GB is having a Spring Break this week. So I thought I’d post an un-homeshool-ish post.
We talk a lot about ratings in this family. GB is sorta obsessed with tv and movie ratings. He always wants to know WHY a movie or tv show has a certain rating. So it gets discussed a lot. Everything is rated these days. Even our music has ratings.
So, when I was composing an email to my book club this evening, I had to pause and ponder about whether books should have ratings too. One of the ladies in my club was curious as to whether her students (high school English) would find the book, ‘Water for Elephants’ objectionable.
I believe that I am of two minds on the topic. As a mother, I sure would like to know any thing that could be interpreted as objectionable. Especially if I’m going to recommend it.
A good example of one such occasion occurred a few months ago during one of our book club meetings. One mom had just spent a glorious week in NYC with her husband and kids. They had all gone to see the play, ‘Wicked’. And her twelve year old daughter was now obsessed with the music from the play. At the time of our meeting, that mom was deciding whether she should get the book for her daughter’s birthday. I’m not sure how many of you have read this book. I loved it! BUT (huge BUT) I would never let my 12 yo read that book. Just about every depraved thing that occurs in our society is hidden within the many layers of this book. Stress the word ‘depraved.’
On the other hand, sometimes it’s just so daggum hard to get kids to read. And it would be a shame to discourage them from reading. Don’t you think? So I worry that rating books would involve some sort of censorship. And to me, that just means lost opportunities for reading.
I remember when the Harry Potter books came out. So many parents were depriving their kids from reading these wonderful books because they believed them to be anti-Christian and full of paganism. And lets face it, there is an awful lot of darkness and adult themes in the HP books. I just read online this morning that JK Rowling suffered from depression in her twenties, to the point of suicidal thoughts. She included aspects of this part of her life within her books by creating the dementors - creatures who literally suck the joy and happiness out of you.
But on the flip side, just look at what JK Rowling has done for reading. More kids read now than they did before. And there is a lot more selection for boys at the bookstore. If we were to rate HP books, we’d have to include child abuse, cursing, extreme violence, and many others.
Would the HP books have been as successful if they had included ratings?
Is it possible that by putting ratings on books you would be encouraging kids to read books that they are not ready for? I know that sometimes that forbidden fruit seems awfully enticing!
Questions for pondering …. How do you feel about a rating system? Do you all have any thoughts on the subject?
by Christy, on March 24 2008 @ 7:09 pm
I have two thoughts. I seem to be spending a lot of time here tonite!! LOL!
First, many books are like many movies to me. Things seem to float over kids heads, because they don’t notice it. Point one: if it is an explicate (I probably need spell check for that) scene in a movie, that doesn’t leave a lot to the imagination…then that is a whole ‘nother ball game, but, if it is ‘implied’ chances are many kids won’t notice (we call that Shrek humor in our house). Once, I read Julie of the Wolves to my 5th grade public school class. There is a very obvious (to me) rape scene in the book. But, yet, that is a 5th grade level book.
Recently, I read a fabulous book to my kids called “Elephant Run” where an older man had an interest in a 12 yo girl. My kids…never picked up on it, bc it was subtle. So, I think NO books should not have ratings, but, as the mother when you are recommending these books to others you have to ‘know your audience’—and I am not always talking about the children here!
Just my 3.5 cents.
Christy
by
tribeofautodidacts, on March 24 2008
@ 8:32 pm
I was writing you a comment, and it got ridiculously wordy, so I guess I’ll take it over to my own blog.
by
paradisefound, on March 24 2008
@ 9:37 pm
Interesting question. I think that no, ratings are not a good idea for books. Now, that said, as a parent I DO like to know if a book is one I should recommend to my kids. I’ve never really censored what they read (quite different to me from limiting inappropriate tv content). I figure they are reading and they can usually tone it down inside their head if need be, which is untrue of tv. If it’s bothersome to them, they’ll put it down.
Interestingly, we watched the Princess Diaries movie and I thought they were fine. When my youngest came home with the PD book, I thought nothing of it. And yet, about halfway through he decided to put them down because there was way too much reference to sex for him.
However, if I recommend a book, I want to be sure that I’m recommending something that I’m comfortable with. I’m kind of an oddity in that I read a lot of YA, so if I find a book that I think they’ll like, I share it with them. And it helps me to screen out those that are not something I’d share. For instance, I just finished Lessons From a Dead Girl. It’s a powerful book and the author has pegged the typical high schooler *perfectly*. It’s incredibly well-written. But I wouldn’t recommend it to my kids because it’s primarily about teenage drinking. I think if a kid were exposed to this culture regularly - like in public school - it would be valuable to suggest that a kid read it. But for my kids who are simply not exposed to this (yet), I’d just as soon not suggest this one at this time. However, if one of my kids chose to read it on his own, I wouldn’t prevent that - but I’d use it as an opportunity to discuss alcohol abuse by teens.
