You are patronizing them. I was an 11-year-old not so long ago, and have several friends who are currently 11 years old. My nine-year-old friend could correct the Them's mistakes. Quite a few of my friends aged seven or eight years could tell you more about the things the Them discuss than the Them could. The average 11-year-old is smarter than that. Or perchance going to a private school has upped my standard for intelligence?

Though Adam does seem to mature some through the book. And in all fairness there a quality to Adam that makes sure things never change. That changes the world around him to be like he thinks it should be. To basically turn it into the wonderful world of Dick and Jane and suchlike.