Support for age-ranging of books
27 Nov 2007
Research by the Publishers Association has shown that 86% of adults feel that age guidance on children’s books is a good idea.
There was an overwhelmingly positive reaction to the principle of age-ranging among those questioned, with 40% saying they would be more likely to buy books if recommendations about age suitability were indicated on the back. The idea was particularly popular among less regular book buyers.
Although books were a popular gift idea, those buying books for children found it more difficult to choose appropriate fiction books, new authors’ publications and books for older children, often preferring to stick to non-fiction and classics.
Additional research by the Publishers Association found that children were not adversely influenced by the printing of age ranges on the back of books. Eighty-five percent of children selected a book aimed at their age group as their favourite, regardless of any printed age group on the back.
