BOOK COMMUNITEA: ILLUSTRATED ROMANCE COVERS ARE CORRUPTING THE YOUTHS [CC]
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- Опубликовано: 13 май 2024
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Hey hey! I keep seeing people talk about illustrated romance covers being deceptive marketing and younger kids are reading them, so I had to get this off my spirit. What are your thoughts? Thanks for watching!
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THANK YOU. My number one thing is parents need to be responsible for what their kids are reading. It shouldn't be on the school, library, or bookstore to be responsible. How hard is it to look up trigger warnings and adult content warnings online? It's as simple as a google search. I'm so tired of parents making others responsible for censoring their children's content.
I'm a picky reader, so I always look up stuff like that before getting books. It's really not that difficult
Checking in on what your kids are reading takes all of 1 minute.
Why are parents letting their 10 year olds grab books from the library's romance section? How do you get to be an adult and not know that that particular section is for grown ups? I was a very precocious reader, my mother vetted everything I read when I started needing much longer (and therefore, adult) books to keep me from tearing through an entire book in an afternoon. If they're being bought online, the kids can't and shouldn't be doing that themselves, and it's the parents' responsibility to double-check the book, which is extremely easy to do from online storefronts. I don't get it.
While I agree that bookstores shouldn’t be responsible, I do think they have a responsibility to put books in the correct section of the bookstore and I’ve seen adult romances in the ya section kind of often. Sometimes I get why because the characters are college age, but I’ve seen colleen hoover and ana huang in the ya section too
This!!! I always check to see what the content is especially with these kinds of covers before I buy them/check them out for my 5th grader.
"I don't have youths other than my dog and he can't read. I don't think... 👀" 🤣🤣🤣
Now we all wait for the video where Nigel does a surprise takeover hahaha
I can’t be 100% sure he can’t read 👀
Book seller here! Sometimes I do side eye what teens pick up but then I quickly remind myself what I was reading at that age. We do give parents a heads up if they ask about the book but if they don’t ask it’s not my place to parent your child.
I’m also a book seller and I came here to say this exact same thing! For all we know, the teen could be buying the book as a gift for someone else, and it’s none of my business. 🤷🏼♀️ It’s not like they’re not being exposed to the same content (if not worse) in other media anyways.
Fr, I think the on,y time book sellers really need to interfere would be if the buyer is clearly too young (like, preteen and younger) with an age check. In my country at least, cashiers will tend to ask any young buyer what their age is before selling them certain books that have been marked as 18+. For example, I once had to call up my mom and have her confirm to the cashier that I was allowed to buy an r-18 book when I was 16 (the book didn’t have anything raunchy in it, the maturity rating was mostly because of heavy angst and dark topics, and the author having written smut into their other series’ in the same genre).
Kids are always going to pick up content that is “inappropriate” for their age. It’s up to parents to monitor what they’re reading etc… and to discuss with their kids what is and isn’t appropriate for their age. Not books sellers, librarians, or teacher (or school staff). And definitely not publishers or cover artists. And the last TikTok you added showed perfectly how easy it is for parents to do that! 😒
I would say school librarians and librarians in general should be a resource for understanding age appropriate for navigating for their children. But I don’t think they should be the ones trying to stop kids from reading things. That’s still on the parents.
The school is absolutely responsible they brought it and are providing it to them
@@fleribebe huh? Who said the school provided smut books to children??
@@fleribebe I was talking about public libraries not school libraries and the parents are still the responsible party. No one said the schools were giving elementary kids adult romances.
@@fleribebe @violettefemme21 That's true to a point. But school libraries also cater to a fairly wide age range depending on the way the school is set up. What's appropriate for a senior is different than what's might be appropriate for a freshman. Or a middle grader, for the handful of schools out there that have middle and highschool combined, either because it's a low population area or because it's a private school with a wider age range. Librarians should absolutely know what's on their shelves and be able to provide guidance as to what might be age appropriate. But exactly what that entails can vary significantly.
I was reading Molly Moon, Percy Jackson, and 39 clues in 5th and 6th grade. My parents didnt watch over my shoulder at the book store but they knew i was in the middle grade section. I wonder how much of this is social media influencing people to buy books online so it's not as obvious that these books are not age appropriate?
Molly Moon was one of my favourites!
Why are you not paying attention to purchases online would be my question? Because then the information is laid out so either their kid has too much access to their card or they don’t pay attention to anything because you can’t be on there and not at least see them genre say Romance which immediately should tell them it’s not young adult or middle grade. But the average seller has all warnings and age ratings and most online readers make a habit to let people know if a book is “spicy” and what level. So it’s really parents
Oh wow, I haven't seen anyone mention 39 Clues in a long time! Used to be obsessed with the website too
It's completely the parents responsibility to ensure their children are reading age appropriate content. I don't feel there needs to be a rating sticker or whatever on the book.
I know YA books used to have an appropriate age notation somewhere on the cover, but I don’t know about now. It wouldn’t be too off base to have that added again somewhere with the book summary.
I mean rating stickers help, hell why is this even a convo when movies and tv show dvds/bios have warning labels for the content they have. Books should too!! That's why these nasty "spicy" authors get away with selling kids porn.
@@LovelyTayForce I think you should look more into the history of rating and how it allows conservative parents on these boards to deem lgbt and racial topics as more adult. Rating stickers would lead to YA being more straight and less diverse because the parental board rating them would deem those topics too adult. we see this happen with movies and video games today. ratings leads to censorship.
@@LovelyTayForceyou are a disgusting opponent to feminism and liberty. First, no one can make you not check what your child reads. Be a responsible parent. As a writer if I want to portray consenting healthy sex so that more of that is normalized over what people actually have exposure to in real, violent porn from the male gaze as adolescents, that’s both my business and me showing what women desire and deserve from the female gaze itself. That’s what modern romance is as a genre. If it upsets you, then consider that’s why sex education is abysmal in red states, the assault rates match, and so does teen pregnancy since mentioning of sex is porn. But also you’re just wrong and as a scholar I don’t debate ignorance. You can learn the real definition and move on feeling salty or however. But you won’t spread misinformation. That’s why we have book bans and lower literacy with teens who aren’t even reading these books. The average reader is not their age. And they make the animated covers because gen z adults like myself enjoy them better than the male themed ones of them past. Real publishing data. So oop no one is out to get your child, you just think animation(an art that has always been by adults and aimed at adults in some way even in kids shows aside from those based on development), is for teens I guess. Well my generation grew up with anime and still watch animated movies and shows made for an older audience. Times have changed. But no one wants an ugly age stamp on their book like it’s video material. They mark it by genre already for a reason. If it doesn’t say middle grade or young adult...it’s not for them!!! They even put it inside the book often and it can be found if you Google it. So at that point if you don’t know what your kid has, it’s because you’re lazy and your kid is sneaky. Because I’ve been to retailers, they’re not in the same sections, so stop asking people to go off on you with the shaming crap and keep up with your kid, if you’re not a little gremlin repeating crap without knowing anything
@@wiitchycats I wish people would stop bringing this up when its STRAIGHT AUTHORS putting all this porn out to young children!!!! Sorry but I don't include nasty shit like this with LGBT content. We NEED restrictions on these weird adults writing these books. That's all there is to it and if you're so worried about diversity go support indie authors then!
I think this is just like the the “Sephora Kids” issue where they are asking for skincare with actives that aren’t age appropriate and parents not researching to know that they shouldn’t be buying it for their children.
