The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
VERIFICATION
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Not Really For Kids Books
The Autobiography of Santa ClausThis book is marketed for the adult audience. The library shelves it in adult fiction. "ADULT" and "ADULT FICTION" are both genres that appear on the main page. but "childrens" is the last genre listed. It is not a children's book (and therefore isn't in AR bookfinder).
Mod
This book is marketed for the adult audience. The library shelves it in adult fiction. "ADULT" and "ADULT FICTION" are both genres that appear on th..."
Sorry for the slow response - since this is a new thing, we wanted to talk it all through and make sure we knew what we were doing (or at least we think we know what we're doing!)
This is approved for use.
Thank you ... I figured you needed to do some research to verify.
Hi Sandy, I'm very confused by the children's/AR rules. The Rules of the Challenge say "if" the book has Children's as a genre then you have to have look it up in AR for the appropriate level, etc., but then in the Genre thread you told a few people they couldn't have "no children's" validated for books that appear in AR even if they don't have Children as a genre on their page. So I'm confused as to what's allowed and not. My example is Looking for Alaska. It doesn't have Children on its page and I had considered asking you to validate that in case it changed before the Challenge ended. But I see you said you won't do that since it's in AR. Just dealing in hypotheticals what would happen if Children suddenly showed up on its main page for genre?
Thanks for explaining this one confusing part to a newbie! (And I have read the various rules posts about Children's).
For that example it's listed as UG which means you can use it with no restrictions. You'd just need to include that part of the AR information when you post (if children's is there or just include it anyway, because I'd rather have and not need it, than need it and not have it). I think the reasoning is: If they are in AR, you can include the information for MG books and as long as the numbers meet the minimum levels set by the mods it doesn't matter if 'children's' is listed. You just have to include that AR information when you post.
It's something you can take care of yourself instead of the mods having to verify or disqualify if you don't include the info.
Victoria wrote: "Hi Sandy, I'm very confused by the children's/AR rules. The Rules of the Challenge say "if" the book has Children's as a genre then you have to have look it up in AR for the appropriate level, etc...."
Mod
Morgan explains it very well. The other part of the issue is that I have been asked in the genre verification thread to "verify" that a book is not a childrens book (or at least does not have the childrens genre) for two books that are clearly childrens books and don't even meet minimum SRC standards for use.
It's one thing to verify that a genre is on a page. It's another to lock in a "no childrens" for a book that is obviously a childrens book, but just doesn't have many ratings yet.
However, THIS thread has nothing to do with that. This thread is a place to "save" books that are clearly ADULT books (not children, not teens) but that got called childrens for some reason, sensible or not. Take a parenting book - it makes perfect sense for someone to shelve it as "children" - because that's how they're using it, to get info on raising their children. But it's obviously not a book that is designed to be read by children ("here you go, read this and stop having temper tantrums, please") and thus would not appear on AR Bookfinder. That combination would mean that the book can only be used for 1 task in the challenge.
A book with the genre "children" that appears on AR Bookfinder, assuming that it means minimal standards, can be used for all of the 5,10,15 point tasks, and for any higher point task that does not specifically rule out childrens books.
Hi!All of the Anne of Green Gable's books are on AR Bookfinder except for Montgomery's Christmas stories. All of the Anne series books are acceptable for the challenge according to the standards. However, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5... is not listed on AR Bookfinder and has "children's" on it's main page along with many other genres. Her Christmas stories are really just the same level as all of the other books that are accepted in that series. I was just wondering if this one could be accepted too!
Thanks!
julie
Mod
All of the Anne of Green Gable's books are on AR Bookfinder except for Montgomery's Christmas stories. All of the Anne series books are acceptable for the challenge according to the standards. ..."
No, sorry, I'm only looking at books here that are CLEARLY adult books - the children's genre seems like a reasonable one for this, and it's not a book directed to adults rather than children.
The only task that this will work for is 5.10.
Hi I am asking for verification for Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus. It is a Christian parenting book.
Mod
yes, this book is clearly not written for children - you're good to go. Be sure and note this approval when you post your completed task.
Hi I had checked AR bookfinder and the Unicorn Sonata by Peter S. Beagle does not appear. Please approve for use.
Mod
Please read post 1 - this thread is only for books that are CLEARLY geared to adults and this book clearly is not. If the book is not in AR Bookfinder, you will only be able to use it for task 5.10.
Is Young adult considered children or adult? I read quite a few YA books and was wondering if they would count. Didn't find any information on any of the threads that addressed this question. Thanks.
