Inappropriate reading book (in my opinion)

KxMx

Totally understand some parents can have reservations about this book.

I read it early in my teens if not sooner (I was always advanced reading wise), and years later the book remains in my opinion one of the most powerful books not just judging by genre or target audience but of all time. And prolific reading doesn't cover how many books I've read since then!

Years later I haven't remembered any of the scenes described, it's left merely a powerful, long lasting impression overall at the wider themes it covers and how well it covers them.

If any parent out there has a child who has given up on it, or been unhappy at the stage they are reading it, do offer it again as an option in a few years.

It's brilliant.

Oh and just a shout out for Jackie Collins here, no not most highbrow novels :rotfl: but her writing structure is really unique. The repeated use of italics and single sentences really stands out amongst the standard formatting.

Homeownertobe

adea wrote: »

Thank you to all who have replied.
I have read the synopsis of the book and flicked through it.
It is a book that I would like to read and I agree that it sounds based on apartheid and would have no problems with my daughter learning about that but it's the sex scene, underage drinking and pregnancy that I have the problem with and the domestic abuse.
Some of the children in the literacy group are still 10, which I think is too young to read about things like those.
My daughter was extremely uncomfortable when she got to the first kiss part and refused to read it aloud.
I have spoken with another parent whose daughter is 11 and is in the same group and she also feels some of the content inappropriate.

So you've not actually bothered to read the book and understand the context?

Why not just burn it now?

Hopefully the head will be more interested in allowing your daughter to actually learn things.

Homeownertobe

bigmomma051204 wrote: »

I would hope that NO children this age would be "ready" for the topics I listed in my previous post! I am no prude but I simply cannot comprehend why a parent or teacher would think the subject matter important for a young child to read when there are so many alternatives :cool: Plenty of time to read challenging and thought provoking books when they are teens.... must we use literature as another tool to force our children to grow up and leave naivety and childhood behind as soon as possible? :cool:

You do understand that childhood is a modern concept and only 'preparation for adulthood' and not something to keep them wrapped up in cotton wool, oblivious to reality, yes?

iammumtoone

Homeownertobe wrote: »

So you've not actually bothered to read the book and understand the context?

But that's the whole point some maybe most (not all) 10/11 year olds will not be able to understand the context of the book so they will take all the more controversial passages out of context and focus just on them. Is a shame as it could possibility ruin the book for them in future when they are at a stage to fully understand it.

iammumtoone

bigmomma051204 wrote: »

I would hope that NO children this age would be "ready" for the topics I listed in my previous post! I am no prude but I simply cannot comprehend why a parent or teacher would think the subject matter important for a young child to read when there are so many alternatives :cool: Plenty of time to read challenging and thought provoking books when they are teens.... must we use literature as another tool to force our children to grow up and leave naivety and childhood behind as soon as possible? :cool:

Totally agree, yes children do have to learn these things, yes unfortunately they are a part of life. But I do think kids should be allowed to be kids at least until they have left primary school.

Nicki

iammumtoone wrote: »

But that's the whole point some maybe most (not all) 10/11 year olds will not be able to understand the context of the book so they will take all the more controversial passages out of context and focus just on them. Is a shame as it could possibility ruin the book for them in future when they are at a stage to fully understand it.

I strongly suspect you haven't read the book, based on this post

The whole of the book is about the effects of apartheid and there are lots of examples of what this is like. The "controversial passages" aren't particularly explicit nor are they particularly prominent. The chances of the book being selected for kids who aren't able to follow a dominant story line (these at the higher ability group remember), and those kids focusing on such glancing references are pretty small IMO

iammumtoone

Nicki wrote: »

I strongly suspect you haven't read the book, based on this post

The whole of the book is about the effects of apartheid and there are lots of examples of what this is like. The "controversial passages" aren't particularly explicit nor are they particularly prominent. The chances of the book being selected for kids who aren't able to follow a dominant story line (these at the higher ability group remember), and those kids focusing on such glancing references are pretty small IMO

No I did admit earlier I haven't read it, but am seriously thinking of popping over to amazon to get it!

In the OPs case the WHOLE class have been given it to read, I suspect some of them will be at a lower learning stage than others, it is probable that they will just focus on the controversial parts.

Nicki

iammumtoone wrote: »

No I did admit earlier I haven't read it, but am seriously thinking of popping over to amazon to get it!

In the OPs case the WHOLE class have been given it to read, I suspect some of them will be at a lower learning stage than others, it is probable that they will just focus on the controversial parts.

The OP has said in several posts that it is only her child's literacy group who were given the book and not the whole class.

iammumtoone

adea wrote: »

My daughter said it's all the children in her literacy class, about 30 children. .

Nicki wrote: »

The OP has said in several posts that it is only her child's literacy group who were given the book and not the whole class.

30 children that is the whole class. Its only a primary school I would be interested to hear how many classes per year they have. My sons school have 2 (60 children) so that would be half the children in the year, his is a large school for this area most of then only have 1 class (30 children per year) meaning the whole class would be reading it!

Of course if the school has 4 or 5 classes per year meaning only 20/25% of the children have been given it this would be different. I don't know of any primary schools this big but am happy to be corrected.

I have just read some of the reviews on amazon

wrote:

Imagine a world in which black people get all the good jobs, and white ones are the underclass - persecuted, despised as "Noughts", and unable even to buy a sticking plaster that isn't dark brown.

what a great and thought provoking point, however I stand by view point that most 10 years olds would be like "so - can I play on the xbox now"

Jagraf

iammumtoone wrote: »

what a great and thought provoking point, however I stand by view point that most 10 years olds would be like "so - can I play on the xbox now"

I'm not sure the book is as bad as Xbox :rotfl:

Maybe that's the point, to draw them away from things they perhaps do too much of.