I work at a public library with multiple floors, so all of our children's material is on the first level, clearly marked, and then we have a small teen section on the second floor, clearly marked and across the whole floor from adult romance fiction and adult graphic novels. People under 18 cannot make a card by themselves (mostly for our legal protection) and we tell every parent up front that THEY are responsible for what their kids have out, that we cannot monitor that for them, we Do Not have the staff power or time to be babysitters or fully prevent teens from getting their hands on adult books. And we STILL have people (most of whom don't even have cards in our system) who call us complaining about our "inappropriate" access to material, and our Lovely incompetent lawmakers recently passed a "library p0rn bill" (literally what it was called in the newspaper) to increase these people's ability to challenge said "inappropriate" access to material. And like, Genuinely, What else are libraries and book stores supposed to do? Pay more attention to what your kid wants to buy or checks out. There is no grand scheme among book sellers and librarians to trick children into reading p0rn or learning about gay people. Right now we are actually trying very hard not to get sued by ignorant parents who think that & we very much want to avoid it. Lmao
I was reading my mom's historical romances with clinch covers in grade school and junior high. She knew, books weren't censored in our house, BUT mainstream books then weren't as graphic as mainstream romances now. I'm more concerned about the toxicity of CoHo books than the sex scenes.
This, we’re literally romantizing abuse in a lot of these book. I still don’t think we should censor but it definitely needs to be discussed
Fr it’s not the sex scene and people need to get that through their head. The reason people don’t want kids and teens to read these certain books because of how disturbing love is portrayed. :/
Long comment but it’s worth it!
I worked at a bookseller for a year, and real talk parents have NO idea what books their children pick. They see cartoony covers and think “child appropriate”. I sometimes felt I had to step in and ask the teens “how old are you?” when a girl wanted to buy Ice Planet barbarians (!!) and only then the mother reacted, cuz, “why is the seller asking my kid’s age? Is something in the book that’s inappropriate for my kid?”
One time I had a 13 year old asking for a book called “Lascivia” (literally ‘lust’) and like, the cover states “for audiences of 21 and up(!!)” I asked her her age because the mom really had no idea what the book was about. Once again, asking the kids their ages makes the mothers pay attention.
I didn’t do it cuz I’m a puritan or anything (I read really dark stuff myself but I’m almost 28 lol) but because I know there are books that are appropriate for teens and tweens, and Ice Planet Barbarians is NOT it. Edit: also because, if the parents notice the books are aimed at older people, they might come after us sellers for *allowing* their children access to adult books. Like ma’am, that’s your daughter not mine.
Also why I hate “Booktok made me buy it!” Shelves in booksellers, it gets all the popular books on Booktok, often dark and meant for ADULTS at the hand of literal teens in one table so the parents won’t see their children in the ‘adult fiction’ aisle.
Once kids are in like 7th grade, I stop ✨caring✨ what they read because they've already read a 500K word wattpad story about a kpop star falling in love with ron weasley by that point. LMAO
@@reginaldfairfield I mean of course, but as a seller I preferred not having mothers coming after me and blaming me for what their kids consumed 😭
They need to bring back scholastic book fairs and catalogs. But also it’s definitely up to the parents to monitor what their kids are consuming through all media formats. However, I’m not against books having ratings just for the simple fact that sometimes booksellers will put books in the incorrect sections in bookstores, so more so, a helper guide for them if they need it.
My daughter had one recently at her school, I was jealous it was such a vibe those fairs!
we have scholastic book fairs twice a year and they send home the flyer every month. my kids are elementary
We love to see it! I figured they still do it in elementary but I don’t if they still do it middle school and if so how wide spread it is. Also Rif was a big thing when I was younger too.
Book fairs used to be my favorite thing growing up. And also it’s a good way for parents to monitor the type of books their kids are reading
My nephew still has them. He gets so excited and tells me everything he wants. Then we budget together what he can get.
A rating system sounds very Hayes Code tbh.
I could see how a busy parent would see their child reading a book with that cover and automatically assume it's a high school romance and not check further. So maybe it goes beyond "check what your children are reading" and is more about "talk to your children". Like, ask them now and then: hey, how is that book? Is it good? What do you like about it? Or share what you're reading. If talking about books is something you do in your family, you'll know.
Also, make sure they know that no matter what you won't be mad, and there's nothing "forbidden". Because obviously, as soon as you say "this book is not for you", they WILL read it. Just make sure that they know they can come to you if there's something they don't understand or that makes them feel uncomfortable. And please have the conversation about how sex in books (and movies) is *not* how it is in real life. Have it *before* they're having sex.
This is such a good point! I was pretty severely neglected when I was a kid - my family just didn't talk to me. I was reading a lot, because what else was I going to do? And had they just asked my about my books, they would've caught a few that I definitely should not have been reading! Luckily I wasn't too interested in romance as a kid, but I read some pretty intense adult/drama books which might not have been good for me. Who knows? But yeah - talk to your kids.
Best point in the whole comment section imo
My child isn’t gonna read erotica if I have one lol. They don’t need to get that exposed and there’s sex positive YA books and pamphlets I can refer them too if they’re curious but if they find an adult bdsm book the answer is no. Porn is gonna be blocked too. It’s bad for their development and has been proven to cause sexual assault more in teens now. It’s okay to say things aren’t okay. They can ask about it and I can calmly explain my concerns and why it’s not allowed(if they do something on their own time with another device that’s on them but I hope I raise them to be a bit more careful and upfront so they know it’s a safety issue and not a control one). But it’s not hard to go to the bookstore with your kid and let them not be stuck to an e reader which is bad for their eye health and then you can actually see the categories and genre for yourself. I’m just giving examples of things I guess I consider not okay vs forbidden because they’re not old enough to process it or not internalize it as an example for what to do. and everyone wasn’t that kid. I wasn’t allowed to see or read something then that was just it lol. I never saw a full episode of the kardashians until I was an adult. I think you either raise respectful and mature kids or you don’t. After a conversation they should know it’s not for them to do everything. Like I’m not gonna tip toe drugs being bad for their brain development and letting them know they already have a propensity for a less developed prefrontal cortex so that could really stunt them. Our teachers didn’t say think really hard about drugs, they just said it’s bad, showed why, and said it was a no go. Children who are raised right aren’t incited to do everything they’re told no about or that’s a sign their parents never established boundaries and parental authority with them which is as important as letting them know it’s from a place of love. But you can’t be over indulgent
@@Nothereforit174 unbiased, evidence based citations needed
"check what your children are reading" isn't just looking at the cover, it means checking that the content is child appropriate before buying it.
The bigger problem is the parents just buying things to get their kids off their back. When I was little if I wanted to read a book that wasn't obviously marketed to kids one of my parents had to read it first. There were some that they were honest and just said, "I don't think you're ready for that yet." and I had to wait until I got older to read them. There were also some that were on the line that I was allowed to read when I wanted to but my parents made dang sure that I knew we were going to talk about it while I was reading it and after I finished it. There was nothing that they kept me from reading but they were very selective about what I read and when I read it. Props to my dad for taking Twilight to his construction job to read it before I did. They never let him live that down.
I think people forget what it was like to be a young adult. I know I was one that read YA and adult books and though it makes adults uncomfortable, teens reading explicit consensual sex scenes between adults is A. Nothing new and B. Not gonna traumatize them the way they seem to think it will.
Plenty of shit from my childhood messed me up mentally and emotionally but reading adult books as a teen wasn’t one of them.
this this this
Agreed. And some parents are ok with their kids reading about sex. It’s really only our western ideals that have us clutching our pearls, while many other countries embrace teaching children and teens about sex. I was reading tons of my mom’s romance novels I took out of her closet and learned a lot of valuable info about romantic dynamics that way. My mom didn’t really censor me too much, she only put the kabosh on books she knew would scar me. 😂
it depends on what you define as YA. Technically its 12+ while some think its 18+
@@katgreer6113 YA is 12-17, NA is 18+ with an emphasis on younger characters.
