In the interest of not just drooling over 17 year old boys, who happen to have their shirts off, it’s always fun to “legitimize” our little website, by discussing something slightly more relevant than Kellan verse Jackson. As I was scanning the internet for good Twilight gossip news, I came across a post titled “What to Do, What to Do?”  from ShelfTalker: A Children’s Bookseller’s Blog.  The blog post is from bookseller Josie – who is wondering how to handle the younger and younger girls requesting the Twilight Saga Series:

Now that schools in Vermont are officially on summer break, I’ve noticed something I’m not sure how to handle.

School let out on Friday and since then I’ve had four nine-year-old girls ask for one or more books in the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. Now, don’t get me wrong, I think Twilight is a fine series. I enjoyed it immensely when I read it. I am forty-four, not nine. I’m not sure what to do with this current phenomenon. I don’t like to judge purchases by anyone in my store, but this troubles me.

And I’ve often wondered this myself – when I go to midnight book releases, movie showings and DVD release parties – and see kids under the age of ten running around – I wonder how are kids this young into this?  (Besides making me feel significantly older, uncomfortable (FEAR OF CHILDREN) and out of place) does a love story about a 17 year old and a vampire really mean anything to them?

Photo from Stephenie Meyer's Eclipse Tour

Josie goes on to say:

These bouncy, pigtailed nine-year-olds seem to have no reason to read these books other than “my friends are reading it.” They don’t even like boys. I find asking them “Do you like boys?” is a great weeding-out question for some of the younger set. A giggle, and a sheepish “no” can usually sway them away from any book, except Twilight.

I can’t imagine my 8 to 12 year old self having any interest in an self-conscious girl and her depressive vampire boyfriend (please, note – not the way I saw it when I read it as a 24 year old, but likely how I would have received it at 12).  However, I can also see my child self – being enticed by the concept because it is such a big deal.  Our little clique of office Twilight fans, isn’t exactly exclusive – but I know their are certain individuals, who have to hold back rolling their eyes when I get excited because the poster aired or have youtubing the trailer for the 11th hundred time … they’re not into it – and they don’t have to be – but unfortunately they do have to listen to Team Six Pack and I discuss whether or not Rob’s abs are airbrushed.

I’m an extremely a fairly liberal person – and I generally support all manner of inappropriate things.  The content of Twilight is fairly tame – in terms of language, sex, etc., especially when compared to some of the crap out there.  And there are clearly consequences shown for the actions taken – sex = pregnancy.  However, even though I may feel comfortable handing Twilight over to an 11 year old – my hesitation would certainly grow with each book in the series – proposed marriage (NW,E), wanting to have sex (Bella’s ready to jump Edward upon meeting him, luckily Edward says no)(NM,E) and then the actual marriage, sex, freaky-deaky birth scene (BD) I’m not sure, if I would want a small child exposed to all that …

And yet, when kids are bombarded with much of what passes for entertainment these days – Rock of Love, Bratz dolls, the Cliq- I wonder, how much damage could Twilight do?  The stuff kids may get be exposed in an advertisement is often much more suggestive, than even the scariest of birth scenes in Breaking Dawn…

But where my brain says Twilight really isn’t so bad, those kids probably see so much worse on tv — and hey, at least they are reading – Josie has a better point to make:

My fear is twofold — the first is they are coming to a good book too early and they won’t get out of the book what they would if they read it at the right age. The second issue is now that these girls are reading about characters so much older, they won’t have patience or the desire to read about children their own age. It saddens me that for three years parents who have put their foot down to their daughters who wanted to read Twilight before they were 12, have lost the will to make their kids wait. I worry that girls will think Harriet the Spy is too young for them, that The Great Gilly Hopkins has nothing to do with their lives, Walk Two Moons isn’t relevant. It pains me when nine-year-olds head right back to the young adult section and bypass the riches that make up the middle-grade section.

And I believe this is true.  There are certain books that I enjoyed as a young child, that I still enjoy now (Anne of Green Gables) – but there are many, many more which have absolutely no value to me, other than my fond memories.  I’m honestly thinking 13 at an absolute minimum – but I’m really left to wonder if the age shouldn’t be older than that.  I have often puzzled over the Twilight Saga Sereies’ classification as young adult – when the Host was classified as adult and had very little difference in content.

I really hope parents are paying attention to what their kids are watching, reading, involved in — and that they make the choice that is right for their child … because in my opinion a set age is never really an appropriate age.  I’d love to hear more opinions about this. And a big thank you to Josie for actually making me think — before I start drooling again over shirtless boys.  To read the complete blog from Josie, click here.