Gossip Girl Collection: Too Hot for Pre-Teens?
Library board investigate moms’ complaints.
The Leesburg, Florida Library Advisory Board is wrestling with the issue of what to do with complaints by several mothers of pre-teen girls. The women claim books of the Gossip Girl collection are being shelved in a section labeled for “ages 12 to 18.”
Two of the books in question are “Only In Your Dreams” and Bermudez Triangle.” A chapter heading in one proclaims that ”Helmets Are As Important As Condoms” and another exerpt suggests a king size bed should be”…divided into four sections: for sleeping, for eating, for watching TV and for having sex.”
The Library Director defends the placement of the books, noting that if they were located in the adult section the young girls could still access them.
The Advisory Board’s recommendation will not be binding and the irate mothers say they’ll go all the way to City Hall if necessary. They believe they should be able to send their younger daughters to the library without having them subjected to what they consider objectionable material.
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Ah, the trouble mothers have to take to make the transition of their children from childhood through adolescence to adulthood!
Teenage girls grow up to be some rocket projectile lacking the homing device. If parents could be more responsible to guide their daughter through that critical stage, it would be their greatest achievement.
Sigh. Where to draw the line on teen books…the one of the big issues in a public library.
Yes, some books for teens aren’t what they should be reading.
It is at least refreshing to know that their are mothers out there monitoring these things!
Newer ways for older things,
And we must accept,
What for you is old?
For the youth it’s new.
So let them enjoy,
And do not disturb,
Their enjoyment please,
Do not curb.
We have no control over ourselves,
You know,
What the hell about others,
We profess to know.
Life is a trickle,
In the passage of time,
Let them leak or rant,
Let them do what they want to,
Who in hell r u,
To tell them not to.
these books should not be in the preteen section. they are not approppriate for that age. These girls should be able to be little girls for now. They will have to grow up all too soon. Let them be children a little longer.
Wow, it actually says that in the books? My daughter loves to read, didn’t think I would have to monitor that.
The section should not be for 12 to 18 year olds. What a 12 year old should be reading is vastly different than what an 18 year old should be reading. The library is not wrong to put the books in this section because it is appropriate for many of the people who look in this section, however the section catagory should be changed to insure 12 year olds are not reading books which were written for 17-18 year olds.