I have seen places like Target and Walmart stack adult books in the children’s section and that is definitely something the store should be made aware of but I don’t see why that means we need to get rid of illustrative covers as a whole. Also I’ve noticed a couple of my books do include age ranges on the back by the barcode and I wouldn’t be opposed to more publishers doing that to help avoid stores like Walmart putting books in the wrong section (I also read a lot of manga and “explicit content” being printed on the bottom front cover is common practice so I’m used to it). But ultimately parents should be monitoring what content their children are consuming.
exactly! its courteous and i think the right move to include, but to enforce it as a requirement feels like it can go south quickly.
I mean, technically I did start picking up my mom's historical romances around 5th grade (without her knowledge), but I know that's maybe not normal so I can't comment on what 10 year olds should or shouldn't read, but yeah. In stores and libraries these books are on the adult shelves, not YA or middle grade, so why are parents buying these books for their kids? And if they are letting kids buy stuff unsupervised, they can't complain and blame it on the cover design.
I've seen Icebreaker in MANY local bookstores in the YA section. You'd think at least one employee there would know better lol
That's wild. Books should be in the correct sections and then the rest is the parents responsibility.
I wasn't reading those books in full by that age but if I saw one at a yardsale or something I'd rifle through it
Honestly, 1) it's the parents responsibility to take care of their children, no one else's.
2) I read inappropriate stuff as a kid. It didn’t have cute covers or was marketed in an attractive way. My parents saw it, and because of the kind of household we had, contextualised it, explained it, and let me read it. I wasn't traumatised or anything, and the librarian only looked at me funny (but I had authorisation from my family to get anything).
3) Former teacher here. By age 12, my students had AO3 on their phones, like you said. They might be reading PG13 stuff only, but I doubt it.
One time when I was in middle school, my mom got me a collection of short stories called "the Christmas cat" - had a picture of a fluffy white cat with Christmasy stuff on the cover, blurb on the back said it was fantasy/witchy stuff. Took it to school, second story was PURE SMUT. It ended up just being an opportunity to have a conversation about it, but I was MORTIFIED when I told her
The first TikTok clip shown. . . I read Twilight in grade 6. It is perfectly acceptable as it was YA. Even Breaking Dawn is PG when comparing to romance movies.
It is 100% on the parents to ensure kids are assessing appropriate content, not just in books. However, if a kid wants to access this content they will find a way. I remember stealing my mom’s Harlequin romance books when I was young and being shocked. However, I kept stealing and reading them. My mom to this day does not know this and I’m almost 30. Parents need to be so careful with content and have conversations surrounding sexuality and sex so much earlier due to the internet and the information they are exposed to.
This is just my two cents. I am not a parent, I was just once a kid and grew up just as the internet started to take off.
Her comparison with the Princess Diaries books being the appropriate choice in that clip was also odd. I read those when I was younger and they reference sex way more than Twilight does 👀
Yes, one of my middle school classmates stole her mom's 50 shades of gray so we could all pass it around at school, curious kids will find a way!
I read the Twilight books in Elementary and I look back in that and side eye. But what WOULD have helped was access to resources that showed what healthy relationships looked like and NOT abstinence only sex-ed. Talking to kids and educating them will help, the books themselves aren't the problem
I think you’re absolutely right about changing book covers or adding ratings to books being a “slippery slope” in this climate of book banning. If we add ratings to books, who gets to decide on the rating? Those ratings are never going to be unbiased as everyone has different ideas on what’s appropriate or explicit. Specially I think about how even without ratings the public tends to view Queer romance stories as automatically more explicit.
Rating systems generally work for movies, games, music. And they could help parents monitor what their kids are reading. (Ratings have to go on the back of course! Can't ruin the vibe of the cover😂). I think rating systems tend to be very consistent whereas readers I watch are not ... by which I mean a scene I rate very spicy (🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 another reader might rate a little spicy (🌶🌶🌶).
I used to read very spicy romance books but they aren't my preference these days. As a reader who likes to go in blind, I hate getting into a book with a cover I interpreted as cute and clean, and then it gets spicy.
HARD agree; ratings seem way too Hayes Code.
As a parent, I find this discourse to be wild. The problem isn’t the covers. The problem, in my opinion, is simply lack of thinking for yourself. Books are being picked up BY ADULTS solely based on a cover they saw on TikTok and then being labeled “misleading” because not an ounce of energy was used to actually read what the book is about and the content warnings. Of course, children and teens are following suit. Kids picking up Icebreaker and the like from school libraries, kids sections in bookstores, etc. is the direct result of adults taking zero time to actually know what they’re shelving. Sure, “don’t judge a book by its cover” is cliche, but that’s an important thing to teach children and to practice as adults. Vaguely knowing of something from social media then jumping straight into it based on appearances is an easy way to make lots of wrong choices. I’m not even opposed to children/teens reading adult books if they’re making the informed choice and not just picking up the TikTok sensation with the cute cover. It’s a parent’s job to teach children to make informed choices. It’s not on publishers, authors, booksellers, etc. If my kid brings home adult material, I’m not gonna take it away because I don’t think that is effective but I am going to talk to them about why they chose it, what they know about it, what I know about it, and whether or not they still think it’s a good choice. If the answer is yes, then proceed but know my door is open for questions, judgement and punishment free, all the time. I’ll be honest that I won’t be offering adult books to my kid under 16, but I’m not going to demonize them or make them a cause of guilt either.
Edit: The first clip??? How is Twilight inappropriate for a fifth/sixth grader???
tbf Twilight is extremely tame compared to the YA smut out now. The only real “smut” in Twilight is fade to black.
@@smolexfundie6458 My whole 6th grade class read the Twilight Saga together in English class. As someone who rereads the series several times, I’d argue that Rosalie’s and Esme’s backstories are more intense for a kid that any of the “sexual” content.
I agree with your point. It’s a parenting issue for sure. A lot of people seem to be raging about the way kids are because of peoples lack of parental advisement. As a server I absolutely love talking to this new generations. The parents suck. Most of the time! Not all. I’ve encountered wonderful parents. But this comment is so on point.
The relationship in the books is unhealthy and doesn’t set a great example for young girls
@@averywebb3093 And it’s a parent’s responsibility to teach and model healthy relationships as well as teaching children not to make choices based on fantasy/paranormal books. I would agree with you if not for the fact that this is not a human romance. Most of the issues with the relationships in Twilight are direct results of the love interests being supernatural creatures. The fact that they are not human in itself negates them as romantic role models because these scenarios have no potential to be replicable under any reasonable circumstances. If a parent feels that their child needs certain realistic romantic representation in books, then they are responsible to provide and encourage that.
I think the problem is the adults who think they can police what other people's children read. Like, if a 5th grader is reading a book, ostensibly their parent gave the go-ahead. Like you said, all the info is out there. Whether the parents check what their children are reading is on them. I'm kind of sick of the people getting all in a tizzy over what they assume is an appropriate level for people to read. Like, tweens and teens are not all the same? And this "think of the children" mindset is what's behind the crazy book banning.
I would say that I am usually misled by those covers that started with more "cozy" romances and then it spread to things like 'icebreaker". So, I do relate to the criticism. Now I feel that I can't get the book just for the cover, I have to look for reviews.
I still don’t get why books are not clearly rated like any other thing I’m 29 and want to know what im getting myself into even if it says adult fiction im never prepared for what i read sometimes 🙂 and it would make easier for parents to monitor what their kids r readingg
the ratings are online. lol
@@reginaldfairfield where exactly? Honestly let me know 🙂
I feel like these kiddos aren't getting these books from their school libraries. They are probably picking them up at public libraries or at a store. I 1000% agree that parents should be the gate keeper to what their kids are consuming (theirs kids not everyone elses). Ask questions when you see the book or them reading... check it out. If you can read it or search it on the various social media platforms. Then have the conversation... if you don't want them reading it why, if your allowing it then follow up and discuss possible concerns/situations brought up in the book.
