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Publishers push on with age guidance

18.09.08 Caroline Horn

Publishers claim that up to 95% of their new and reprinted titles will include age guidance by the New Year. This is despite large-scale and vocal opposition from many authors who remain resolutely opposed to the inclusion of age guidance on their books and now fear that it could be introduced "by stealth".

A spokeswoman for the Children's Book Group of the Publishers Association said publishers were discussing the inclusion of age guidance with authors on a "case-by-case basis". She said: "Broadly speaking, the main publishing houses expect that between 75% and 95% of their new and reprinted titles will carry age guidance by the New Year."

Celia Rees, chair of the Society of Authors' Children's Writers and Illustrators Group, has warned that authors could be "bamboozled into 'giving it a go'". She said: "I heard of a case just yesterday where an author received finished copies of her book only to find there was a "7+" age guidance on the back cover. She had never been asked or consulted and was incandescent."

Rees was unmoved by numbers given by publishers. "Those are exactly the figures that they gave us in the summer, so I am surprised that that has not changed at all. I do wonder where those figures come from."

The PA declined to be drawn on the issue of Parliamentary opposition to age guidance after a question was raised in the House of Commons last week about the scheme. The spokeswoman said: "Publishers had a very positive meeting with [the] government earlier this year and there was support for a measure that could help adults in buying books for children." Future meetings with the government may take place, she added.

The CBG is currently in the process of deciding how best to evaluate the effects of the inclusion of age guidance on book covers. The spokeswoman said: "We have to get enough books out there for an evaluation to make sense, but at this stage publishers remain committed to age guidance."

Caroline Horn publishers publishers association children's Home Celia Rees age guidance CIWG

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By Lewis McDonald

More sweeping statements from the Publishers Association - this time a nameless, faceless representative. How 'broadly' are we speaking here, which publishers are we including and excluding with the term 'main' houses and why are these vague statistics cited only as an 'expectation'? The damage to good will across the industry this scheme has done has been unprecedented and its continuation is nothing short of disgraceful. Little surprise that none are stepping forward to counter the concerns of the trade, various professions, the authors, the illustrators and now even the government too - it would mean defending what has been shown time and again from all quarters as being the indefensible.

19 Sep 08 13:27

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By Dan Metcalf

Why are publishers confining age guidence just to children's books? Perhaps adult books should have banding on them too; how about 'Betty Neels - Over 75', or 'Andy McNab - Over 40, Males Only, preferably suffering from mid-life crisis'? It is frankly discriminatory to suggest an audience for a book based on the expected age. What next? Suggested gender/religion/race?

19 Sep 08 14:40

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By David R N Livesley - Woodstock Vermont

But Dan you seem to miss the point....informed folks such as you do have an understanding of what an individual childs reading level might be, and more importantly how to select/purchase/borrow the product that delivers that level. However most consumers do not have this knowledge and crave direction, most consumers do not visit bookstores/Amazon/Walmart et al for books. It is simple....the average consumer does not buy books for themselves or their children and most adults are totally confused by the whole age issue. The average consumer does buy DVD/downloads/film tie in MacDonald meals etc. and if they felt more confident they could be persuaded to consider the humble print based option. Why are the purists so against creating a new market opportunity which will not detract from the small but passionate market that exists? Folks who buy/borrow books will not stop getting them for their child because an age level is suggested on the front/back cover. If this proposal is at least given a try, and then should it fail, the consumer will have again spoken. I for one think it will create consumption by the Mrs Trellis's of the world!

19 Sep 08 15:32

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By JULIAN RIVERS

David Livesley is right . Focus on the needs of the consumer [not the creator ]of the book , like in all aspects of effective marketing . Grannies buying for their grandchildren need help , lets not get so eliteist about it It will be resolved when publishers [and authors together] find that childrens books with age guidance sell better pro rata than those without . The resistance will evaporate However , it is obvious that authors must be consulted on a titke by title basis , just like in fixing the cover design . .

22 Sep 08 11:39

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By Jake Hope

David and Julian - the impetus that has driven this move is gift buyers, these are purchasers not the consumers themselves who are in fact children. As you might see from the comments pages on www.notoagebanding.org parents, children, teachers, librarians - in short people with a variety of backgrounds draw issue with this campaign it is not simply a case of authors saying 'not on my books yard'... I'm interested that you both make the assumption that this will lead to improved sales, in the US there is no industry standard and there is a split between those publishers who do age band and those who do not. If it really did lead to vastly improved sales why would all publishers not utilise it as a method? The issue here is not one of purism, but rather is one that drives a wedge between book and child reader in a place where reading abilities between those who can and those who can't/don't/won't are some of the largest internationally. Kate Wilson, MD of Scholastic made some excellent points regarding the culture of reading when addressing the Society of Authors conference in Cambridge. All of this showcased just how important it is not to limit children's reading and to ensure best access... By tailoring the scheme solely towards purchasers and neglecting the needs of readers themselves - what you both term 'consumers' - this scheme imposes a very real barrier and empowers the purchaser at the degradation of the tastes, interestes and individuality of the readers themselves...

23 Sep 08 11:52

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By Alan Garner

Julian Rivers has got his priorities back to front. Books are not simply physical commodities. Without a creator there can be no consumer. Publishers are also in danger of making the mistake. I'm antique enough to remember when publisher published, editor edited, and designer consulted. Now the author tends to be isolated, the least cog in the industrial machine. I'm fortunate in having two publishers; and though one ignores suggestions and objections, the other still is concerned for the creator and the creation, edits thoroughly, with only the text in mind, and discusses all matters of production, down to the weight of the paper and the heft of the finished book in the hand. Such attention to detail and to the author's concerns has no effect on the price of the publication. Excellent and bad cost the same.

30 Sep 08 09:54

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By Anne Fine

Over 800 authors and illustrators have now signed up to www.notoagebanding.org - many of them huge sellers - and in recent weeks not one of them has met with any significant resistance from their publishers when they have insisted they want no banding, or the banding removed on reprints and not printed on any future books. So I am mystified by this assertion by the PA that they expect 75-95% of books to carry age bands. Whose books are these, exactly? Perhaps someone from the PA could explain.

30 Sep 08 10:10

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By Kate Holmden

We received stock of Jacqueline Wilson's new book Cookie at work today (ready for selling when the embargo lifts tomorrow). She's signed the statement at www.notoagebanding.org and yet the back of the tin that the book is inside (and therefore I'm guessing the back of the book itself) has an age banding stamp on it of 9+. I've seen stamps on quite a few other books recently (including the new Puffin Classics edition of What Katie Did) but this is the first time I've seen one on a book by one of the signed up authors.

01 Oct 08 20:16

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