Yeah āyoung adultā* is a target audience, not a āPGā like ratingā¦
*Pre-adult or āteenā would be a more accurate description, but I think that āteenā became too āuncoolā to be used for marketing purposesā¦
But I remember when I was in high school in the late '70s early '80s there was a proposal to take Time and Newsweek out of the school libraries because they contained to many unpleasant storiesā¦Folks these kids are going to be living in the world in a few years, itās probably a good idea to let them read about it firstā¦
When I was a teen, a parent indicating that I shouldnāt read something was one way to make absolutely sure I would find a way to read it.
Had to read on before I had enough to deduce that YA meant young adult. Is that a well-known abbreviation? Is that like using the term āsmall pintā for āhalf pintā (which I was once sold) - i.e. not an actual pint? As it seems to be a term designed to flatter, then itās clearly a marketing term. Why is it used in school categorisation systems?
Regardless of what you call that ātierā of reading material, yeah:
I suppose that should include learning about the tricks of marketing language too.
Why is it used in school categorisation systems?
Because selling the kids on reading IS the point. I actually think the the term was originally used by libraries rather than publishers. Lots of terms are inaccurate on the face of themā¦figure skating, stock cars, etcā¦But those are still the terms that we use to describe them because they ARE the standard terms.
As an unlovable misanthrope, I would definitely not want my kids exposed to explicit descriptions of friendships.
Exactly! And that is a good thing. I used to use reverse psychology on my son by telling him I thought he was too young to read, and truly understand certain books, which I would then leave out. It did not work too often, but I had some victories. It is not necessary that they fully understand everything at first. Being āuncomfortableā is part of growing up.As a teen, facing unpleasant truths is a part of growth, and it helps you be prepared for the real world coming at you at breakneck speed.
When I was in high school we needed a permission slip to check out Slaughterhouse 5 from the school libraryā¦and only needed money to buy it at one of the mall bookstores.
Iām glad this policy was pulled, because if it were in effect a lot of kids would be forced to go to Amazon.
sp: Delaware
I had to look it up myself about a month ago. Apparently it is well-known, because I had to skim through three sites about what it represents which kept using it without spelling it out.
We had a kerfluffle happen with Catcher in the Rye. Some suburban, idle mom COUNTED the cuss words, then complained to the school. I was a sophomore in high school, they had us get permission slips to be allowed to read it for English.
My father was the arbiter of such things in our house, he asked me what it was about. I told him. He asked the alternative, it was Huckleberry Finn (really. this was 1971 or so). āYou read that when you were. what, 12?ā he said, because weād talked about it afterwards.
Then he said probably the greatest thing a good parent can tell their kids. āIf a book can harm you, I did not raise you right. And if you donāt know right from wrong at your age, I canāt teach it to you.ā then he signed the slip. And Iet him read my essay after I was done (got an A).
I still think Holden Caulfield was a selfish little git. And that was the essence of my essay.
So, one whole parent complained. I see the Chaney 1% Doctrine is still alive and well somewhere.
every.
FIFY.
As a high school sophomore I doubt you learned any new words from Catcher in the Rye.Like Curly said when the judged asked if he swore, No! but I know all the words.
Greetings dragonet2 ā
I really like your Dadās sentiment and attitude, your anecdotes & your post.
Thank you for posting.
Cheers!
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