h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

If I may weigh in here, there are two issues, not one. Providing guidelines for reading levels is helpful. How on earth would I shelve materials in the children's library without them? We don't use ages per se as a criterion, but we do separate our books into levels indicating general vocabulary and reading comprehension from preschool through young adult. So this is nothing new. It is being given a new name and a slightly different look.

However, if books are restricted according to age level, then we are playing a different ballgame. That should never happen. Children should be encouraged to read at both their intrest and comprehension levels. That often is above or below age level.

We fight groups who challenge and want to ban childrens books constantly. This is a seemingly neverending battle. And the excuse these groups use most often is that the content is not age appropriate. The truth is that some kids are more mature than others. To deny those kids who are mature enough books on controversial subjects is the worst form of censorship.

Those parents who are concerned about their children's reading materials need to take an active role in the selection process. They also need to keep their noses out of ~my~ family and my right to make similar decisions for my kids. Restricting access across the board simply cannot be tolerated. Nor should be accept perverting the use of general cataloging standards to create an excuse for censorship.

Approximate age banding is ok - but that's a separate issue. Libraries and good bookshops do this anyway, and any publisher worth their salt will provide guidelines anyway.

But that's a whole way away from putting a big number on the front.

I always think it's better for children to "read up" anyway - it does their vocabulary no end of good.

Hyp, while you're here, may I ask? Is there the same hoo-hah over the "twilight" books as there was over the Harry Potter ones? (church groups trying to get them banned, I mean, rather than the publishing hype which seems to be cranking up)

Sho, we have had a few complaints. Not a lot yet. But the Harry Potter objections built over a period of years. I expect to have the Twilight controversy around for quite a while.

Do you think they'll have more luck? Mind you, with the books being about vegetarian vampires, and worry about people's souls, maybe it won't be too bad.

I think the difference here is that they are targeted to a slightly older audience. It's crazy that some of our fundies will admit that vampires are purely fictional and their kids won't believe they are real and want to become one, but they seem to think the kids will believe Hogwarts is a real place and that Harry flies around on a broomstick. Give me a break! Kids know what is real and what is fantasy.

We only had two formal complaints about the Dark Materials trilogy. That surprised me a bit.

Wow, that does seem like "too few". Although I think a lot of people sort of got lost in it all.