As in everything

For all those fearing that the end is near, I wish to put forth that once upon a time, a child raised on Archie comics, YM and The Baby-Sitters Club actually grew up to me. Which might be dispiriting, but not, at least, for the future of literacy. Though my mother would take care now to remind me that my literary diet was also certainly well stocked with all the childhood classics, that I was well supplied with fine contemporary novels too. But the fact is, I would have tossed them all out of bed in order to to curl up with the latest from the Animal Inn series, or Sleepover Friends. So atrocious literary taste doesn't necessary lead to the same. I also think that the 11-14 year age-range is tough going all around, when you're too old for most things, not old enough for others, and no one is experiencing any of it at quite the same rate. In books, as in everything, it eventually gets better.

INCIDENTAL UPDATE: And thanks to my friend Jennie for sending on the news that in their latest editions, the Sweet Valley Twins have been shrunk from their identical perfect size six figures down to size fours.