Let books be books campaign

Elegran - to a certain extent, I do agree with you. I read, from a very early age, all the fairy stories I could get my hands on and they generally included the damsel in distress being rescued by the handsome prince and I tended to think that was how life was; life taught me otherwise so my opinions changed and my taste in reading material changed likewise.

Both of my children were introduced to books at a very early age and my son disliked any form of fiction other than the Fighting Fantasy range. To this day, he tends to read factual (widlife, the universe, nature - that kind of thing). I think children eventually settle on what interests them.

I've been thinking about what my two sons read as children. DS1 loved all the Swallows and Amazons series which I would say appeal equally to boys and girls. He devoured the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, then gravitated towards Stephen King. In his teens he picked up a Kurt Vonnegut that I was reading and that set him off to read as many of those as he could. Point is that everything he enjoyed was likely to be read by both men and women. He still shares my tastes - sometimes guides them now. DS2 read The Lord of the Rings when he was 7 and thereafter read mostly cricket magazines until he was 17 with the occasional James Bond thrown in! It is good for children to see their parents reading, and my GC appear to be following in their footsteps.
As a footnote, I was a bit taken aback when I discovered that my father had passed on to my 12-year-old son a copy of Hollywood Wives. Oh well...

This book thing is a big fuss over nothing. Just some journalist needing something to write about.

By the time they can read for themselves kids will choose whichever books they want to read. Just take 'em to the library.

I prefer books written by female authors as I've noticed there is a subtle difference in the way they write that appeals more to me.

Just wanted to say that I agree with you there, HollyDaze.

To be absolutely honest rosesarered,I didn't have a clue.

Sorry if I upset any tender sensibilities.

Yes, holly there are books to suit everyone, and readers to read every kind of book, and once your taste is established, you gravitate toward what you like.
But when children are just starting out on the road to discovery that is open to them by being a fluent reader, they are not helped to form their own individual taste by being presented with books labelled "for girls" or "for boys" as though it is a pre-destined certainty that this is what they will be delighted to choose.
They are being segregated and steered in the direction that someone (probably a publisher with an eye on the money) wants them to go.

I agree with your post Hollydaze men and women may like certain books but there will always be other kinds of books that almost always appeal to men and ditto for women. It's just the way we are. Jingl I think you know what Holly actually meant?

"I quite like the differences between men and women so I hope the choice is always available for those who want it."

I think it will be.

Although I cannot get in the least bit interested in women's magazines and I really dislike romcoms and chick lit, I don't see a problem in gender biased reading (or viewing for that matter) - do we all have to become homogenous now?

I prefer books written by female authors as I've noticed there is a subtle difference in the way they write that appeals more to me.

I quite like the differences between men and women so I hope the choice is always available for those who want it.

The Young Samurai series by Chris Bradford is great for boys and girls 9+ (and pensioners !) they have adventure, excitement, history, emotion.

I felt really sad when I had finished the last book in the series of 8. This series will be a classic of the future.

I think that there should be all sorts of books and girls or boys should be free to choose whichever interests them. If a girl chooses what might be seen as traditionally girl-oriented books (ditto boys) then so be it. If they go for the others, then fine. They should not be encouraged or discouraged in either direction.

It's a daft campaign. Just let kids read.

And what about the excellent books in this series (by none less than Conn Igledun)

The Dangerous book for Boys

Boys love this kind of book

Nothing to stop anyone giving it to a girl - I know I would have loved it! But it would be a shame if these books were no longer published.

Personally, I don't care so long as kids are reading and, certainly, with the two of mine that are of reading age, gender bias certainly has to be specific.

The idea of gender specific books for children (chick-lit for kids?) leaves me cold. I loved Just William and Biggles when I was young. But then I also adored Georgette Heyer's Regency romances and Jane Austen. Come to think of it, I was - and still am - a fairly indiscriminate reader. My GD (11) reads anything that comes her way, loves the Hunger Games trilogy and has started The Book Thief which I left with her at the weekend. Go with your current practice, posie. Get what you think they will be interested in and they will soon develop their own preferences.

Well when I go to the library with DGS/D it hasn't occurred to me to look for gender specific books yet. I just look for books that I think they would like/be interested in.

I suppose as they get older this might change to a degree?