From: Itsillustration_at_aol.com <Itsillustration>
Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2005 13:57:26 EDT

I agree that the age level of the child is the important factor when discussing whether reading material is appropriate or inappropriate. An older teen should be able to read whatever they'd like (they'll get the information somewhere, if not from a book anyway). Even adults at the bookstore I work at often sheepishly ask for the Gossip Girl series, and that's great.

I love to read the edgy books. I wish that I could recommend them to everyone, but I don't. When a parent asks for a recommendation in the teen section, I always ask them what age the child is they're shopping for. Then I warn the parent that there is some material in many of the teen books that they may find offensive. If I don't do that, then I'll have an angry customer looking for me!

A coworker of mine recommended Speak to a young girl--maybe 12 or so? She hadn't read the book herself (always a good idea to read what you are going to recommend!) and one angry parent came back a week later to lecture her. Speak is a great book and deals with many important issues, but not every child or parent may be ready for it yet.

I just saw a news report this week pertaining to children's books dealing with gay and lesbian issues. There are some parts of the country (a town in Texas is one, I think?) that are trying to ban such books in libraries and schools. That, to me, is sad.

meghan
Received on Wed 22 Jun 2005 12:57:26 PM CDT