Jez Keighley
asked:
Would you recommend this for a 10 year old ? He likes characters, action and humour ?
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A Wizard of Earthsea,
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Ami
It's a "can read", not a "must read" (my opinion). A 10 years old heavy reader should get to reading it. A one-book-a-year reader shouldn't. Anyway, It's not a lighthearted book.
Bodhi
I think it's a little bit advanced for most 10 y.o. kids. It's not always very fast-paced and it can be quite poetic at times. It's usually not light-hearted and humorous; it tends to be rather dark and introspective.
You should say whether it is being read to him or he has to read on his own.
You should say whether it is being read to him or he has to read on his own.
Pia
Well, I certainly enjoyed the series as a kid, but it was in a time before Cartoon Network and high paced Manga...
Amanda Sweden
I think for a beyond average intelligent ten year old this would be a great book. For a child that lacks a great love for books, it may be too dry/ boring and the vocabulary at times may be too much.
Mateusz hauer
also love this book, for me much better than Harry P. :)
Daniel Pschaida
This book does move from challenge to challenge of the protagonist in a steady way but it also has a ponderous feel to it, brought about by the author's great use of words to describe and to reflect about and "name" the reality of what was happening. It is also really a story about one young man's challenges in coming to terms with his own demons (pride, sense of superiority, mortality), and although friends and mentors come into play in important ways in journey, it really misses that dynamism of the friendship element to which so many nine to eleven year olds are drawn.
Heather S
yes. there are some dark supernatural themes, but not much gore, no sex, and a kind of morality tale about not showing off to prove yourself.
Alison Avery
It depends on what kind of reader they are. Even though A Wizard of Earthsea is a childrens book, there are some very heavy themes. Also, the language in the book can be very hard to understand, and there are some very challenging words. There is almost no humor in this book, though.
David
I agree with what most other contributors have said, but wanted to add that I am reading it to my eight year old, as it was one of my favourite books growing up - I read and re-read the series until my copies fell apart. She is a very keen reader. It is a bit dark in places, and a bit introspective, but I think that is good in a children's book sometimes. The book is also quite profound, and in a way that seems to make a deep impression on some readers. My 8 year old daughter is loving it, has printed out a map of Earthsea for her wall, and I've suggested reading something else when we finish but she won't hear of it and wants to read the other three books - even though the second book has a scary cover in my edition! I think these books certainly deserve a place alongside Alan Garner, TH White and the like, and I think the series is even comparable with Tolkein and Narnia. So in summary, I think there is a good chance that these books will strike a real chord with a thoughtful ten year old reader. Maybe not too - but worth the chance.
[For the record I enjoyed Harry Potter but do tend to agree with ULG's assessment - page turning but undemanding boarding school fiction mixed with somewhat derivative wizardy stuff. Earthsea features a school for wizards but is pretty different.]
[For the record I enjoyed Harry Potter but do tend to agree with ULG's assessment - page turning but undemanding boarding school fiction mixed with somewhat derivative wizardy stuff. Earthsea features a school for wizards but is pretty different.]
S. Dawn
I read it over and over again at that age, but I was pretty bookish (still am)... Not a lot of humor in this series, but it does have action...
Karen
There's very little humor. It's quite introspective and demands a lot of the reader. LeGuin doesn't spell out causes and their effects; the reader has to pay attention and think about what happened, and what's happening, and what the connection might be.
FWIW, "characters, action, and humor" make me think of the Gregor the Overlander books. I would recommend those for a 10-year-old who likes those things and can handle some danger/injury/death.
FWIW, "characters, action, and humor" make me think of the Gregor the Overlander books. I would recommend those for a 10-year-old who likes those things and can handle some danger/injury/death.
Oisin Grehan
I read this at 9 years old and really enjoyed it. That was over 30 years ago.
Amanda Winters
Depends on the kid. If he/she is a bit like me, a good reader, the maybe yes, but it can be boring for children these days.
Julie Stout
My friend actually did read it to his 10 y.o. daughter as a bedtime story. It was one of his favorites as a boy. It's adventure-y.
Hannah Bnana
No, it's more for teenagers, try "brotherband" or any of Emily Rodda's books instead.
Gav451
No, its quite a read. Have you looked at the Icemark Series. My son loved them, I have read 2 on his recommendation and I can see why.
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