So, long winded and rambly way of saying, no, don’t rate them - but if you run across a great book please do recommend it!
by Robin, on March 25 2008 @ 8:21 am
Yes, you guys have pretty much articulated my thoughts very well. Although, I do wish there was somewhere you could go, either in the book itself or a website, that would describe the objectionable content. Like I would have NEVER guessed that Princess Diaries would have “suggestive themes.”
I’ve been reading a lot of Young Adult literature lately, myself. My daughter is taking a class in college for Young Adult Literature, and she is passing on some of her favorite reads. It’s really sad…….. all that teenage angst.
Since I’ve already had two teenagers grow up, I feel blessed to have gotten through that awful time when they have such terribly destructive thoughts. I hope my youngest does as well.
I do know what you mean when you say that kids in a public school setting should read something, but that your homeschooled kids aren’t ready for it. I feel the same way about my youngest. Because he is homeschooled, I’ve been able to preserve his innocence better AND help him keep his self esteem. My sister would say that I’m artificially bolstering his self esteem, but I feel like I’m allowing him to keep it intact.
And bringing this long, long response back to topic: IF there were a rating system in place for books, it would be much easier to know what to recommend to my kids. There isn’t always a handy friend who’s read it before you. I have never told my kids not to read anything. But I do know that my older two have read some questionable stuff. Sometimes it just comes down to a trust issue. Like your son, Kris…. He decided on his own to put down Princess Diaries because it had issues that he hadn’t foreseen.
Maybe publishers could come up with a caution page………. I don’t know.
by
piseco, on March 25 2008
@ 8:25 am
I have to agree with Kris. I think ratings are NOT a good idea for books - because of many of the things you mentioned, Robin. Ratings can easily be misused. Or be misleading. The question of who applies a rating and how the book is assessed - that’s a huge problem.
I find myself often disagreeing with rating systems that are already in place - movies and video games, in our house. There are several movies and video games pegged for older kids that aren’t disturbing at all to my 5 yo, and several movies and games labeled as appropriate that just aren’t.
So I don’t think books should be rated - because I don’t think those systems are effective. But, like Kris, I would love to know more about books before I recommend them to my kids. That’s why websites of book reviews are more helpful. Parents who are deeply interested can get more information, and steer their kids away from books that they are not ready for, but the books won’t come with “warning labels” that less-motivated parents can use as an easy way to choose (or ban) books. I really don’t think the HP books would have done as well if they’d come with ratings!
by Makita, on March 25 2008 @ 8:59 am
I would have to agree with the posters that have preceeded me. I don’t like the idea of ratings for books and I often disagree with movie/music ratings. You certainly need to know your audience, what your kids have been exposed to, etc.
I look forward to when my children are older and we can enjoy the many books I love - can’t wait to have book discussions with them!
by Sara, on March 25 2008 @ 12:56 pm
Interesting post. I agree with the others - ratings just don’t really work that well anyway, and I wouldn’t want to see them applied to books. But I do like to have a really good review/s of the book before I start reading it to my kids. Some themes that are disturbing to a particular child are unique to them, so they wouldn’t be caught in a simple rating or warning system.
by
lapazfarm, on March 25 2008
@ 7:40 pm
Very thought provoking.
First of all, Wicked for a 12 yo??? No way. But that’s just me.
Ratings for books? I don’t think it would work. Books are just so much more complex than movies or music, and I don’t agree with those ratings a lot of times anyway. I do value book review sites, though. I especially like the sites like Amazon where I can get multiple reviews.
Unlike some of your other commenters, I do say no to certain books for my kids.If I feel a certain book requires a level of maturity that my child has not reached, I tell them to wait. Knowing what my kid is ready for and what he/she isn’t—that’s my job.I also disagree that a book is easier to “put down” than a movie. The written word is a powerful thing and once you’ve read it there is no “un-reading.” I’m not talking about books like HP, which in my mind are harmless. I mean a book like Wicked, which has some pretty adult content, (including some disturbing sexual content). That isn’t something I’d want my kiddo to get their hands on. That’s adult stuff. And they are not adults. Exposing kids to adult material is not ok, no matter how much “discussion” comes after it.