Youngsters debate age classification on children's books
Should children’s books carry age warnings on their covers? Diane Parkes talks to the girls who will be debating that very point.
More than 120 youngsters from five Birmingham schools are gathering today to debate whether or not books should carry recommended ages on their covers.
Part of the city’s Young Readers Festival, the Teenage Debate is an annual event which looks at a different issue each year.
Today’s speakers are John Dolan, former head of Birmingham Libraries, and Oxford University Press publisher Anna Baldwin.
They will join the youngsters debating the motion: “This house believes that children’s books should have a recommended age range on the cover.”
Among those joining the discussion are students from King Edward VI Camp Hill Girls’ School in Kings Heath.
Pupil Hannah Distin, 12, supports the motion: “Age banding would highlight books appropriate for different age groups. This would be good as many book covers are quite misleading as to what the content of the book is like. However, many people have different views about this.”
Simran Sirpal, 12, says: “I think age banding on books is an effective idea. I feel that various children’s books do need to have an age rating because some of the content may be deemed inappropriate.
“A child of about seven years old might like the look of a book that is meant for teenagers. These books contain situations not suitable for children under ten years old.
“Age rated books also help children choose books appropriate for them. They also assure the parents that their children are reading the right books.
“More and more authors nowadays are writing books containing inappropriate items but if we have age ratings on books it will be clear that certain ages cannot read this.”
Cindy Cheung, 13, says: “I am writing against this proposal because many children feel embarrassed about reading fiction with an age range on.
“If a child of ten was not a very confident reader and was told to read a seven-plus book, this child would feel embarrassed as other children may tease him or her. This would cause bullying in school and would lower the child’s confidence and self-esteem.”
Selina Khan, 13, adds: “I disagree that books should have age limits.
“First, books are words, even though some say words can be stronger than actions, it is up to the reader on whether they imagine the events from a novel.
“Moreover children have different levels of maturity and for a child to be told they cannot read a book because of their age is unfair and controlling. Books are to be enjoyed and, sometimes, if there are only certain things you can read, it can take the enjoyment out of reading.
“Furthermore, are we not supposed to be trying to broaden the reading material for children and the number of children that read?
“Thirdly, imposing an age limit is close to applying a ban on reading material and is that not nearing to totalitarianism, controlling the things we read?”
Hollie Cheatle, 12, says: “I am against having age bands put on books for many different reasons.
“The children who are advanced readers wouldn’t be able to read books that would suit their ability. If a child had read all the books in their age group then they wouldn’t be able to read books that could improve their reading skills and progress further.
“Secondly, many parents would just buy books they approve of and would like their children to read. Many parents would just buy the books and give them to their children anyway, so age bands wouldn’t do anything. Many parents would disagree with this proposal because parents like their children to progress in their reading and putting age bands on books would be preventing progress.
“Overall, I believe that putting age bands on books is a terrible idea and would dissuade many children from reading, therefore, preventing progress in many areas of school.”
Erica Steer, 12, says: “The idea of this change in how books are published has shocked and angered many authors, including Michael Morpurgo and JK Rowling.
“They argue there should be no restrictions on what children read because they are there for everyone to enjoy and putting age bands on would make people feel uncomfortable and restricted.”
* Young Readers Birmingham is a two-week books festival which kicked off last week. It features talks and workshops with best-selling authors, story-telling, parties, poetry and cartoons. It culminates on May 24-25 with the Book Bash in which Centenary Square will be turned over to fun activities, all of which are free.
Visit www.birmingham.gov.uk/youngreaders for more information
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