Audrey wrote: "Is Young adult considered children or adult? I read quite a few YA books and was wondering if they would count. Didn't find any information on any of the threads that addressed this question. Thanks."Young adult is young adult. Though with main page genres you can end up with multiple classifications.
Some of them also have children's as a genre, but they are almost all (if they are really young adult) listed on AR bookfinder as MG+ to UG so they can be used with no restrictions.
There's exceptions to every rule, but most of them will be MG+ or UG.
I read almost exclusively YA, and I haven't run into it being an issue yet.
Mod
Please read the FAQs. This is mentioned there, as are many other common questions.
I just read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and it has Children's under the genres. Was wondering if this was acceptable?Thanks
Mod
Thanks"
It's a childrens book, and therefore you need to follow the rules for childrens books. Please read the Rules of the Challenge and the FAQs.
I would like to get Beau Crusoe verified as not a kids book. It is a Harlequin Romance about a returned sailor and a widow. The widow has a young son, so I'm assuming that is why some people have shelved it as "children's." Not only are there some romantic scenes that are inappropriate for kids, but the subject of the novel deals heavily with PTSD, so not really something I'd give/read to a child. Thanks.
Mod
yeah, I can't quite imagine a kid reading this one! Approved for use.
I would like to get The Summer Book approved as a non childrens book. It is about a relationship between a young girl whose mother is dead and her grandmother as they spend their summers on a remote island. It's obviously been classed by some people as 'children's' because one of the two main characters is a young girl but it's not, in fact the book blurb even says that this was written for adults. It's not on the AR BookFinder as expected, but I did check just in case.
Mod
approved for use.
Room for YouI would like to have this book approved as a non-childrens book. The book is about a mother of twins who finds love with a hockey player. I believe that the only reason someone had this pegged as childrens is because of the twins who are characters but not main characters. This book has quite a few intimate sex scenes and is not intended for children or young adult.
It is not on the AR BookFinder either.
Mod
I would like to have this book approved as a non-childrens book. The book is about a mother of twins who finds love with a hockey player. I believe that the only reaso..."
Agreed - clearly not a childrens book - approved for use
The Five Love Languages of ChildrenLooking to get this approved as a non-childrens book. This is a book on parenting children, but not written for children to read at all.
It is not on AR BookFinder.
Mod
Looking to get this approved as a non-childrens book. This is a book on parenting children, but not written for children to read at all.
It is not o..."
agreed - not a children's book. approved for use.
The Annotated Alice: The Definitive EditionI am writing to get this book approved as a non-children's book. This is a heavily annotated edition from Norton that incorporates both Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. The annotations are from Martin Gardener from two previous annotated editions of the these texts.
I did find the original texts of Lewis Carroll's works on AR BookFinder. They have a high enough IL and BR ratings, but an AR score which just falls below the cutoff. Combined with the academic annotations, I am inquiring if this annotated edition does meet the the criteria for SRC points.
Mod
I am writing to get this book approved as a non-children's book. This is a heavily annotated edition from Norton that incorporates both Al..."
Sorry, this is still a childrens book - the added content does not change that.
This thread is for books that are clearly and plainly not for children, like erotica and parenting books. Not for childrens books that include annotations.
Sandy wrote: "HisGirlFriday wrote: "The Annotated Alice: The Definitive EditionI am writing to get this book approved as a non-children's book. This is a heavily annotated edition from Norton tha..."
I did read the criteria under which books would be considered. The annotations that account for the majority of text as the source material are "clearly and plainly not for children." This compilation is not designed for children. This precisely why this book is not listed on the AR BookFinder.
There are books that are analyses of children's lit that similarly are not listed on AR BookFinder. It appears those would meet the SRC criteria simply because they do not include the source material, or have not been tagged as Children's Lit by GR readers. This metric seems arbitrary. For example, this book (annotated by the author) meets the SRC rules:
The Annotated Night Before Christmas
simply because it is not tagged as Children's Lit on the main page. The Annotated Alice: The Definitive Edition doesn't because it is tagged as such.
All of this being said, I respect the decision and appreciate your time. The last sentence in the response indicated that I had a misunderstanding about the criteria under which a book would be considered in this post, so I wanted to clarify why I made the initial request.
Please verify Two Little Lies as not childrens. It's very adult (lots of sex) and has no AR information.Thank you!
Mod
Thank you!"
yes, not a childrens book at all. Approved for use, disregarding the childrens genre.
