Inappropriate reading book (in my opinion)

theoretica

meritaten wrote: »

it wasn't something we wanted to have in the school 'syllabus' and to be 'Discussed' in class.

I think this is very true - I happily read all sorts of books I would not have wanted to read aloud or discuss.

Ames

I read this thread yesterday and since I've had the book on my kobo for ages I read it today.

I was really surprised that it had been given out to 11 year olds - there's so much going on it at so many levels that I wouldn't think many would be able to fully appreciate it.

As for the issues, it should be used on creative writing courses as an example of how to shoehorn as many as possible into one book! Most of them though are just mentioned in passing, and I wouldn't have thought someone too young to understand them would pick up on them at all.

I saw Judy Blume talk last year and she said that children have an amazing ability to protect themselves. Either by just not registering things they're reading, or by putting the book down. For instance, her daughter tried to read Philip Roth as a young teen. She and her husband let her, but she put it back on the shelf almost straight away saying it was 'boring'. I think that's what the OP's daughter is doing. Which is absolutely fine.

I do wonder though if it's the daughter who doesn't feel ready for it or if she's picking up on the OP's reaction? I can totally understand her not wanting to read the kissing scene - even as an adult I found watching sex scenes on tv with my parents in the room uncomfortable!

Reading the whole thing, with the 'problem' scenes in context, I don't think it's much 'worse' than things I read at that age. The Deptford Mice had rape and being skinned alive (but they were mice not people, which I suppose made a difference). Great Expectations has domestic violence, crime, mental illness. A Tale of Two Cities has execution and sex scandals (the latter I only picked up on when I re read it as an adult, it passed me by as a child). Children escaping fascist and communist camps (I can't remember the title of one, the other was I Am David). And as for the Lord of the Rings, when I saw the first film with my mum she said 'if I'd known what you were reading at 10 I'd have stopped you'.

For myself though I really enjoyed the book, so thanks for bringing it to my attention! I had to nip out to the shop and was looking around at black and white people and couldn't stop thinking of the points in the book. I'm going to have to buy the rest of the series now!

iammumtoone

Ames wrote: »

I saw Judy Blume talk last year and she said that children have an amazing ability to protect themselves.

That brings back memories, Judy Blume's Are you there god its me Margaret was the controversial book of my time (how things have changed). My friends and I read it but we can't have really been old enough as the only thing I remember it taking about was (shock horror) periods! thats the only part I remember discussing with my friends Which goes back to what I said about a child not mature enough for a book will remember it for all the wrong reasons/parts.

I read it early secondary school and whilst I admit I was one of the more immature children I wasn't that far behind everyone else, I doubt any of us would have been prepared for some of the content of naughts and crosses. I am 41, it just goes to show how much has changed in that time and how children are now far more advanced at that age, sometimes for the better and sometimes in my opinion not.

KxMx

iammumtoone wrote: »

That brings back memories, Judy Blume's Are you there god its me Margaret was the controversial book of my time (how things have changed). My friends and I read it but we can't have really been old enough as the only thing I remember it taking about was (shock horror) periods! thats the only part I remember discussing with my friends Which goes back to what I said about a child not mature enough for a book will remember it for all the wrong reasons/parts.

I read it early secondary school and whilst I admit I was one of the more immature children I wasn't that far behind everyone else, I doubt any of us would have been prepared for some of the content of naughts and crosses. I am 41, it just goes to show how much has changed in that time and how children are now far more advanced at that age, sometimes for the better and sometimes in my opinion not.

I'm 28 and remember that being the hot book when I was 8 or 9- at school in the USA at the time.

Most of the girls in class were talking about it in giggles/shocked whispers because it contained the word "period".

Me I didn't see what the fuss was all about :rotfl:

Enjoyed the book once I read it but i certainly didn't think it was taboo because it had the word "period" in.

Ames

It was 'Forever' when I was at school. Year 7 and we all read and re read p72 with the sex scene.

