Authors rebel against age ranges on books

By Richard Lea and Nell Boase in The Guardian:

The controversy over plans to put recommended age ranges on the covers of children's books ignited at the Hay festival yesterday, with authors speaking both for and against proposals due to be implemented by a wide group of children's publishers later this year

Marcus Sedgwick, who won last year's Booktrust teenage prize with a sinister vampire tale, My Swordhand is Singing, described the initiative as a "disaster", while Carnegie medal-winner David Almond called it "silly". Francesca Simon, author of the bestselling Horrid Henry series, said the proposals were "ridiculous", while the Carnegie medal-winner Mal Peet, called them a "very bad idea".