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Bewilderment,
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Lisahermine
I have two 13 year olds and I would have said yes...until I reached the apocalyptic last section of the novel. That was very rough (emotionally) for me, but up until the end I had thought I'd might it with my twins, or at least my college students! So-a definite no, especially for a sensitive child!
Ruth
I think 13 year old me would have loved this book.
Jane
Tbh, I had a hard time with all of the scientific lingo. I don’t know how a 13 yr old could get through it. Plus I think it would be a hard for a child to see what Robin endures, much less worries for the future of their planet, particularly if you have an empathetic 13 yr old.
Carmen
I think a 13 year old would love it. It has a beautiful message.
Brian
Thirteen year olds *should* read this book! But if you're their parent, be prepared for an onslaught of really hard questions along the lines of "why did you break the world?" Which question, and ones like it, are ones we should be dwelling on constantly anyway.
Mommooshka
It is a book I thought was brilliant and want to widely recommend, but fear depressing people who like me lament the destruction of our planet and what we are leaving behind for our children and future generations. This impact would be even greater on a 13 year old. I'd suggest the youngest age to read it would be late teens, and even then not by sensitive readers or those already depressed about the future of life on our planet.
Jeff
I'm a third of the way through and I'd say yes. Absolutely. It's well written and filled with amazing ideas.
Tish Jennings
I think it depends. If your child is highly sensitive, I would advise against it. There are parts that are truly heartbreaking.
Nancy Hollmaier
Beautifully descriptive with topics many 13 find interesting without the gore and blood of many YA books.
CindySR
YES! Especially a science loving child.
Carol
I'm a senior citizen and I could barely read it. Too scientific and technical. Here's an example: We found a restaurant that served herbivores. Not sure if author means on a plate or at a table!
Patrick Hanlon
I'm nearly 40 pages in and I want to read it to my 9 year old. As for reading on their own without the available opportunity to digress after each discovery, I think it is worthwhile. I suspect you may be thinking of a strong reader and if I'm not off the mark, go for it.
Otto Swens
I just read it, I thought it was a wonderful book and for me typically a book that a teenager growing up now can read and really appreciate. The prose is straightforward, not too lush, the book is poignant and its full of heart. I just recommended it to my 14 year old daughter who loves reading. I will report back here when she has read it (cannot be too sure that she does, at 14, they decide for themselves what to read and not to read :)).
Estlin
Can and should. But I don't see any beautiful messages coming through from the book. It is a great distillation of what it feels like to be alive at the moment, i.e. not great, Bob.
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