Has children's literature gone too far?

Has children's literature gone too far? Bestselling author GP Taylor announced yesterday that he thinks it has, and says it's time to establish age certifications for children's books.

Taylor met with staunch criticism from writers Patrick Ness and Charlie Higson. While Ness tables about the 'darkness' faced by many teenagers and called for literature to reflect this, Higson wrote a rebuttal today, stating: 'How can you decide what is appropriate for any kid when their tastes are all so different? And their reading levels. Some 12-year-olds can only cope with books aimed at eight-year-olds. Some eight-year-olds will happily read adult books. You put a big age certificate on the front of a book and that 12-year-old might never read another book again out of shame.'

Marian Keen-Downs, Booktrust's Head of Sector for Children and Young People is of the opinion that books which deal with darker issues or experiences are not necessarily bad: 'When children and teens seek out the dark side in books it’s because they want to experience the fear and chill of a story, whilst retaining hope for the future. "Frightening" stories can help to meet deep emotional needs in children, addressing universal problems and revealing the balance of good and bad in life within the safe and secure structure of a book.'

The practicalities too, are difficult. As Patrick Ness points out, age certificates won't stop children actually reading those books. In fact, the notoriety might even encourage them to read books they mightn't have previously considered. Additionally, by being prescriptive in who can read what runs the risk of being patronising to the point of offence. At Booktrust we give age recommendations on book reviews on our website and flag up any content that might be upsetting to a sensitive reader, but these are intended as guidelines to be freely transgressed.

This issue of age certifications was raised in 2008, but swiftly dropped following fervent criticism from a number of prominent authors including Philip Pullman, Terry Pratchett and JK Rowling, and a broader campaign to Say No To Age Banding. Indeed, it's been an age-old argument, and one that was faced by Maurice Sendak in 1963 upon publication of what is now a timeless classic for children, Where the Wild Things Are. Thought to be too dark for children at the time, the story stemmed from Sendak's own fears as a child, when Eastern European relatives fled the Holocaust and came to his childhood hometown of Brooklyn. Professor Susan Mackey-Kallis at Villanova University in Philadelphia notes that the 'visceral response to the terrors of strange people hugging him and speaking in languages he didn't understand is something every child can relate to.'

While some argue that by presenting gratuitous experiences in books you are normalising them, others claim that it is essential to reflect a diverse range of experiences - some of which might certainly be dark and difficult. Given that children and young people come from a variety of different backgrounds, experiences and even reading abilities, they should have free access to books that might reflect their own lives - either in a literal or allegorical way. Books that deal with difficult issues can be a very valuable way to help children make sense of their own lives.

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