Are You There, God... confused me a bit - the descriptions of sanitary wear were well out of date by the time I read it (age about 13 and I'd had my period for three years then anyway) and it was years before I realised why the American girls made such a big deal out of 'menstrooooation'.

Judy Blume's books are regularly banned and censored. She said the one that got the worst reaction was the one about a girl discovering masturbation - which was done so eupemistically she got letters where readers thought that it really was a friend she'd discovered. Sadly, she also said that censorship is worse now than it was during the Reagan years.

geerex

barbarawright wrote: »

What a shame you won't let your daughter read it. It's a terrific book which has deserved all the awards and acclaim it has received which a fantastic message about racism and prejudice.

Sounds like yet another neo-liberal book where PC guff is forced down children's throats.

adea

Ames wrote: »

I read this thread yesterday and since I've had the book on my kobo for ages I read it today.

I was really surprised that it had been given out to 11 year olds - there's so much going on it at so many levels that I wouldn't think many would be able to fully appreciate it.

As for the issues, it should be used on creative writing courses as an example of how to shoehorn as many as possible into one book! Most of them though are just mentioned in passing, and I wouldn't have thought someone too young to understand them would pick up on them at all.

I saw Judy Blume talk last year and she said that children have an amazing ability to protect themselves. Either by just not registering things they're reading, or by putting the book down. For instance, her daughter tried to read Philip Roth as a young teen. She and her husband let her, but she put it back on the shelf almost straight away saying it was 'boring'. I think that's what the OP's daughter is doing. Which is absolutely fine.

I do wonder though if it's the daughter who doesn't feel ready for it or if she's picking up on the OP's reaction? I can totally understand her not wanting to read the kissing scene - even as an adult I found watching sex scenes on tv with my parents in the room uncomfortable!

Reading the whole thing, with the 'problem' scenes in context, I don't think it's much 'worse' than things I read at that age. The Deptford Mice had rape and being skinned alive (but they were mice not people, which I suppose made a difference). Great Expectations has domestic violence, crime, mental illness. A Tale of Two Cities has execution and sex scandals (the latter I only picked up on when I re read it as an adult, it passed me by as a child). Children escaping fascist and communist camps (I can't remember the title of one, the other was I Am David). And as for the Lord of the Rings, when I saw the first film with my mum she said 'if I'd known what you were reading at 10 I'd have stopped you'.

For myself though I really enjoyed the book, so thanks for bringing it to my attention! I had to nip out to the shop and was looking around at black and white people and couldn't stop thinking of the points in the book. I'm going to have to buy the rest of the series now!

Thanks for the reply.
My daughter is not a great one for reading at the best of times and she formed her own opinion of the book, it was only after she mentioned the "sex scene" that I delved further into the book. Friends and classmates of hers who have the same book, are also uncomfortable/embarrassed to read the book.
We shall be going to the school later to discuss with either the teacher or head about the book.

GwylimT

Its a fantastic book, my eldest studied it in year six. If the content is a problem then so are Coronation street, Eastenders, Hollyoaks, Emmerdale and most non factual television shows. So I assume those not wanting a child to reas about rape and sex also ensure they don't see things like soaps etc on tv.

adea

GwylimT wrote: »

Its a fantastic book, my eldest studied it in year six. If the content is a problem then so are Coronation street, Eastenders, Hollyoaks, Emmerdale and most non factual television shows. So I assume those not wanting a child to reas about rape and sex also ensure they don't see things like soaps etc on tv.

My daughter is one of those who doesn't watch programmes like
those, it's not because we shield her from the real world, we don't watch those types of programme.
I am not judging parents who do BTW, it's all personal preference.

Jagraf

adea wrote: »

My daughter is one of those who doesn't watch programmes like
those, it's not because we shield her from the real world, we don't watch those types of programme.
I am not judging parents who do BTW, it's all personal preference.

Give it a year or two and you won't have a clue what she's watching, or reading :eek: