Comments for Making it up

Comment on Heard Today by t-bird anni

t-bird anni — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:37:36 +0000

ROFL! Aprilia was much confused that when Grandpa took pictures of her, she couldn’t see them right away on the camera! All this taking the film somewhere to have someone else print them off just seemed rather ridiculous for her!

Comment on BBC NEWS | Scotland | Edinburgh, East and Fife | Concern over age bands for books by Merry

Merry — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:00:25 +0000

Gawd, i can just see that kind of rating being a nightmare for autistic spectrum kids. I have enough trouble persuading Maddy on her birthday that clothes that fitted the day before are still okay on the day she becomes a year older.

I don’t mind the bandings; 8-12 - teens and beyond but beyond that… argh!

Comment on BBC NEWS | Scotland | Edinburgh, East and Fife | Concern over age bands for books by Jax

Jax — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:43:02 +0000

I’m not sure what you mean by age appropriate content tbh, while Big reads well above her chronological age in terms of vocabulary and grammar she can be upset by the most unexpected of books - she was recently traumatised by Rumer Godden’s The Dolls’ House simply because the children inherit the dolls’ house - ie someone dies for them to get it. It’s not a scene that plays out drastically in the book, there is no tragedy in the death, but nevertheless, she was very upset. And yet if anything, the book is aimed at, and probably suitable for a child even younger than her.

Children are individuals and families have different preferences, I don’t think that you can begin to rate books on that kind of level, and I’d really rather that ppl didn’t try.

I have recently found that the ratings on films don’t come close to describing suitability - I took a bunch of children to a U that bored them silly and then another to a PG that was described as having mild peril that scared them rigid. Neither rating gave me anywhere near enough information and I can’t see that anything other than previewing a book or film could come near giving a purchaser the information that they might require.

Comment on BBC NEWS | Scotland | Edinburgh, East and Fife | Concern over age bands for books by Caroline

Caroline — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:07:35 +0000

I’m curious though - is this a recommendation based on content or on readability? If based on readability then I too think it would be nonsense unless every child were to do some kind of reading test! Afterall, m7 7yo reads at the level of an 11yo at least & my 9yo at the level of a 14yo, BUT the CONTENT of the books they read is always age appropriate - I see to that!! If the rating is going to be based on ’suitability’ well then that’s a different matter and I am all for it. I believe it is only intended as a guidance anyway - not carrying any legal weight, so can easily be ignored by those who chose to do so, but helpful for those of us who might like more idea of a books contents. Perhaps they could use symbols like on the back of PS games - violence, language, sex, etc… That would be a good idea! All that said - suitability is highy subjective and what you and I would consider suitable for any said age I’m sure would be wildly different (maybe!)

Comment on BBC NEWS | Scotland | Edinburgh, East and Fife | Concern over age bands for books by Dorothy Massey

Dorothy Massey — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:06:57 +0000

I signed up a while ago. I also posted an article on e-zine if you’re interested in finding out more. Dorothy Massey http://www.kidsbooksuk.blogspot.com

Comment on BBC NEWS | Scotland | Edinburgh, East and Fife | Concern over age bands for books by Clare

Clare — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:22:34 +0000

I felt very upset recently hearing a mother say to a child in a bookshop ‘go and choose something for me to buy you’ and then saying ‘no, I’m not buying that for you - it’s far too young for you!’. Does it matter? Surely we’re trying to foster a love of books, no matter what age the books are ‘meant for’. My DD1 (5) has a favourite book - a book of Daily Prayer that my grandparents bought for me years ago. She likes the crinkly paper and it’s lovely size. It’s certainly not targetted at children though! Will go off and look at Dani’s link now.

Comment on Heard Today by Merry

Merry — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:25:24 +0000

I keep sniggering to myself when i hear Josie saying “can’t you just DOWNLOAD it???” in exasperation at not every single thing (crisps, juice, endless dora) being on tap and in a zip file.

Comment on BBC NEWS | Scotland | Edinburgh, East and Fife | Concern over age bands for books by Tim

Tim — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:16:48 +0000

But pretty much by the time I was eight or nine I had read all the children’s books in the library and had started on the adult section. I was offering that option to Big only the other day, when she complained she couldn’t find anything which appealed in the children’s section. She is certainly capable of reading pretty much anything she chooses, what might be more useful is a rating system like PG and R18 for adult books. I certainly don’t like the idea of children’s books being pigeonholed though.

Comment on BBC NEWS | Scotland | Edinburgh, East and Fife | Concern over age bands for books by Rubbish Parent

Rubbish Parent — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:41:18 +0000

There’s a bit of an obsession about age bands on books here - and I frequently see well meaning but misguided parents flip over books in the library and book shop and tell their children that no, they can’t have that book because they are too old/too young for it.

Drives me nuts.

Comment on BBC NEWS | Scotland | Edinburgh, East and Fife | Concern over age bands for books by Alison

Alison — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:46:00 +0000

What a stupid idea. Will go and check that link.