Blind Preconceptions; Faithlessness

I read this Guardian article by Clare Furniss on the labelling of books and, in particular, of YA books: Sick lit and why labels in literature aren't helpful.

One of the most annoying things that I get in my job are the parents of teenagers who come in, shopping for their children, but with this big wedge on their shoulders about which books and 'types' of books are and aren't appropriate for their child.

(A) They have a somewhat erroneous preconception that all YA books are dystopia or romance and about kids who are dying or *insert latest media fad here*.

For starters, this is not true. There are a million and one books that can be classed as YA, just some of which could potentially fall into one or other (or more than one) of these categories.

(B) They have a somewhat erroneous preconception that the books in said categories are either badly written and/or worthless reading.

For starters a book can be literary and well written AND fall into a 'genre'. They're not exclusive, you know.

And then there's the part where books that could be considered genre are all talking about important things, things that matter, and things especially that are important for young people who are growing up and trying to figure out themselves and figure out the world and people around them - never mind that they're just as important once you have 'grown up' (whatever that means), and in fact never stop being important, ever.

Then there's the part where what does it matter whether or not a book is *worthwhile* reading? They're reading, for god's sake! They're using their brains and thinking and imagining and empathising with events and people outside their own world. Which means that pretty much everything is probably worth reading.

And. And. And.

I know a bookseller who has a twelve year old child who wants to read John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, but the adult in question won;t let her because they say it's too adult for them, that's it's too dark, that there's a sex scene in it.

This young person. This young person is an individual who has a right to choose what they read. If it's too adult and they don't understand it, then they don't understand it and that's that. What's the problem? If it's too adult and it makes them uncomfortable, they'll put it down. And what's the problem with that? And if they DO understand it and it upsets them, then that is because they are old enough and they are processing and thinking about the world and growing up and finding a safe way to come to terms with all that that means. And that is one of the brilliant things about books. So what's the problem with that?

The mother who is shopping for her sixteen year old and doesn't want to buy him a book that has swear words or sex in it. I am gobsmacked. Dumbfounded. Who does she think her son is likely to be? Her son, in all likelihood, has had sex and swears on a daily basis - in his head even if not out loud. And if he hasn't had sex, then he's damn sure thinking about it.

Why don't people have more faith in their children? In their ability to think for themselves, reach their own conclusions, learn, observe, make mistakes, be. An. Individual.


And don't even get me started on 'boy books' and 'girl books'.