I agree, there is no way they are in school libraries. I completed my MLIS last year, and there is training in the program for how to select age appropriate books. School librarians have access to professional publications (like School Library Journal) that provide reviews and guidance for collection development. They aren't just ordering books based on covers.
they’re also probably borrowing them from friends!
I’ve been to Sam’s club and seen them shelved next to paw patrol books. It had me thinking it was actually a YA book. Now I feel like I should go back and tell them to move it to the romance side. You can’t even trust the book placement anymore.
I see both sides on the book ratings thing. On one hand I get that parents need to be responsible for what their child is reading, but on the other hand... most manga volumes (and i think other comic books??) already have maturity ratings on physical copies and are usually placed on the bottom back cover ("older teen", "mature", etc). I don't really think it would be that big of an issue for other books to do the same? I'm not in book publishing though so not sure.
If i’m a sly kid im slipping that icebreaker cover in between the middlegrade books like Amari and Morrigan Crow. Parents are not going to see the nuances in the illustration. But yeah I can agree it’s more in them than on booksellers or publishers.
I find this hilarious. I vividly remember a bunch of girls reading Flyy Girl by Omar Tyree in the 6th grade when I was in school, and yes it had a cartoon cover. I didn't know what it was about and picked it up and took it home. My mom saw it and you know what she did? She went and got a copy and read it herself. By the time I started reading it and got to the first sex scene, I immediately put it down. I wasn't ready and I knew it. My mom was ready to talk about it if/when I read it, but she didn't try to keep me from reading it. All that to say, this is not new. Kids are interested in this stuff and parents get to decide how they handle it. For parents who don't speak English or can't read, maybe take a picture to double check? And we have to have discussions with kids about sex and sexuality earlier. The sex shame in this society is excessive and counterproductive. I love illustrated covers and changing them won't stop kids from reading romance books.
I had a similar experience where I put down a book that I felt uncomfortable with. Kids have their own autonomy. Also my parents didn't speak English and were too busy working, so I dont disparage parents who are just trying to get by. That being said it is best they have conversations about these things.
If people working in schools are worried, then they should advocate for proper sex and relationship education. I know I got the opposite (abstinence only) and it was NOT helpful.
but see even with that cover, i feel like it was clear that she was *older*.
This is exactly what they're going through in school libraries and some public libraries, this idea that there should be content ratings on books. People need to realize that each reader, no matter how young, is different and has been through different experiences in life. What one considers "spicy" another may consider "mid" or "vanilla." And you're right, it's not up to the booksellers/librarians to "police" what kids are reading. That's the parents/guardians' job. Also, both bookstores and libraries put books in their sections of their buildings. If the children deviate from the area designated for "Children," "Middle Grade," "Young Adult" to other noted areas, that's on the parents.
@VeraBrightfeather you make a good point but the issue with content rating books is that there are no detailed stipulations as to what constitutes a rating. How would you rate a YA book that has a "fade-to-black" intimate encounter that lasts 1-2 pages out of 350 pages? Or a book that covers CSA either on the page or implied off-page? I think the best form of rating is having the books placed in their age group's sections whether at the bookstore or the library. You'll find Icebreaker in the Adult Fiction section or the Adult Romance section.
With regard to the "some kids think spicy content is vanilla," I should have been clearer and said readers in general, not necessarily just kids. So please pardon my "braindeadness" there. However, my point still stands that what one adult (or even young adult as in high school) reader finds "spicy" another might find "not-so-spicy."
@@ladyslibrarium well, that's the exact change that needs to be made. there needs to be more explicit rulings in the publishing industry, not in school districts. like a big fuckin list of what goes where and everyone should adhere to it. and then schools can have everything YA and down.
I think the parents are just not interested in researching what their kids are doing. I. This day and age, it's NOT hard to watch a review of a book or do your research on Google to learnt he contents of the book. Matter of fact, id read it before they are allowed to read it!!
There’s a picture of 4 year old me at a public pool trying to read my mom’s romance novel-upside down. Then when I was old enough to actually read, my mom hid all her romance novels from me and explained to me that some novels aren’t age appropriate for me.
First, thank you, thank you, thank you, Jess!!!! I will always thank the RUclips algorithm for recommending your channel.
I started reading adult horror when I was 10. When I was in middle school, all of the girls who read, myself included, were already reading adult books. I am a Gen Xer, so there was not a dedicated young adult section in bookstores when I was growing up. I think that happened in the late 90s or early Aughts.
So here are my unsolicited thoughts:
1) Parents need to parent. That's their job, not publishing companies, authors, artists, etc. If you are going to be the parent that censors what your kids read, then you need to do the research. Turn over that book cover and read the synopsis, or go on Amazon, or wherever and see what age group the book is marketed towards. The video you ended with is perfect, Jess! This young woman gets it.
2) Parents need to teach reality vs fiction. My mom let me read adult books when I was younger because she trusted my ability to discern reality from make believe.
3) I disagree with rating books, but if we want to agree that publishers should put age groups somewhere on the spine or the back of the book, fine. That way parents can quickly find that information.
4) WTF! is with all of the puritanism? I am so tired of everyone throwing around the term "pedo" and "groomer", and I would genuinely fight the person who called my parents pedos for letting me read adult books at a young age. When people throw around those terms so easily, they undermine conversations about genuine sexual harassment and sexual assault.
5) If you tell a kid a book is taboo or forbidden, they are going to want it read it even more.
6) (This is the final and admittedly ironic point I need to make). We have got to stop being outraged over every little thing EXCEPT things we should really be outraged about. People expend more energy being outraged over books, or a celebrity's fifteen-year-old tweet, or the results of some reality tv competition than corruption on the Supreme Court, gerrymandering, and shutting down campus protests when students pay a shit ton of money to set up that tent on campus.
"Where are your parents?!"🎵🎶🎵🎶. This jingle will be in my head forever and whenever I see negligent parenting.
Speaking as a book designer, a voracious reader since childhood, and someone with young siblings, it’s not about the cover. It’s about the lack of transparency. It’s seriously no skin off of publishers’ and indie authors’ noses to add a tiny little “Adult Rating” line next to the barcode on the back of a book or on the copyright page. That would literally take, like, 30 seconds to do. Parenting is hard enough as it is (my single mother just didn’t have time to research every book I wanted to read); I think we can help the parents out a smidge. They’ll be grateful for the little bit of extra support! I, for one, am going to be adding a rating to every book I design, just to be helpful and sensitive to readers’ and parents’ needs.
Parents need to be held responsible for what their children are exposed too. Bare minimum, read a few pages or ask someone that works there.
This. The wildest part is that bookstore staff and librarians are not only happy to help them with this, but also trained specifically to know about books and their content. It's not hard for the parents AT ALL.
I do think the age range should be somewhere on the book. The illustrated covers have been a problem for over a year now that I've noticed. We also have a lack of parents monitoring what their children are doing. Not every parent, but many are not checking up on what their children are reading, watching, or playing.
I was in the 8th grade and was reading VC Andrews. My mom had no idea until a year later.
I always never liked “cartoon” covers because it felt misleading and didn’t suit the book content (for very smutty books) but that’s just me. Parents just don’t care enough sometimes to monitor their kids content so it’s inevitably up to them at the end of the day.
I'm with you on this. Cartoonish is a very good description. And yes that can be misleading.
It’s a no-win for authors, especially in romance. I have to tap out of conversations about book covers because people hate cartoon covers, hate bare chest covers, and hate real people covers. But ones with just script are also misleading, so… And publishers are going to do what makes money and attracts a wider swath of readers, even if I as an author could care less about those readers. It’s maddening.
