Recommend a book for a 15yo please

pigpen

VestanPance wrote: »

I can see some folk thinking some of the content is mature, but I know a few friends who's kids (12 & 15) love them. I would say most high school kids could read them and enjoy them for the medieval type fantasy story they are.

There is something very very wrong about a 12 y/o reading them!! I would absolutely not allow my 12 y/o near them, I don't want her reading such graphic stuff.. how awful!! She has no idea that stuff like incest and rape exist and tbh I wish she never had to. I don't want mine reading about brothels and babies having their throats cut and gang rapes and incest.

Sadly some parents allow their children to watch and read and play age inappropriate stuff which some of us feel very strongly against. I know children who watched 15+ films from being very tiny and played computer games of about the same rating from too young as well.. I do wonder if any of these parents actually look at what they are exposing their children to.

My 8 year old COULD read them but that doesn't mean they SHOULD and it certainly doesn't make them appropriate. I tend to read most things before my children get to read them purely to ensure they are suitable.

The tv series are certificated age 18.. not suitable at all for a 14 y/o. While these are images not text there is a lot more story and detail and background in the book than what is in the series.

gregg1

What about The Life of Pi.

VestanPance

Pigpen - I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on that one. You obviously agree strongly with content control based on age, while I'd base it on the child's maturity not their age.

pigpen

VestanPance wrote: »

Pigpen - I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on that one. You obviously agree strongly with content control based on age, while I'd base it on the child's maturity not their age.

I think it is wrong to recommend something for someone elses child which is not recommended for that age.. social maturity is also completely different to emotional maturity and physical maturity.

z.n

My 14yo DS and 12y0DD both loved Philip Reeve Mortal Engines series. The first is more aimed at younger children and the later ones are for teens (didn't stop DD reading them three times.) Also look at Jasper FForde for something a bit quirky-there are three or four series to choose from and DS has read them all with enthusiasm. These are all well written, gramatically correct etc.

I would second the Charlie Higson books, Hobbit/LOTR and Douglas Adams. For a girl also look at Sherri Tepper- some of them are very good indeed.

Haven't read Game of Thrones but seen the tv adaptation-adult fare only. Not sure about the Twilight books either having seen part of one film-looked like utter tosh. Much enjoyed the Anne Rice series as a young adult although they are very gothic.

Try Ursuala Le Guin's Wizard of Earthsea series (old but still very good.) I also loved the Enders Game series but can't persuade my kids to try. I also liked Stephen Donaldson Lord Foul's Bane at age 17 or so but it is very much a marmite series. I remember Flowers in the Attic around that time as well but I am not sure I would recommend it to kids now.

sweetcheekz

Some great books already suggested, but I would also like to reccommend some of the "classics"

Pride and prejudice- Jane austen
To Kill a Mockingbird- Harper Lee
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings- Maya Angelou
Sherlock Holmes- A. Conan Doyle
Little Women- Louisa May Alcot
Lord of the Flies- William Golding

they are classics for a reason

Spendless

This thread reminds me that I bought my 12yo ds a boxed set of The Hunger Games. Xmas shopping with my sis-in-law we walked into The Works and she pointed and said 'oh look, there's that triology' and I said 'yes, I said, I bought it DS' What?:eek: said sis in law 'You've bought him 50 shades of grey???' :rotfl:

Aged 15, I had mixed tastes in books liking the school set ones such as Brave New World and one by keith Waterstone, I forget the name of, along with still reading school stories set in boarding schools, Jilly Cooper and pinching my Dad's Stephen Kings.

What sort of books does she like?

lostinrates

pigpen wrote: »

There is something very very wrong about a 12 y/o reading them!! I would absolutely not allow my 12 y/o near them, I don't want her reading such graphic stuff.. how awful!! She has no idea that stuff like incest and rape exist and tbh I wish she never had to. I don't want mine reading about brothels and babies having their throats cut and gang rapes and incest.

Sadly some parents allow their children to watch and read and play age inappropriate stuff which some of us feel very strongly against. I know children who watched 15+ films from being very tiny and played computer games of about the same rating from too young as well.. I do wonder if any of these parents actually look at what they are exposing their children to.

My 8 year old COULD read them but that doesn't mean they SHOULD and it certainly doesn't make them appropriate. I tend to read most things before my children get to read them purely to ensure they are suitable.

The tv series are certificated age 18.. not suitable at all for a 14 y/o. While these are images not text there is a lot more story and detail and background in the book than what is in the series.

I do not know the gme of thrones at all...book or tv but....chances are many kids will be coming across more adult themes in literature. Incest was not a new concept to most of my class mates when we studied hamlet at school. Age of concent wa also discussed in approach to undestanding Romeo and Juliet....Juliet is just thirteen.

I think it's fair enough to deem a book unsuitable ( there are many) but the themes at all via literature? Not so sure. I would tentatively suggest that via appropriate sources these are tools to help us understand when we are young....in sensitive ways, supported with context and understanding, these are perhaps the least traumatic ways to lean about such atrocities.

VestanPance

And if you are concerned with adult content best not let your children near the bible. The old testament is littered with horrific tales. Like good old fashioned Christian values of rape marriage, stoning children and rules on how far you can go with beating your slaves!

Goldiegirl

Spendless wrote: »

and one by keith Waterstone,

I think you might be thinking of Billy Liar by Keith Waterhouse?

That was another favourite of mine as a young teen.

With regard to mature themes and young readers.

Depending on the young person, I think many teens are ready for more adult books by the time they hit their teens.

I remember when I was about twelve, The Exorcist was big in the cinemas at the time. I would never have got in to a cinema to see that film, so i went out and got the book to read intstead. I also remember reading 'Death Wish' when I was about 14. I've grown up to be a responsible, law abiding, undisturbed citizen, so it didn't do me any harm!

My parents knew what I was reading, so either a) they thought I was mature enough to read the books, or b) they didn't fully realise the content of the books !

Anyway, I'd rather any teen of mine was reading Game of Thrones, than pap like the Twilight series. I've read the first books in both these series - Twilight was exactly like 'fan fic' on a teenage fan site.