coloradomom
Registered: 04/11/08
Posts: 1
|
|
|
Reply with quote | #1 |
Mr. Spinelli,
As a mom of 4 we have many of your books in our home and have a 13-year-old who has read most of your work. This week my 4th grade daughter brought home Jason and Marceline from the school library. Given the rules of this forum, the content of this book cannot even be discussed! Please tell me why this book is being marketed to elementary aged children by your publisher and tell me what I can do to ensure that it will only be in libraries where it is age-appropriate. (colleges?!!!)
I was just terribly disappointed by the book and feel you have violated a trust that we had in your childen's literature collections.
Thank you!
|
| |
jerryspi
Moderator
Registered: 04/02/08
Posts: 44
|
|
|
Reply with quote | #2 |
Dear Coloradomom,
I couldn't agree with you more that JASON AND MARCELINE is not right for a fourth-grader. My guess is that you won't find it in many grade school libraries. If the publisher has ever specifically targeted this book to grade schools--and I doubt that's the case--it was never with my blessing. You should know that an author has little or nothing to do with the marketing and distribution of a book. I would suggest that your quarrel is with whoever stocks the bookshelves of your daughter's school. If you'll check this title on the Little, Brown website, you'll find it categorized as "Young Adult."
Beyond that, I respectfully decline to accept your accusation that I have "violated a trust." You seem to think I slunk into the school one night and slipped my evil book onto an unsuspecting shelf. I believe my six kids, my sixteen grandchildren and my one great grandson--not to mention quite a few readers and teachers--will testify that I am not a corrupting influence.
And a note specific to JASON AND MARCELINE. It is, as you may know, a story about ninth-graders, and in style and focus is obviously not intended to be read by nine-year-olds. I conceived it in the mid-80's with this specific objective in mind, considering the ever-falling age limit of promiscuity: To prove that I could write an entertaining, meaningful and realistic story about a ninth-grade boy and girl without having them jump into bed. I like to think I accomplished that.
Jerry Spinelli
__________________
Jerry Spinelli |
| |
Chocorob
Registered: 04/10/08
Posts: 34
|
|
|
Reply with quote | #3 |
I'm only in 6th grade. How do you think I felt when I read "Finding Alaska" reccomended by my sister.
|
| |
Ari
Registered: 04/07/08
Posts: 49
|
|
|
Reply with quote | #4 |
The only books I've read by Jerry Spinelli were perfectly apropriete. Maybe, Colordaomom, you should recommend Stargirl to your daughter. Every one in my sixth grade classes have read at least the first one.
__________________
arianna |
| |
Chocorob
Registered: 04/10/08
Posts: 34
| |
Ari
Registered: 04/07/08
Posts: 49
|
|
|
Reply with quote | #6 |
It's so good! In my school, you're cool if you follow these three things
You have a myspace: ( which I don't have) You have a sidekick: ( I don't have) - You've read Stargirl: ( which I did.)
As you can probably tell, I'm not the coolest kid in school, but I have 1/3 I'd rather read Stargirl then be on myspace.
__________________
arianna |
| |
Chocorob
Registered: 04/10/08
Posts: 34
| |
FlutterByPurr
Registered: 05/23/08
Posts: 4
|
|
|
Reply with quote | #8 |
OMG I completely agree with Jerry on his answer to that person. I think Jason and Marceline in a PERFECTLY WELL WRITTEN story of two seperate youths that are getting to know the world around them and with that themselves and the actual spot they hold for each other in their hearts.
It's not the author's fault if your nine year old kid picks up a book from a library shelf. Honestly that's like blaming an artist for who buys their painting at an auction. It's COMPLETELY senseless.
Jason and Marceline is one of my favourite books. I believe that people should understand that all books EVER written weren't supposed to be meant for EVERY SINGLE PERSON! THAT is the reason WHY there are GENRES DUH!!!!!
Honest to God, please don't blame such a talented and gifted author who has written a fabulous story of love and relationships between youth so carefully. It's not their fault your daughter picked up that book instead of any other.
I mean I'm sure if she'd picked up 'Stargirl' (which, if I may say so should be read by ALL children) you'd probably never get tired of praising Jerry Spinelli for his FABULOUS writing style.
THATS ALL 
__________________
 |
| |
aj
Registered: 08/08/08
Posts: 325
|
|
|
Reply with quote | #9 |
I agree with FlutterByPurr and Jerry. Its a shame your Kids elementary Library even Has that In there, but You problem is with them, not Jerry. He dosen't personally say, give this copy to this library etc. Since your school bought the book, go shoot them. I have seen a Lot of books in the elementary secetion in my Public Library that either shouldn't ever of been written or are definite teen books.
__________________
My signature... |
| |
olive2u
Registered: 10/11/08
Posts: 23
| |
Pork
Registered: 08/22/08
Posts: 35
|
|
|
Reply with quote | #11 |
i loved the first book to this and i reallly want the second book!
__________________
mE!!! |
| |
katietheworldatlarge
Registered: 09/02/09
Posts: 3
|
|
|
Reply with quote | #12 |
coloradomom,
sorry to interfere with your conversation, but i suppose its your fault as much as mr. spinelli's. he didn't tell your daughter to go check out jason and marceline, did he?
just giving my point of view(x
|
| |
ilikeeggs1996
Registered: 01/13/09
Posts: 23
|
|
|
Reply with quote | #13 |
coloradomom-
i fully agree that Jason and Marceline is inappropriate reading material for a 4th grader. Yet, Spinelli writes for a large range of ages, which goes from 9 years old to ninth grade. Jason and Marceline is definitely for the older Spinelli fan. I would suggest books like Crash or any book from the School Daze series for a 4th grader. I applaud your concern as a mother, disapprove the mistake of the library or bookseller that made this terrible suggestion, and stash that book away for the independent reading project your kid may do in the future. It is not Jerry Spinelli's fault that he's successful enough to appeal to a large audience and he wants to keep it that way.
~MB~
PS- Always ask a person reccomending books about the content and if they have read it if the age range is not posted on the book (it's usually on the back)
__________________
YOU FAIL!!!
JK!
)) |
| |
