The Campaign against age banding, led by Philip Pullman, gained additional support as well-known Harry Potter author JK Rowling joined the online petition.
The Guardian reports: JK Rowling has joined the growing revolt against publishers' plans to brand children's books with "appropriate" age bands. Many other famous names have already come out strongly against the idea, but the Harry Potter author's vast clout in the children's market makes this the most potent challenge yet to the scheme.
Rowling signed the online petition of the No to Age Banding campaign yesterday. Her name appears alongside a host of other well-known children's writers, including Anthony Horowitz, Terry Pratchett and Alan Garner. And three previous Children's Laureates - Quentin Blake, Anne Fine and Jacqueline Wilson have also signed up - as has the current incumbent Michael Rosen.
The petition argues that imposing an age-guidance figure on children's books is "ill-conceived, damaging to the interests of young readers and highly unlikely to make the slightest difference to sales."
The initiative comes after research commissioned by the Children's Book Group of the Publishers' Association two years ago suggested that 86% of consumers were in favour of age guidance. While some have questioned the research, the scheme has attracted the support of major children's imprints including Random House, Penguin and Scholastic. From this autumn, book covers of participating publishers will bear a logo indicating they are suitable for readers aged 5+, 7+, 9+, 11+ and 13+/teen.
Market leaders such as Philip Pullman, who launched the notoagebanding.com site, have secured exemption from these plans, and Macmillan books is promising to consult all their authors. But some lesser known names, such as Keith Gray, whose Ostrich Boys has just been published by Random House, are already seeing the brand introduced on their books against their wishes.
Rowling's publisher Bloomsbury currently has no plans to introduce the label for any of its authors, although it has not ruled out the idea. Opposition from Rowling may make them - and other publishers - think again.
14 comments - Add yours
#1 Good sign
I think the participation of JKR means some significant attention is drawn. It’s definitely a good sign. other thoughts?
# July 3, 2008 16:16 by Neptune
#2
That’s very much what I thought when I read this...even if I don’t exactly love HP. But it might be a signal to these super-wary parents that more trustworthy authors are vetoing this.
# July 3, 2008 17:57 by Phit
#3
I doubt that JKR is a “trustworthy” author anymore with the whole the Dumbledore is gay chaos, at least to most of the parental unit I know. But I’m sure she does make some difference.
# July 3, 2008 18:10 by Neptune
#4
This range mania should be stopped before it’s too late:they started with movies, then with trailers, now with books...What then? Age-bands for thoughts? And who is so super partes to decide what book is okay for an age, and what for another? I hope that important names such Pullman and Rowling’s are going to put an end on this.
# July 3, 2008 18:44 by Lyrael
#5
Parents who give an ounce of credit to their kids then, perhaps? At least it’s bound to draw more attention to the “cause.”
The whole thing is really trying to dis-empower the reader with a “you, but not you” dodgeball labeling system. That’s what I find really insulting. It’s great to see 3/4 of my favorite authors there already!
# July 3, 2008 20:38 by Phit
#6
Lets get Tamora Pierce in on this and then we’ll really have fun.
# July 4, 2008 12:05 by LoveBitesLoveBleeds
#7 Never stop reading!
that is so stupid. PUtting an age limit on books. They put an age limit at 9 then at 11 and then at 13 thats two years between age limits. Why are they trying to put a limit at 11. They have no right to tell us what we can an can’t read. That is like when they burn books.
Harry Potter is about worshiping the devel and so is HDM they say but look at us we read them any way.
I will let my kids read any book they please and if its something really good such as HDM i will tell them about it. and by that time it will be really old and they will still read it.
I don’t care how old i am i will never stop reading HDM even if they do put an age limit on books!!
# July 5, 2008 21:59 by missy
#8 Waste of Time
I think that this “age-banding” is a complete waste of time. I read books for eighteen year olds, and that ain’t gonna stop because I see a thirteen’s and + sign on my book. It will be like movies. Nobody pays attention to age branding on those, and more importantly NOBODY CARES!
# July 6, 2008 08:53 by HM909
#9 meh
one more pitiful illustration of the conservative right grasping for handholds. go ahead and do it, i say. i don’t mind guidelines; just don’t try to legislate the age bands. a recommendation for 13+ isn’t a bad thing in and of itself, so long as i get to decide as a parent what is appropriate for my child’s intellectual and social maturity. institute it, and band the entire old testament age 13+
# July 7, 2008 16:22 by fleetwood
#10 What about the children!?
I am so sick of that tired old battlecry. People don’t want to actually have to know what their childrean read/watch/listen to, so slap a label on it, and no one has to think! But please make sure that only “moral” thoughts are spoon fed to our youth. We wouldn’t want any original thoughts sprouting up. Exactly what does age banding hope to accommplish? Just what exactly do children do when they’re told something is forbidden? Who knows, maybe age banding will cause more children to read than ever before as 9 year olds everywhere sneak copies of 13+ books into their book bags.
# July 20, 2008 07:58 by GraneeWetherwaxx
#11 Good for Them
I personally have to salute Pullman and Rowling for this absurdity. I can somewhat see the need for ratings on film and even games, seeing as visuals can be rather graphic sometimes. Books, however, is were I absolutely draw the line. Literature should know no age bounds. If someone is willing to read a book they are usually mature enough to handle it. Jo and Phil, keep it up.
# July 25, 2008 12:13 by Boydesy
#12 Thanks,JK and PP
What is the point of age banding anyway?I completely agree with the last poster in saying that people are usually mature enough to read a book if they want to. It’s not like a 3 year old will suddenly pull out a Charles Dickens novel, is it?(Apart from Matilda)I complete support JK and PP in their arguments, and I hope they succeed.
# August 22, 2008 11:02 by Shadowparticles888
#13 Age banding will HELP
I think you’ve all got the wrong idea. they are age banging not forbidding younger children to read books with an older age band. the whole idea is to help children to chose book of an acceptable READING age for them, not their actual age. take for instance my nephew. his reading age is 10 but he is just about coming up to his 9th birthday. because of this he is being pushed to read things that are too difficult for him to read and he is loosing interest in reading altogether as he is finding it too hard. it is not the content that they are trying to stop younger readers from reading, its how hard a book is to read. with age banding it will be much easier for him and us to pick books for him that is appropriate for the reading age of 10 so that he will be able to read it without too much difficulty. I think you are reading too much into this and I personally hope that age branding happens soon so that we can help my nephew to gain interest in reading again.
# November 3, 2008 13:06 by ementile34
#14
Yes but if a 12 year old has the reading level of an 18 year old wouldn’t it be scary seeing “18” on the cover and wondering what inside makes it “18-worthy” when really it could be longer words rather than racy content. It is the content that will ultimately be assumed as the target behind the banding.
# November 3, 2008 21:15 by Phit