe that they should still have the most influence on their children and let them choose. If not from the school inventory then from the library or bookstore.
-
Over the pond, we do have age guidelines on toys as well. It is handy if it comes to toys for children up to three to four years. Everything else depends on the childs general physical and mental development.
SFG75
Well-Known Member
LOL-We call them "helicopter parents" in the states. I hate to generalize, but among my fellow Gen-Xers, there is a collective unconscious desire to outdo our boomer parents, who spawned the phrases- "Quality time over quantity time," "latchkey child," and "no-fault divorce." Of course, being "better" than those standards isn't all that difficult.
An excellent point.
Sleepy
Member
Don't get me started. Sometimes, when visiting certain forums, I am speechless. When I was a kid, millions of years ago, we were kids with dirty socks, faces and hands when we returned home in the evening. Today mother teaches her child to use disinfecting wipes after touching whatever a child might touch. Depending on the social class of course. *sigh*LOL-We call them "helicopter parents" in the states. I hate to generalize, but among my fellow Gen-Xers, there is a collective unconscious desire to outdo our boomer parents, who spawned the phrases- "Quality time over quantity time," "latchkey child," and "no-fault divorce." Of course, being "better" than those standards isn't all that difficult.
What's a no-fault divorce ? I mean I can translate it but my translation doesn't make any sense to me.
Btw. I can't stand the phrase "quality time". It sounds forced but I still look through a childs eyes. ;-)
Libra
Active Member
Annoying perfect parents
My daughter is a tom boy (for now)lol. I let her be herself, but there are these parents that go overboard!
Sleepy
Member
Annoying perfect parents
True ! I was a tom boy myself and sometimes I still am.
Look what has become of me ! Stewart thinks my left boob's sagging !
SeoulMan
Member
As a kid, I read several grades above my level. It wasn't because I was particularly smart or studious. It's just that I had no friends and spent a lot of time alone at the library. So, for example, as a third grader, I read books that 6th graders were reading; as a fourth grader, I read books that 8th graders were reading; and so forth. I think I'd feel suffocated if I were restricted to reading books that were deemed "appropriate" for my age bracket.
Libra
Active Member
True ! I was a tom boy myself and sometimes I still am.
Look what has become of me ! Stewart thinks my left boob's sagging !
LOLL, maybe you should show him the righ...getting back to the discussion...I like she's a tomboy,and I know she will change, so let her enjoy playing in the dirt!