@@TheRonnieaj Very true. I’ve seen people who PREFER illustrated covers because it’s more discreet, so it’s a lose lose situation regardless of what they do. And also yes, publishers care about money more than anything else. I guess it goes for all companies but it’s sad and frustrating to see.
@@magicjudy I love to see others who feel similar. I hope the trend of these covers goes away soon 🤞
@@BooksToAshes I'm with you. I can't relate to the covers at all and I tend to not pickup the book. I don't even specifically need a person on the cover. I feel it's not impossible to give the feel of "romance" without people having to be on the cover. But those weird cartoon covers are just bizarre and even worse when they have no face. WTH LOL :D
I read everything that wouldn't run away from me at that age, including the romance novels my mom had hidden under her bed and the scifi pulp my dad had in his car. Kids will read it regardless and sometimes *because* it's being kept from them or labeled as adult
it's up to the parents to give them the tools they need to process such things when they encounter it, even if that is only to tell them they shouldn't be reading that and to try and hide the books better. Even that response still gives the kid needed info for how to handle the topics in an adult way - 'we hide our smutty books in this house!' - is not the worst lesson
People implying cartoons are exclusively for children 😒
Lol. When I was in Catholic middle school I had Interview with a Vampire on my desk. The nun teacher looked at it (it had a cross backed by a blood sun) and she looked at me then ignored it. I think she was just glad I was reading 😂. I know she read sci-fi cause she would read to us from sci-fi zines she had sometimes. She’s how I discovered Lois McMaster Bujold 😂
When I became a teacher all my 7th graders were reading Twilight. I was the only teacher who let them read in class during downtime. I would never discourage reading and I remember reading “adult” books and having to hide them from other adults. Not my parents they let me read whatever I wanted
I feel like this moral panic applies to only girls in a lot of cases. In some ways the outrage of young girls discovering sexuality for the first time is what leads to feelings of shame later in life to feel the need to prefer discreet covers. There isn't a socially acceptable way for girls to go through this phase. I don't think kids SHOULD be reading these particularly, but it is also a natural curiosity in the growing up process so it's certainly not surprising. I don't hear moral panic about boys of this age discovering adult websites. I wouldn't buy these books for my child (I'm also not a parent so I'm just hypothetically thinking) but I wouldn't want to shame them for it. It could be an opportunity for education, and maybe a swap for a YA romance instead
This is such a good point and really made me think about the differences between how puberty is treated between boys and girls.
ive noticed that young boys typically don't pick up any sort of romance book (if they even read at all) because they are afraid of being "girly." so that's why i assumed boys weren't typically picking up things like icebreaker. I thought they automatically move to adult websites instead which is still a big no for me at a young age.
@katgreer6113 yep! That's what I meant, I guess I didnt clarify lol. Its not that boys are reading romance books, but what I meant was when they are first discovering their sexuality (through websites) the typical response is along the lines of "boys will be boys". Which I find to be way more graphic than a book.
A lot of the fanfic I read with zero parental oversight was so much worse than the on page smut in published books with illustrated covers, both in terms of how explicit they were & how kinky some of the content was but also how toxic some of the dynamics portrayed were, that I’m not sure where I come down on the matter of how much “spice” young teens should read.
But if it’s a boundary a parent wishes to draw then it’s up to them to pay attention to what their kids are reading.
I’d be more concerned about representations of unhealthy/toxic relationship dynamics than sex on the page. My parents were VERY hands off with my reading as a kid and even gave me some books to read that had explicit sex on the page. I also mostly read adult fiction growing up of my own accord, so I came across quite a bit of adult content under the age of 10. Honestly I’m glad I did, because my parents didn’t talk to me about things like sex and I was able to learn about it in a safe way. But CoHo romances glorifying abuse were not available to me, and I certainly don’t think children should be reading those books. I think it’s a nuanced issue and I agree it’s the parents’ responsibility, but personally I kind of hate the cartoon covers and do think they look childish 😂
Oh lordy I have STORIES to tell about these covers. I have a barely 11 year old girl reading twisted love in the library and I spoke to her quietly about what's in it and is she sure it's appropriate for her, she said she "skips those parts and my gran got it for me so it's fine" 😅😅😅😅😅😅 I highly doubt she is skipping it as she says
Lmao! Well, that's on her gran. You tried 🤷♀️😅
I was saying the same thing when I was about her age, and my aunt tipped my mum that ASOIAF books aren't really appropriate. I wasn't skipping them
i think that’s a very graceful way for you to handle it!
believe her.
some of them do skip those parts.
i was in 5th grade reading Stephen King and all kinds of adult books with my parents permission. They monitored my reading to an extent when they bought me books,. When I brought books home from the library on my own, they saw what I was reading and there were no issues with them speaking to me about some books they thought might be inappropriate for my age. Parents need to parent their own kids and stop putting that responsibility on other people. They have to monitor their own children having access to content on the internet, so they can do the same with books within their household.
I absolutely do not think the illustrated covers are the problem. I don’t think they look like middle grade covers but they absolutely can look like YA. Part of the problem I think is there’s a misconception that many of the adult books that are getting popular are YA (when they are absolutely not). If I hear one more tiktok or RUclips creator call Colleen Hoover YA I’ll lose it. YA is not distinguished by the age of the characters, but the intended audience. All the parentless kids who come to the YA desk at my job (I’m a librarian trainee) are often looking for things like fourth wing, colleen Hoover, icebreaker, ACOTAR… I’ll never forget the child who asked me for Icebreaker bc her friends were giggling and talking about how “BAAAAAD” that book is and that it was a scandal when someone left it in their middle school science class (I recognized the teacher’s name and that’s how I knew they were 6th graders). The book wasn’t on the shelf but idk what I would have done if it was.
I don’t think the book covers need to be changed. As a parent of a 14 yr old and 12 yr old who does monitor the content my kids consume I am also conscious of the fact that my kids can get ahold of or be exposed to books or any type of media that is inappropriate for them at any time, that’s why it’s important to have open conversations about “risky” topics. Parents cannot micromanage their children and schools or the public at large really have no idea if parents are involved and having conversations about these topics unless they ask. Although I don’t want my children consuming sexual content, it is more important to me that they understand consent and boundaries and the characteristics of healthy relationships.
I personally would like trigger/content warnings on the inside flap of the book because sometimes I get a little shook by events and a forewarning would be nice.
Some time ago, I was in a bookstore with my daughter, as we usually do. She pulled out a book from the middle grade section and asked if we could buy it. It was a romance novel, and because I saw which section she took it from, I thought it was age-appropriate. However, something made me want to check it online because the description on the back seemed fine.
Perhaps it wasn’t a very popular book because I couldn’t find anything online about it for literally fifteen minutes, except for a few vague opinions that didn’t reveal the content. I had to flip through it to find explicit sex scenes involving alcohol. In the middle of the middle grade section! Neither the description nor the cover gave any hints, and the online reviews from young people seemed okay. I’m not asking for much-just maybe a small content table on the back cover. I’ve been thinking about this lately.
It’s not the fault of the booksellers; it’s probably the publisher that mislabeled the book. I also can’t predict what will be in a book, and I almost bought it but accidentally stumbled upon one of those scenes. It would really make things easier for everyone.
Btw, I’m not from the USA or any English-speaking country.
I was reading much worse stuff online (fanfiction) when I was 5/6/7th grade and I turned out fine 😭 It's crazy to me to ban teenagers from reading something instead of teaching them e.g. that fiction shouldn't necessarily be replicated in reality or just critical thinking skills etc.
I don't know where I stand on this. When I was 12, I was at such a high reading level and devouring a book a day. My Nana just started giving me her clinch cover historical romances. Kids are going to read whatever the adults in their lives give them. But I am not a parent, so I have no skin in this game.
