The Guardian today has a good piece by Philip Pullman about the move in the publishing industry to introduce age banding on children’s books. I could explain all the reasons why that’s a bad idea, but he does it so much better, so go and read it.
You can also visit the website that Pullman has set up with a couple of other authors, and if you’re in the industry you can sign their petition. That’s here.
June 10th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Very good article. Just one more step in the dumbing-down of culture. Over-simplify and deny complexity so no one will have to make an effort. Reminds me of the rather ominous ad I saw once: “Lose weight while you sleep!”
Back to books: I remember, when I was young, religiously avoiding the children’s section of libraries and bookshops. I’d seen other children and hadn’t been very impressed. I was always reading wildly-inappropriate-for-my-age-group books. It was great. And I had the added pleasure of not discovering some wonderful “children’s” books until I was much too old for them.
June 11th, 2008 at 9:19 am
“I’d seen other children and hadn’t been very impressed.”
This is a wonderful, wonderful line.