For All Ages

Recently, I read Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane and Coraline. My preference was to the former, but that's not what I'm here to talk about. I want to talk about something that consistently knocks around in my mind: age genres.

At the beginning of The Ocean at the End of the Lane, there is the usual page of "also by this author," but this one is different. It's no secret that Gaiman has written everywhere from picture books to adult bestsellers (not to mention TV scripts, comic books, and other miscellany not included on the list), but the list is split into two sections only: "For Adults" and "For All Ages." For All Ages!!!

As someone whose own major work is very much on the borderline between children's/middle grade and young adult/teen, this lack of distinction is refreshing. Genre is often fluid, but it's hard to find marketing that realizes this.

After reading both books, it's very apparent that Coraline is written in a children's style while Ocean is more adult in prose, although not in content, and for the most part features a seven-year-old protagonist. Ocean is of course not on that list, and while I did find it shelved in the adult section (although there was an edition of The Graveyard Book on the same shelf), it truly defies age.

We need more of this. Stop worrying if you're too young or too old, or if your readers are too young to understand--just write and read.