The YA/Adult reading line has a tendency to elicit the same kind of violent opinion as the Vietnam War (excuse me – police action – right?).
On one had you have the people who question why adults want to read (or write) about teenagers. I’m on the other side of the fence: I question why someone would let a young child read every book that’s ever been written.
Most people – perhaps myself included – have a tendency to believe that a child’s reading level will keep them from finding emotionally damaging reading material. No one ever considers the affect of reading LOLITA because no one thinks a child under ten will ever get it in their hands. But they will. And what will a young child learn from a book that’s currently touted as a “romance” in some circles? The story of a girl pursued by a much older man, told from the point of view of a pedophile? What does that story say? NOTHING GOOD.
There are more. Classics and modern literature alike, all who have concepts that young minds aren’t usually prepared for. There’s an argument that an intelligent child will figure it out, that they’re emotionally mature enough to handle complex thoughts. It’s possible they could handle some, and I’ve known young people who have read them. But a six-year-old doesn’t need to be reading hardcore erotica.
In the modern era there are so many ways to get your hands on books. Libraries and schools aren’t the gatekeepers of knowledge any more, they can hardly keep up and usually only stock very dated literature (apologies to the librarians – I know it’s the budgets, not you). With e-readers, websites, and free libraries popping up around the country (which I love), the chance of a child finding a book they aren’t ready to handle emotionally is high.
The solution comes from the fanfic sites: RATE THE BOOKS.
Not five-star/one-star review ratings, but maturity content ratings. Fanfic has them. Games have them. Movies have them. It’s time for books to get a rating too. A little sticker on the side, or a mark on the cover that sets a book aside as Mature Content. Because not every parent has time to read every book with a cover that catches a kid’s eye. Because not every child has a guardian who is watching them and is able to coherently discuss situations that often arise in literature that a young mind might not be able to process. A violent death described in detail in a horror novel affects the brain in much the same way violence on screen does. A book that teaches that people are objects to be used or abused is no different than a movie or TV show where the same thing is shown. A child watching that takes away the same lesson.
There is room for violence in children’s literature. Children’s and YA writers write with their young audience in mind. Those of us who write fiction for adults don’t. My books aren’t suitable for small children. The words aren’t that hard to read, but the emotions are complex and there’s a level of maliciousness and violence you won’t see in literature for young people. Since we don’t have a rating system yet, I would ask that you use common sense before handing books like mine to a kid. All these books will be here when the child has grown up. For now, let them enjoy the authors who write with the kids in mind. And, if you have a teenager who is branching out, be there to discuss the big ideas they run into and teach them to read critically.