I never actually had the money to buy books so I got all my books from libraries and librarians always looked out for me, giving age-appropriate recs. Once I picked up a mills and boon because I thought it was just a princess story and the librarian gently pried it out of my hands and gave me the princess diaries instead. We laughed about once I was old to get said book 😂
I was at a book store with my daughters (9 and 11) and found Check Mate and Ice Breaker in the section for 8-12yr olds. My 20 year old was reading those books, that's how I knew it was a no. Yes its my responsibility to check what they are reading and I do, but dang, that was sly on the bookstores behalf.
I also got books from the library as a kid, and my mom didnt police my reading at all. But i didnt read anything crazy but i did like to check out adult fantasy and skim through them.
100% as popular as reading is these days, parents can get off their ass for a sec and google if its acceptable.
Also, twilight is soooo tame we really not gonna let 5th graders read it? 😂
This one was the most surprising to me because I went to Catholic School and Twilight was specifically kept on the shelves behind the librarian’s desk for the 5th to 8th graders 😂
I was also reading adult fantasy in 5th grade & middle school (specifically Lord of the Rings) but my parents weren't readers and didn't really know anything about the books I read. Lucky for them that I didn't pick up anything with "spicy" content in it until high school (and that was on accident).
I’m in a group where someone is reading it for the first time as an adult and giving us commentary and while it’s not spicy seeing it through the eyes of an adult (I read the series 5 times from 7th grade through HS) I do have more concerns now about the portrayal of healthy relationships and what a younger kid might take away from that with little other perspective. I think it’d be fine if a parent was there to have a convo with them but if they’re reading actual adult spicy at that age it seems like parents aren’t paying a lot of attention.
I genuinely love when books have illustrated covers because it means an illustrator got a fun gig that will hopefully bring them more jobs and recognition! Also it’s easier for me to still envision the characters how I picture them in my mind when there isn’t a fully-modeled ‘realism’ style person on the cover
I mean girls start their period around that age, so I'd say it's completely natural for them to he interested in sex, but it is 100% up to parents to...parent. I'm fine with kids reading anything their parents are cool with, but I do think it is stores and publishers job to make sure books are placed in appropriate sections and being marketed to the correct age group. I don't think illustrated covers is the issue though. I'm still in the camp of how is YA for 12-18, on what planet is a 12 year old in the same market as an 18 year old for content. But really, it takes two seconds to google a book or check for an age range, if you don't have time to do that...Don't make kids??
This reminds me of the people who were trying to get on music artists and how they should be making music kid friend. And like this topic it is always up to the parents to monitor what their kids are taking in depending on their age.
This seems like a parenting issue, but I have also seen adult books in the middle grade section of a bookstore, like TJ Klune. Just because it's cozt does not mean it's for middle schoolers.
I generally prefer illustrated covers over all the other cover types. I despise most other covers. However, the publishing industry needs to take some notes from romance manga. One can generally tell the "spice level" of a romance manga based on the cover art.
In 5th grade I was reading really smutty fanfic. So it’s literally just happening in book form now. Kids that age are figuring stuff out and want to start being treated like adults. So many people say they read Stephen King at that age. Which is just as not appropriate for kids that age.
100% Parents need to be responsible for the content their children are consuming. I am a parent and a Grandma and from experience need to say other adults, even teachers, are not responsible to raise your kids…..the access to disturbing and inappropriate content READILY available on the internet is the biggest reason parents need to be vigilant today. Cartoon Book covers being a target for potentially exposing kids to inappropriate material is hysterical to me. It takes 1 minutes to ask a librarian or book seller if the content is appropriate or how about looking at the section the book is in 🙄I mean bare minimum common sense. And if these kids are “sneaking” around getting their hands on these books and parents don’t notice….those same parents are turning a blind eye to much more than that cartoon cover book.
As a parent, yes 10000000% yes it’s the parents responsibility to make sure they know the content their kids are interested in and reading. I mean being able to discuss books with your children should be the aim and it’s nothing for a reader to grab the series and try it out or read the back to see if it’s appropriate if they aren’t dialed in to the industry. People need to hold parents accountable for their kids. Not outside sources who are just trying to do their job.
I like the rating or warning because even if you read the blurb you still don’t know the extent of it. I don’t know why people get so mad. TV shows have explicit warnings and honestly I love that because if I put on a show and my parents are in the room and I see the warning I turn it off! I don’t wanna know sex scenes in front of my parents and I don’t always know what’s in a show because I don’t wanna spoil it.
Just because you might not need the warning doesn’t mean others don’t. Parents have a lot of their plate and it would be easy for them to check for a warning and go from there. It doesn’t change the book, it doesn’t affect your reading of it, so why do people get so upset about saying they want a warning on a book 😭
Jess, you are 100% spot on! I’m a parent . It’s the parents’ responsibility.
I work in a public library in Australia. We would never remove a book from anyone’s borrowing pile. The only items we have age restrictions on are DVDs, R18+ and MA15+. The parents/carers are responsible for what their children take home. They can monitor this through their online library account up until they are 16. Then young people age up in our library system and become financially responsible for the items they borrow.
11:12 I was just about to make this point! It’s funny because when I was younger, my mom wouldn’t let me read romance or much fantasy, meanwhile, I was reading fanfiction about the members of Good Charlotte banging fans 🤣🤣🤣 (yes Good Charlotte lol it was like 2002, I’m old!)
The only people that can “censor” what children read is their parents by checking what their kids are having them buy or borrow from the library. People that put that responsibility on librarians, sellers or publishers are out of their mind. This books are marketed to adults even with the illustrated covers. They better not be putting a warning sign on the covers because no wants that on a cover 😅
This is a problem as old as time. The "misleading" bullshit (which I'm seeing on the comments too) comes from the fact that in people's minds, drawings equal lower ages. I don't have enough toes and fingers to count all the times I've seen parents complaining in comic stores about the comics/manga their kid got. I worked in a store that sold DVDs and I had to give a parent a heads up when their kid picked up Sausage Party (which for the record was NOT in the kid's section). I never refused to sell anyone anything but I would always give a "heads up, this is for sixteen/seventeen/R/etc" or something like that to the parent just to cover my ass - this happened a LOT with the game GTA. They all bought it anyway.
My favorite anecdote it's the time I was buying some spicy m/m romance manga and I heard a father yelled at the clerk of the comic store because Kickass had some sexual content, which he didn't expect it because the movie didn't have it. And the clerk was like "wait the movie is rated R and that was fine???". The father answered he could explain violence to his child but not sex. The other clerk that was looking for my manga snorted and told me in a whisper "if he only saw what you're buying". It was so hard for me to keep my laughter in.
I picked up ice breaker because of the cover and the blurb. I prefer illustrated covers myself, if I had the choice. only to find out weeks later, after the reviews started coming in about the spice. I was disappointed. I don't mind some spice but not graphic spice, that is just me. Everyone likes different things and that is great. I think like you said putting ratings on the books or such is a slippery slope to add more weight to book banning. I do like authors who put trigger warnings in the books. So maybe no harm in doing something like that in books with spice, say something like this book contains graphic sex scenes or what ever. Just so parents will know it might not be age appropriate for their child. Hell I wouldn't mind that myself. But in the end it falls on the parent who should know what their child is reading. Again great to hear that kids are reading but they shouldn't be bring those type of books to school and if they do then maybe an email should go home to the parent to let them know what they are reading. If the parent doesn't do anything it is on them. only saying this because some parents don't have the time to read the book their kids is reading or they are just happy they are reading and don't want to discourage it. I know when I would go to the book store or library I was only able to buy certain books or take out certain books. it fell on the librarian or the bookstore owner. Granted I never went to the bookstore without my mom but they did give her a heads up and then it was moms choice if I could have the book.
