KT answers “Is this a good book for 11 year old's?”

Katherine asked this question about The Hunchback of Notre-Dame:

Is this a good book for 11 year old's?

KT If your 11 or 12 year old really wants to read it, maybe consider Great Illustrated Classics or Classic Starts? These two versions take the book and c…moreIf your 11 or 12 year old really wants to read it, maybe consider Great Illustrated Classics or Classic Starts? These two versions take the book and condense it (a lot), give it a large font, and Great Illustrated Classics has pictures every other page. That makes it very readable for that age group. When I was about 11 I read a lot of classics in that format, including Hunchback. At the time I was mature enough to understand the sexual themes, but the abridged versions make it pretty subtle since they're for young readers. As far as the dark nature of the story, young readers will have to see at some point that good doesn't always triumph and innocent people suffer greatly because of the actions of bad people.
The Disney movie was one of my favorites as a young kid (5-7 years old) and to this day I still love that movie. I don't mind the fact that it had singing and dancing and comedic gargoyles and a happy ending because that's totally appropriate for its intended audience. But for a kid's movie it is still pretty dark. The sexual themes went way over my head until I was about 11, but there were some scenes I found really intense and scary. I think it's a great movie in its own right, but not necessarily a good "preview" into the original novel. (less)

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The Hunchback of Notre-Dame

by Victor Hugo

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