Q of the W: Should Books be Rated?
Find a Conversation
Q of the W: Should Books be Rated?
| Wed, 04-05-2006 - 8:31am |
Opening a can of worms here. The movies are rated. Should there be ratings on books as well?

| Wed, 04-05-2006 - 8:31am |

Pages
I think if books were rated I would probably avoid buying books for my kids that I thought may not be age appropriate. That said I'm not a big censor of what they read ,however, being interested in what they do read if the books they were reading were rated and I saw something in the rating content such as "sexuality" I would make a point of discussing it with my child. I don't think a rating system would keep me from reading anything.
As for whether there should be one or not I really have no strong feelings either way and if there were one instituted it would in no way hinder my book buying.
My Reading Journal
No. I think it's unnecessary in the case of adult books. If you get to a part you don't like just skip over it or put down the book completely.
For kids or teens I think it's just too hard. Who is going to read all these books and what is going to be deemed offensive. This would only lead to more censorship. Children's and YA books usually come with an age recommendation and that often gives you a clue whether or not it has things parents might find objectionable.
From a parent's standpoint, I don't want anyone else telling my kid what is or is not appropriate. Would we then have librarians or library clerks asking for ID before a kid could borrow a book? It's just too weird. If parents are so concerned with what their kids are reading they should talk to them about it or skim through the books they bring home. In my opinion the media is a much more powerful force and it's filled with cr*p that many parents let their kids see.
I also think there is a big difference between what you see and what you imagine when reading something. As a teen I loved Stephen King books. I loved horror books but I CANNOT watch horror movies even today. They scare the pants off of me and I can't stand the gore, but I loved reading them.
JMHO
>I think it's unnecessary in the case of adult books. If you get to a part you don't like just skip over it or put down the book completely.
Funny you should say that...when I was at the library a couple of days ago, an older gentleman was returning a large-print
~Jackie, BookCrossing Member & Warming Families Volunteer
<Possibly, but it sure does open that can of worms. My question would be rated according to whose standards? When my kids were in grade school I was good friends with a woman who differed sharply with me about movies appropriate for our kids to watch. I refused to take my kids to see movies with a lot of violence in them and she refused to take her kids to shows with any hint of skin, kissing, hugging or groping. My take was I'd rather my kids see people in love than people killing each other. She was sure it would encourage our kids to have sex early. Well, one her kids knocked someone up while neither of mine did. (Which likely had nothing to do with what they watched, but more to do with how they were raised along with a lot of luck.)
I'd like to know what the content is. Not G, PG, R or X. If I was screening literature for my children, I'd like to know if there is gratuitious violence in it, explicit descriptive sex acts, light romance leaving the particulars to the imagination or
I think they should be rated.. but not subjectively... it would be nice if the ratings were simply factual.
-------------------------
Paula = 43; Mike = 38; Tubal reversal 12/4/08, one tube reparied; Healthy baby girl born 2/16/10; PG again, EDD 3/18/11!
>>If I was screening literature for my children, I'd like to know if there is gratuitious violence in it, explicit descriptive sex acts, light romance leaving the particulars to the imagination or
~Jackie, BookCrossing Member & Warming Families Volunteer
<~Jackie, BookCrossing Member & Warming Families Volunteer
<Pages