L answers “Are there a lot of swear words in this...”

Jess asked this question about James Herriot's Cat Stories:

Are there a lot of swear words in this book? Is it appropriate for a 10 year old?

L This is an old question, but it came up on my radar. Having seen the other responses, I thought I would add my two cents.

First, "appropriateness" of …moreThis is an old question, but it came up on my radar. Having seen the other responses, I thought I would add my two cents.

First, "appropriateness" of a book is up to the reader, and in the case of minors, up to the parents or guardians. I would recommend viewing books first-hand rather than trusting others' views which may or may not align with your own values. Having said that much, I would actually not recommend "Cat Stories" by James Herriot for an average 10-year old when Herriot wrote a number of these same cat stories in children's versions which I have also read and loved. I would recommend waiting perhaps until the child is at least 12, unless your 10-year old is more mature and already well-read.

James Herriot was well-loved and an incredible writer, but still human. Swear words are often defined by the current culture and time. I did not notice a lot of blatant swearing in "Cat Stories". However, I did notice a surprising few while reading. This is not an exhaustive list, but simply a quick scan through: "My G-d" (p. 24, 99, 130), "H-ly Moses! said Tristan. "What the h-ll was that?" (p. 58), "Missed the bl--dy thing!.. take that, you black d-v-l! D---n it! (p. 59), a few "g-sh" (p. 32, 68, and more), "What the d-v-l... ?" (p. 118), "where the d-v-l... (p. 32), and describing one cat, "eyes blazing with d-v-lment" (p.158). Again, this is not exhaustive. I was reading it for enjoyment as an adult, not through the eyes of a parent, assessing appropriateness for my child.

Additionally, the book was written for adults from the daily experiences of a veterinarian. So there are numerous examples of procedures which detail anatomy parts (vagina, cervix, p. 98, and more) which a parent may or may not want for their 10-year old to read. Additionally, some of the scenes are quite descriptive and might leave a child (or even an adult) a bit queasy and/or emotionally challenged which someone prone to depression might not want to read.

Then there is the case that prior to "modern medicine", people were using many remedies, some of which may or may not be appropriate for today's times and a child’s reading like "heroin" (p. 131). If you hand this to your 10-year old, be prepared for your child's line of questioning if they come to you regarding procedural experiences Herriot shared. None of the procedures themselves would keep me from giving it to a child as much as the child's emotional maturity in reading them. In fact, they might inspire some science-minded animal lovers to go into the profession!

I would recommend to be prepared to doing some explaining if you hand the book to a child to read. I myself would wait a few more years, or simply give them the children's version and put away all doubt.

"All Rights Reserved." Copyright 2024. My post is my original content and words. Please do not use any portion or the whole of it without expressly written consent by this author.(less)

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James Herriot's Cat Stories

by James Herriot

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