Wednesday 24 March 2021

Do books need a rating?


Would book censorship stifle the enjoyment and adventure of reading? In the forever metamorphosing environment of book genres, where young adult novels cover every conceivable topic that adult novels do, it makes sense to categorise books to suit reader age, and emotional intellect. But should written content be treated in the same way as visual content, like a movie? As parents, we have a responsibility to monitor what our kids read. A proactive approach to shared regulating what they read allows for open discussion around story topics, values and emotions; something every parent should be fostering. Children grow up so fast. Not permitting them access to a meaty young adult novel at age 12, even though they’re more than capable of reading it, may mean they remain 12 for just a little longer. Most school librarians are successfully implementing their own rating systems. Is it time to implement something nationwide?