Grasshopper Jungle Classification

Let’s talk about classification. I always have a hard time in classifying my work.

Published books are classified according to the anticipated audience of that book which may or may not be the audience that the writer had in mind when he/she wrote the book.

Reading level is a factor in classification but not a determinant.

If it were, most books would be classified in the Young Adult category because the average American reads at the seventh grade level.

By the seventh grade, reading is no longer taught..it is only tested.

All of this leads me to the novel Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith.

Grasshopper Jungle is an apocalyptic dystopia featuring graphic sex, drug use and ultra violence.

I borrowed it from the local library.

I enjoyed reading it.

I’m an adult at least when it comes to reading.

Grasshopper Jungle is classified at the library as a Young Adult novel. It has the giant YA on the spine.

Since books are classified by anticipated audience, the implication is that apocalypticism, dystopia, ultra violence, drug usage and graphic sex are themes that will appeal to Young Adults.

This implication is probably true and perhaps may be truer today than in generations past.

The thought crossed my mind that perhaps this book despite its appeal might not be appropriate for distribution to “young adults” at a public library.

So when I returned the book I took what some might consider an “old fart” action.

I took the book to the librarian and questioned the classification.

I asked her if she had read the book.

She admitted that she hadn’t.

She seemed like a nice, intelligent, adult woman so after starting in standard English, I slipped into purposeful vernacular.

“Well there are a lot of giant praying mantises in the novel who once were people but now have only two desires (if you’ll excuse me) ‘fucking and eating’.

I described, in vernacular (if you’ll excuse me) a couple of the interpersonal relationships that were going on in the novel.

I indicated that just because the protagonists in the book are seventh graders does not mean the book is appropriate for seventh graders to read.

The librarian was an adult.

She got my drift.

She understood my concern. She assured me that she would read the book and evaluate the classification.

I felt I had done my duty.

I don’t know the correct classification or if we should have classifications at all.

What does young adult mean…is it simplistic adult fiction? I don’t think so.

Grasshopper Jungle is very Vonneguttian, which I would not classify as simplistic.

Are kids reading today?

What effect is all the texting being done by modern “young adults” having on their ability to read and write?

As I stated at the beginning, You are MY audience.

I imagine you as beyond the seventh grade reading level. 

If you’ve read this far, I KNOW your past the seventh grade reading level.

Somewhere along the line, somebody taught you how to read.

Try reading Grasshopper Jungle.

It might be appropriate.