Getting so blessed with all these new videos!
I was definitely reading books from Nora Robert’s and Ellora’s Cave when I was in 5th grade lol and I got them from my mom’s room. It’s definitely up to parents to monitor their kids not Regulate a whole industry. It’s easy to do some research or age appropriate books
It's the Publisher's fault. And they're doing it on purpose. Sex sells, especially to kids, and that translates to sales. Sarah J Maas has said they asked her if she would be comfortable putting her books in YA and she said, "as long as I don't need to censor myself" and they said "that's fine". And that's smut, straight up. I don't blame the kids, everybody is horny in their teens, and if they can get away with it, they will. I put a little blame on parents, for not looking into it, but it is reasonable for them to think 'YA should be Okay' if they aren't in the know. Hold the Publishing companies responsible, demand change, especially if you're a concerned parent.
Parents think the cartoon covers are the same as when we were kids at scholastic fairs. Icebreaker literally LOOKS like a book for a 8th or 9th grader with a girl in sparkly clothes. Parents can't just gloss over these things anymore. Deceptive marketing is huge. Publishers don't care how old their customers are and love social media marketing. A quick google search isn't difficult.
My child isn't shopping in any section but the child section and I STILL look at the books he wants to pick. I still flip through them to check illustrations and content before buying it. I read whatever was in the house when I was in 5th grade and up, so I'm sure I read things I probably shouldn't have but I usually went and asked my mom if one of the books I'd pulled off her shelves was okay to read. It is definitely in the parents to check on what their child is doing. Just because it's illustrated cover doesn't mean it's child friendly. I love that we have that variety now and it's not all damsel and shirtless dude covers.
Parent of five here and I have mixed feelings about some of the comments. It is and will always be my responsibility as a parent to police what my children read, watch, and digest in terms of social media and content of all forms. But as an educator or a person who is monitoring my child while in a school setting, it is your responsibility to reach out to me when you believe there is a wrongdoing. I am constantly in contact with my children’s teachers for reasons like this. As a child/teen, there were books in our school library that were labeled as YA but very much Adult and I just kept it in my locker instead of bringing it home. My friends and I shared books. So there was no real way for my parents to know and there was a blind trust that my parents had. Because of that, I am communicating with my kids and most of the time reading what they’re interested in before buying it for them. Not just to avoid exposing them to sexual content but also violent and triggering content as well. I believe it is a responsibility for all parties involved in the development of our children. I get that some people would much rather stay out of it, especially those who don’t have kids and may not grasp onto the understanding of child development (no shade) but let’s not negate that fact that some kids do need to be reprimanded when their parents aren’t present. A warning to the child and parent (if possible) should suffice. We can agree to disagree but thats just my little thoughts on this.
unless you specifically tell people that your children aren't allowed to read "a" or "b," that's not on them. that's on you.
so it's not a wrongdoing when they pick up a book that's not meant for their age bracket.
@@reginaldfairfield my opinion is geared heavily towards school libraries and the teachers speaking via TikTok in the beginning. As I mentioned in my example, kids are reading them in school. I shouldn’t have to tell a teacher to take corrective action when their job weighs heavily on teaching and shaping my child during school hours. A teacher cannot cast judgement without corrective action. That makes no sense. It’s like being selective, like “hey don’t chew gum in my class” or “stop cursing in my class” but you can’t say, “hey I don’t think you should be reading that” or “that book is inappropriate for your age, let me reach out to your parent?” I would hate for someone to see my kids doing something wrong and 1) not correct them and 2) not tell me. And to then speak on the “that’s on you” part. If that’s the case then it wouldn’t really be anyone’s business what a child reads then, would it? What would be the reason for judging them if that’s on them?
More and more people are beginning to blame the bigger picture (ie: books being available for purchase or through the library) for issues instead of looking inward at themselves for allowing that to even happen (parents wanting to ban books because they weren’t paying attention to their kid and their interests.)
Blaming the big picture = an easy out for them.
*it cant possibly be my fault, the world is the issue!*
Something similar happened in the video game world in 2001! There was a game with a very cute looking squirrel character and the game was called Conkers Bad Fur Day. The box however had a M for mature label on it for swearing sexual content etc.
Parents still bought it for their kids because they just went off the art of the game. So ratings don't work out too well either.
Parents just have to find out what they are buying for their kids and if they feel it's acceptable for them.
I was my local bookstore and saw the covers for a few of these and assumed it was some new series like Candy Apple, y'know? Like young romances aimed at tweens with that specific art style and bright colours where a couple is standing kinda close but nothing intimate. I noticed a Colleen Hoover book beside one of them and was shocked that it was with a bunch of 'tween books.'
...Yeah, I was instead hit with another wave of shock when I realized I was looking at the 'spice' table lol. I didn't think much of it at the time, since it was clearly labelled as spice at my bookstore and just saw it as a weird cover choice, but I can totally see how kids might wind up with them instead of the intended audience. Great video.
I have an 11 yo & a 13 yo. The 11 yo reads ya novels & webtoons, the 13 yo reads manga...I review all of it just like i do with the media they watch. I think a lot of parents just aren't paying close enough attention to what their kids are consuming. Which is horrifying to think about in this digital age.
I was 10 reading Stephen King, V.C. Andrews, and my mom's historical romance novels (old ones published in the 80s and 90s). 🤷♀️
My dad knew I was reading his King books and even gave recommendations of similar books to check out. My mom had NO idea I was taking her V.C. Andrews and historical romances to read until YEARS later.
I'm a parent of kids from 20 down to still growing in my uterus. Three of them are big readers (one is 4 and just starting to show interest in learning). My 20yo was reading adult books at 10. My 15yo is in YA mostly, but some adult stuff too. My 10yo reads mostly middle grade, but does have a YA series he's reading.
The covers are not the problem. It takes very little effort to check out the book synopsis and/or do a quick goodreads search for content. Most people have phones glued to their hands these days, afterall. Parents just need to be actually present and involved with their children and their lives is all.
Me and my friend were mature for our ages when we were young. And our reading tastes did reflect that, so even though I was never a romance fan (she was), I know what it is like to be a child being told by teachers to stop reading the adult books that you were reading. And she knows what it is like too. And it was kind of weird being pushed to stop reading, because it something we were constantly being encouraged to do, because we were more advanced at it than other kids our age. I remember talking to her about this when we were young about how annoying it was. Granted we probably were reading things we shouldn't have been (and I was watching shows I probably shouldn't have been at that age) but whenever I came across something that I didn't want to read or watch I either turn closed the book or turned it off. It was actually other people commenting on me reading or watching it that made it weird and uncomfortable than the scenes themselves.
That being said, I didn't watch or read anything my parents didn't know about. They brought me my books. They brought the tv shows. If it wasn't appropriate, you know like an erotic romance, it wouldn't have been available to me. And my mother worked as a librarian for highschools at one stage, so she knows how to pick books for younger audiences
I agree that these books aren't age appropriate, no matter how strong of a reader the kid is, and that it's on the kids' parents to make that line clear, but what's weird to me is the teachers. I read Breaking Dawn in the 5th grade bc my eleven year old big sister finally stopped reading exclusively Goosebumps to read the series, and I wanted to know what they liked so much about it. My 5th grade teacher told me it was inappropriate and I couldn't read it in class, and that was that. My parents were not actively engaged in my life, and they were just glad my sister was reading at or above grade level by choice; when parents fail on grounds of academic or intellectual growth, teachers step up - that is literally their job. Why are they making TikToks instead of talking to students and parents?
I remember being a kid and sneaking to read my aunts Waiting To Exhale book 😂. Kids have been curious , it’s the parents job to pay attention what they are reading. Waiting to exhale was an illustrated cover and I knew it was an adult book. Kids aren’t stupid , parents are just uninterested.
