▁he ▁sees ▁His ▁Dark ▁Material s ▁as ▁" st ark ▁real ism ", ▁not ▁fant asy . ▁ ▁Public ▁campaign s ▁P ull man ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁vocal ▁campaign er ▁on ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁book - related ▁and ▁political ▁issues . ▁ ▁Age ▁and ▁gender ▁lab elling ▁of ▁books ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁P ull man ▁led ▁a ▁campaign ▁against ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁age ▁bands ▁on ▁the ▁covers ▁of ▁children ' s ▁books , ▁saying : ▁" It ' s ▁based ▁on ▁a ▁one - dimensional ▁view ▁of ▁growth , ▁which ▁regards ▁growing ▁older ▁as ▁moving ▁along ▁a ▁line ▁like ▁a ▁mon key ▁clim bing ▁a ▁stick : ▁now ▁you ' re ▁seven , ▁so ▁you ▁read ▁these ▁books ; ▁and ▁now ▁you ' re ▁nine ▁so ▁you ▁read ▁these ." ▁More ▁than ▁ 1 , 2 0 0 ▁authors , ▁books ellers , ▁ill ust rat ors , ▁li br ari ans ▁and ▁teachers ▁joined ▁the ▁campaign ; ▁P ull man ' s ▁own ▁publish er , ▁Sch ol astic , ▁agreed ▁to ▁his ▁request ▁not ▁to ▁put ▁the ▁age ▁bands ▁on ▁his ▁book ▁covers . ▁Jo el ▁Rick ett , ▁deput y ▁editor ▁of ▁The ▁Books eller , ▁said : ▁" The ▁steps ▁taken ▁by ▁Mr ▁P ull man ▁and ▁other ▁authors ▁have ▁taken ▁the ▁industry ▁by ▁surprise ▁and ▁I ▁think ▁these ▁propos als ▁are ▁now ▁in ▁the ▁balance ." ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁P ull man ▁supported ▁the ▁Let ▁Books ▁Be ▁Books ▁campaign