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From: Barbara Tobin <barbarat>
Date: Mon, 05 May 2003 22:50:17 -0400
Somebody recently mentioned the huge spread in the 12 or 18 year old designation for YA readers (apologies, I've lost the post) and asked if anyone caters to this in their shelving of YA books. I don't feel as comfortable with 12 year olds reading some of the edgier books that seem more suited to older high school students (perhaps being an Australian, and used to most 12 year olds still being in elementary school, is a factor in this discomfort--as well as having a sister who teaches such 7th graders).
Last week I overheard an interesting conversation in a small children's bookstore (in the U.S.) that got me thinking. A very mature and well read young fifth grade girl was shopping for new YA books with her mother. This youngster, an only child of an older mum, had obviously always been treated like a small adult, and her adult-like conversation with the bookstore owner about her reading interests and about her chronic illness amazed me. If I hadn't seen this child I could easily have thought it was a conversation between two adults about seriously mature topics.
Anyway, the mother found Laurie Halse Anderson's book, Catalyst, displayed under 'staff picks' and decided her daughter would like this, since she has enjoyed Anderson's previous work (including her YA novel that centers around a 14 year old's rape by one of the senior boys at a school party). The bookstore owner tried to talk the mother out of Catalyst, saying it contained somewhat mature content for this child
(whom she knew quite well). The mother kept insisting, not even seeking the child's opinion, until the bookstore owner finally noted that there
is a young female character in the book who gets impregnated by her own father. Well, the mum promptly returned the book to the shelf, but it was the girl's response that interested me. She said, "Oh, yes, that IS a bit much," and effectively dismissed the book.
I am wondering if this kind of self-regulation of edgy books by younger readers is unusual, or if there are indeed many discerning youngsters who know when they are not ready to tackle certain topics. And if such readers prefer NOT to read about these topics just yet, how they respond if they accidentally get in over their depth? What have those of you who work more with this age group noticed?
Barbara Tobin (barbarat at gse.upenn)
Received on Mon 05 May 2003 09:50:17 PM CDT
Date: Mon, 05 May 2003 22:50:17 -0400
Somebody recently mentioned the huge spread in the 12 or 18 year old designation for YA readers (apologies, I've lost the post) and asked if anyone caters to this in their shelving of YA books. I don't feel as comfortable with 12 year olds reading some of the edgier books that seem more suited to older high school students (perhaps being an Australian, and used to most 12 year olds still being in elementary school, is a factor in this discomfort--as well as having a sister who teaches such 7th graders).
Last week I overheard an interesting conversation in a small children's bookstore (in the U.S.) that got me thinking. A very mature and well read young fifth grade girl was shopping for new YA books with her mother. This youngster, an only child of an older mum, had obviously always been treated like a small adult, and her adult-like conversation with the bookstore owner about her reading interests and about her chronic illness amazed me. If I hadn't seen this child I could easily have thought it was a conversation between two adults about seriously mature topics.
Anyway, the mother found Laurie Halse Anderson's book, Catalyst, displayed under 'staff picks' and decided her daughter would like this, since she has enjoyed Anderson's previous work (including her YA novel that centers around a 14 year old's rape by one of the senior boys at a school party). The bookstore owner tried to talk the mother out of Catalyst, saying it contained somewhat mature content for this child
(whom she knew quite well). The mother kept insisting, not even seeking the child's opinion, until the bookstore owner finally noted that there
is a young female character in the book who gets impregnated by her own father. Well, the mum promptly returned the book to the shelf, but it was the girl's response that interested me. She said, "Oh, yes, that IS a bit much," and effectively dismissed the book.
I am wondering if this kind of self-regulation of edgy books by younger readers is unusual, or if there are indeed many discerning youngsters who know when they are not ready to tackle certain topics. And if such readers prefer NOT to read about these topics just yet, how they respond if they accidentally get in over their depth? What have those of you who work more with this age group noticed?
Barbara Tobin (barbarat at gse.upenn)
Received on Mon 05 May 2003 09:50:17 PM CDT