I teach 7th grade and when one of my students walked in reading Ice Breaker I thought I was losing my mind. That was a parent phone call I didn’t think I would need to make… needless to say, he had no idea what she was reading
Yall act like we werent all gushing over the smut scene in breaking dawn in middle school
I was book shopping the other day and a girl (around 12-13ish) was begging her dad to buy her HAUNTING ADELINE. I normally don’t step in; but I had to ask him if he knew the content warnings of the book and tried my best to explain to him it was a dark romance with a lot of mature content and that I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone (at all personally but that’s my opinion lol) under 18. He googled the content and ended up being horrified and did not buy her the book.
All of this. I'm very happy kids are reading. And I do understand to an extent kids reading 'up' and liking to read about characters a little older than them. That happens all the time. But parents blaming the publishing industry for illustrated covers 'misleading' them is a lot of words for 'I don't know how to tell my child no.' The blurb on the back of icebreakers makes it clear the book is about adult characters. It's the publishing industry's job is to sell books and those types of covers sell to adults really well. With other media the argument could be made that for certain age groups, we don't have as much media for them as we used to. TV for younger teens is a dwindling marketing category so those kids start watching tv shows too old for them too soon, and that's a systemic issue. But there are literally books for all ages and reading levels. This isn't an issue of 'the books aren't there' this is an issue of 'people want to blame other people for them not paying attention.'
Agree with you completely, my grandmother gave me the Twilight series for my birthday when I was in third grade because I was reading at a middle school level. BUT my parents stepped in and were like ~~ahahah no~ you can read this when you're a bit older instead let's find something a bit more age appropriate. I didn't appreciate it then, but am happy I read those books later and Twilight is only teen fiction. Can't imagine reading new adult in middle school.
I don't know how well age-stickers would work. I used to work in a game shop and the number of times I had to refuse to sell GTA, Call of Duty etc to parents with 9-11 year old kids next to them. Like ma'am lemme tell you about this game where he will be stealing cars and no, no amount of nagging from your kiddie is gonna make me sell it to you, as you are going to come shout at me tomorrow when he's playing this. Parents need to parent. That's the statement.
Thank you for making this. I have multiple thoughts, as an Aunt with niblings (gender neutral for niece & nephew) that are starting to read. Despite my own beliefs on censorship, I think it just turns into an awareness issue and just communicating with the guardian/parent. If a teacher, friend's parent, concerned neighbor...etc saw a child I was responsible for with questionable material a simple private "hey not sure if you're aware, but I saw little timmy with this just FYI incase you didn't know". I agree I don't want to be at the coffee shop reading a book that has "rated X/M/R" on the front cover because as much as the vampire and fae characters might be going at it in my book, the rest of the world doesn't need to know. ;)
And I think more publishers should encourage a "content guidance" section. I heavily rely on those, especially since I love some mental trauma books, but I want to know before I accidentally trigger my mental health problems. :)
Love your content. Keep it up!
So i 100% think parents are responsible to monitor what media (music, books, shows,etc ) their children are consuming. Do i think they could put ratings? Sure. Many manga, graphic novels, etc have a rating system on them. Those ratings mean nothing if you don't pay attention.
Your shelves look GOOD! I love how you did them
When I was in grade school and middle school especially, I read a ton of books from the library, and a lot of them were above my grade level. I never really went in to the adult sections since I wasn’t interested, which made my mom’s life easier, but since my older sister would be at the library with me (and even in the same section) she asked her to keep an eye out on what I was picking up to make sure everything was fine. Is this an ideal solution? Maybe not, since it requires an older sibling to keep an eye on their younger sibling as opposed to a parent - but my mom wasn’t really looking to keep age-appropriate books in my hands, she was mostly just looking to keep very inappropriate books out. She decided that I could handle books above my age level just fine. By the time I was in middle school and high school, she cared a lot less what was picking up, and quite frankly she hadn’t cared too much to begin with.
On a separate note, my mom has worked in school for over a decade and she has talked about how she thinks part of the reason kids have (according to some people) been acting out more is because they may not be getting enough attention at home. I think that this could be in some ways a continuation of that problem - parents aren’t paying attention to what their kids are reading, and that’s the real problem.
"dramatic with the ruining" LOL
I mean, I read Anne Rice's Sleeping Beauty trilogy at like age 12 (pretty sure my eyebrows have never returned to their original starting point haha) and Tom Clancy in fifth grade. So kids who read definitely read up. (And my parents weren't restrictive - there was the occasional "are you sure you want to read that?" but then if I insisted, they'd let me read it bc I'd either ask questions or get bored and wander off)
The "I don't even take these books out in public" tiktok gal needs to confront her own issues with romance novels (and content in general). Because maybe talk to those kids about what their reading in a nonjudgemental way as a school worker? What do they like about it? Because maybe there are some parts they want to talk about.
I like a lot of the art on illustrated covers because it's pretty (
I do think that there should be ratings on book covers, not just for the parents, but also for me ...I'm a school librarian, and this is making my job harder. Of course I do my research on books, and I'm on booktube so I mostly know about those things, but it's impossible to know about every book. Moreover, I regularly find books with smut in the young adult section in book stores... So I'm guessing that this is making life complicated for book sellers too. And lastly, as a reader, when I buy a book with a very cute innocent cover and all I see is porn, I feel like I have been scammed.
I completely agree:
The adults in the room need to be... the ADULTS and IN the room. You were responsible enough to make the decision to take on the care of a child but not responsible enough to check out their reading choices? This goes with all their media consumption, not just books. I believe there is a saying about book covers and judging..? It should be on the inside anyway; let the covers shine!
Something else to consider:
I would like there to be more information about books available. I take an eighth grader to the library and now that we're in the Teen section when they hand me a book, I research it online if I haven't read it already. But I read one of their Juvenile books after they were done and it had an unexpected amount of violence.
If we're going to do something like this, there needs to be consistency. Going into the Early Readers section of the library each publisher has a different ranking system to decide what level the kid is at. Some use letters, some use numbers, some use a combination thereof. I asked a librarian for an equivalency chart and there were no resources available. It was frustrating for me and the kid.
hi! i really appreciate that you do captions for your videos & i'm definitely not expecting perfection from an independent channel like this (most don't bother at all!), but since you clearly want the videos to be accessible having [cc] in the title and all, i'd just like to point out in case you weren't aware yourself, that there are a lot of mistakes in the captions. to the point that it's sometimes hard to decipher what you're saying, and the automated captions are more accurate, lol
My grandma bought me my first smut book (unintentionally) in 5th or 6th grade
These books are in the Adult section, or they are on a table that is literally labeled as Steamy. If you read the first two pages of Icebreaker, it’s him waking up from a drunken one night stand. Fifth graders don’t buy their own books, the parents do. It’s not up to rest of the world to change what covers look like, it’s the parents are. Your kids, your responsibility.
Icebreaker has a spice scene where the guy is dressed like Gru from despicable me and the girl is dressed as one of his teammates. There are a lot of explicit scenes. Also I will say I don't want parents to be more vigilant about what their kids are reading, because if my mother paid as much attention to what I was reading as were saying people should over Icebreaker, I would have never known other queer people existed. Like things would have been SO MUCH worse for me. I think they should ditch the illustrated covers because 1) they ugly as hell 2) it will let parents continue to not be as strict with older kids and let kids in homophobic/transphobic houses see themselves and feel less alone. If you're not ashamed to read porn in public, a bodice ripper cover shouldn't make you ashamed either. Get a kindle if you have that much of a problem. All genres look the same and it pisses me off. I don't like the style of the cartoon covers right now. There are actually "ratings" by the barcode already, too. Just take your kid to the kids section of Barnes and Nobles until they're ready for adult books instead of buying them shit from booktok.