Sandy wrote: "Emily S. wrote: "Please verify Two Little Lies as not childrens. It's very adult (lots of sex) and has no AR information.Thank you!"
yes, not a childrens book at all. Approved for..."
Thank you, Sandy! (I'm still shaking my head at users who could possibly think this was a children's book!)
We're there children in it? It could that it was shelved as kids in story which got merged into childrens
Dee wrote: "We're there children in it? It could that it was shelved as kids in story which got merged into childrens"Nope. No kids. I'm starting to lean more towards a few accidental shelvings. I can't imagine someone who'd actually READ it would think it belonged there. O_o
Mod
Nope. No kids. I'm starting to lean more towards a few accidental shelvings. ..."
well, the description did say something about begetting heirs, LOL!
Sandy wrote: "Emily S. wrote: "Dee wrote: "We're there children in it? It could that it was shelved as kids in story which got merged into childrens"Nope. No kids. I'm starting to lean more towards a few accid..."
Hahahahaha!! People must have overlooked that the story was the PROCESS of begetting them... :P
Bluegrass PamI had posted Nurture Shock by Po Bronson as a non-fiction book for task 10.5 and my post was rejected because it had children listed as a genre. It is an adult book about child psychology and parenting. Can you please approve?
Mod
I had posted Nurture Shock by Po Bronson as a non-fiction book for task 10.5 and my post was rejected because it had children listed as a genre. It is an adult book about child psych..."
Approved for use. Be sure to link to this post when you repost.
for future reference, when asking about a book in any help thread, please include a link to the book.
Mod
It says childrens and isn't found in the AR bookfinder, but I feel it is more adultish because while it does have amazing photos of dragons that kids may ..."
Sorry, but this is not a book that is clearly for adults and not for children. While adults might enjoy it as well, this does not fall within the group of books that are clearly not for children. Kids do enjoy fake scientific info, etc.
Could The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm be considered for "not kids"? It isn't in AR Bookfinder and this is the new edition from Princeton Univ. Press - it's a very academic book, a new translation of the complete stories, and definitely not marketed as a children's book (the library has it in the adult mythology section) but it seems a few people have shelved it as "children". Thanks!
Mod
Sorry, no, this is not a book that's not for kids. In fact, the new translation is noted as paring down the language, which would seem to make this even more suitable for children and reading to children. It is not a book that is clearly for adults and not for children.
PeaklesCotton
This is definitely not a Children's Book - KKK violence, gender-altering surgery, prostitution, etc. On the main page, when I click to see users for 'Children's', there are "No Users."
Can I get it approved 'not for kids?'
If not, I'll find somewhere else to use it.
Mod
Cotton
This is definitely not a Children's Book - KKK violence, gender-altering surgery, prostitution, etc. On the main page, when I click to see users for 'Children's', t..."
I think it says "no users" because it aggregated a couple shelvings from later on, including "kids." Regardless, I read a bunch of reviews and such, and I agree with you that there is no way this is a childrens book. Approved for use regardless of childrens designation on main page.
Sandy wrote: "Pat wrote: "PeaklesCotton
This is definitely not a Children's Book - KKK violence, gender-altering surgery, prostitution, etc. On the main page, when I click to see users for 'Ch..."
I think it says "no users" because it aggregated a couple shelvings from later on, including "kids." Regardless, I read a bunch of reviews and such, and I agree with you that there is no way this is a childrens book. Approved for use regardless of childrens designation on main page.
From Peakles
Great! Thanks. What should I do now? Should I repost 298 and quote message 48 of this thread?
Mod
Cotton
This is definitely not a Children's Book - KKK violence, gender-altering surgery, prostitution, etc. On the main page, when I click to see..."
yes
This is not a childrens' book. It is about a young mother dying of cancer. Can I get this approved as a Not For Kids Book? Thanks!Sunshine
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Books that have already been approved as not for kids are listed in this googledoc.
Please do not request approval for any books other than those that are CLEARLY geared toward adults - with a few exceptions, this has primarily come up with parenting books and erotica. If the book is listed as YA as well as childrens, it would not fall into this group of special exceptions - we will NOT be disregarding the "childrens" genre simply because a reader thinks it is more appropriate for teens.
If the book is listed on AR Bookfinder, it will not be considered here - you must go with the data on AR Bookfinder.
Please do not request pre-approval of adult books that do not currently have the childrens genre - only books that have the genre listed at the time you ask will be considered.