To Kill a Mockingbird
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Is it appropriate to read for 6-7th graders
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Lee
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rated it 5 stars
Apr 19, 2013 10:33AM
One of the best books I've ever read, about 3-4 times. Whenever you are interested read it!
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It is more for grade 9 and up because it can go into topics some people are uncomfortable with. Also, it can be hard to understand and follow.
The mature could handle it. I read it in my tenth grade English class and we went so in depth with the book. I don't think I would have understood the depth in the novel when I was 11 like how I do now. Though I did read it when I was in 6th grade and I understood it the general plot.
I read this book twice, once at 15 and once at 18. I did not fully understand or appriciate it until I read it when I was 18. No matter how smart these 6th and 7th graders are, I would put it off until later.
Michelle wrote: "I read this book twice, once at 15 and once at 18. I did not fully understand or appriciate it until I read it when I was 18. No matter how smart these 6th and 7th graders are, I would put it off..."
Well I understood and appreciated it much earlier, so everyone is different.
I believe this book to be appropriate for 6th graders to read. Reading this books teaches young readers about racial relations during the 40's. This story is also a coming of age story for Jem (Jeremy) and Scout (Jean Louise).
Well,since kids that age today are all big on sex and crime I doubt this will be too extreme for them, But I don't know about the literature...that may be difficult.
I agree with so much that others have already stated. My feeling as a Literacy Specialist, is that this book would be a dynamic and appropriate choice for a single reader who is a skilled and mature reader, or a small group of such readers. If they are ready for the book and will be able to fully understand the powerful themes, I see no issue with 5th grade and up. However, personally, I would wait to read the book in a large group setting of ten or more until the students had developed a larger collection of life experiences. Mainly, because I really love the book and I want to be sure that students are able/ready to properly identify and consider the elements of this phenomenal novel. I'd hate to introduce it too early and have students turn away from it due to boredom or inability to relate.
(Though, with the right 6th or 7th grade class, it might be a perfect choice. Ultimately, I think it really depends on your students.)
I think maybe 9th grade at least and grades higher should be able to read this novel. There is also bad language. Although if you understand morals I wouldn't say it was a bad idea to read.
Yes, it is appropriate for any age, preferebly in middle school and if he/she is mature enough to actually indulge in this wonderful book. Every american boy or girl at a certain age should take some to enjoy this book!
Kids at that age become socially conscious - I think it's a great conversation piece. Not to mention a great book.
We read this book in 8th grade. At the time I didn't understand all of it..but than again perhaps I wasn't paying attention as it was a required reading. I absorbed more when we had to read again in 11th grade.
Yeah. I think that's a bit young. For a really, really sophisticated 6-7 grader, maybe, but I think it is more appropriate for 8-9-10 graders. That said, it is just a damn fine, fine book.
Sean wrote: "Yeah. I think that's a bit young. For a really, really sophisticated 6-7 grader, maybe, but I think it is more appropriate for 8-9-10 graders. That said, it is just a damn fine, fine book."I read it the first time in early elementary school. It is not that hard of a book.
I think it depends completely on the level of awareness and sophistication of the child. Very few 6th graders will be able to grasp the core themes of the novel, but for a particularly precocious kid or kids…why not. I think Heather’s advice is spot on—a group read with select kids could be transformative. I know my first read of Mockingbird was exactly that.
I'm thinking fifth grade is a tad young, and sixth would need some explaining. In my case, the Civil Rights struggle took place during my youth, even though the book is set during teh Depression, it was not too difficult for me to understand at twelve. A nice rule of thumb might be if you think the movie, which closely follows the book, is appropriate.
Christopher wrote: "I think it depends completely on the level of awareness and sophistication of the child. Very few 6th graders will be able to grasp the core themes of the novel, but for a particularly precocious ..."I disagree with this. I think MOST 6th graders can grasp the themes in this book very well. The grade equivalent for TKAM is 5.8.
Hmmm... there is some explicit language, but I really enjoyed the book. I think it depends.
Littleonionwrites wrote: "Hmmm... there is some explicit language, but I really enjoyed the book. I think it depends."By the 6th grade, most kids have heard every single explicit word there is. Reading an explicit word does not make most kids go out in the world to try those words out. Reading these words provides a great teachable moment to explain WHY we do not use certain words in polite company.
I just re-read this so my 10yr old can read. I read it in school in 7th grade but do not see any reason why it would be inappropriate for a 10yr old (or 5th grader) who has good reading habits. There is nothing in there that would warrant more than a short convo about maybe one thing depending on how sheltered the child is. I think it is an amazing book an frankly think that A few twain books are more rash than this so just stop fretting....
I read it summer before 7th grade. My mom assigned it as summer reading, so I really didn't like reading it that much. Normally, I love reading, but when you assign me a book to read, I will most likely take as long as possible to finish it.
Those who read this book earlier can only have benefits and time to read it again; more than those who missed the chance to read it when they were in their early grades.
This was one of the first 'grown up' books I read, I was a seven or eight, I think it's appropriate for more mature children, definitely.
This book teaches excellent lessons about racism. It's a perfect age to learn from this book. They are old enough to handle it. Teaching kindness is good for them. They see much worse on TV and video games and boy can this age group cuss!
Dina, to add to your comment. These days kids learn stranger danger when they are very young. By 6th-7th grade the are aware of what rape is. I think this is a very healthy book for kids to read.
I am amazed at how long this book had been on top of the charts. When I was in high school we read it in class and then my kids read it in their classes. They read some things in class that I found too rough and too depressing but "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a treasure.
I think it's wonderful book for a middle school student. I read it in the 5th grade and it encouraged me to read more and write.
To Kill a Mockingbird. Why should that even be a question? If they can read well enough to read it, by all means encourage them to read it.
Shannon wrote: "I just finished reading it with my sophomore students. They really enjoyed it, as a whole. I read it last year with my 8th grade students. I had to explain a lot more about the parts and pieces ..."As a teacher, what is your opinion about the end of this book?
Does "To Kill a Mockingbird" really just apply to abuse of black people or the justice system???? (I mean the cover-up and everything).
This book is definitely appropriate for middle schoolers. Also,I think it is important to read this novel since it encourages tolerance. Its a shame that so many people raise their children to hate, just based on appearances.
Just my 2 cents here. I used to teach high school and this book was slated for the 9th graders. They did very well with it. A lot of the nuances are lost on younger readers and some of it (like the alleged rape) is - to me - a little mature for younger readers. I also read it in high school and I think I got more out of it than if I'd read it as a younger teen or child.
Dellani wrote: "Just my 2 cents here. I used to teach high school and this book was slated for the 9th graders. They did very well with it. A lot of the nuances are lost on younger readers and some of it (like the..."There are children younger than 6th grade getting raped. Trying to shield our children from such evils many times does them a disservice as it gives them less tools and weapons to deal with their lives.
...Plus, she wasn't even raped.
I'm not sure if a sixth or seventh grader would be capable of appreciating "To Kill a Mockingbird"... and, being forced to read a book you're not fully able to appreciate is really quite cruel. Or, so I remember.
Jeweliej wrote: "...Plus, she wasn't even raped."No she wasn't, but it is really not that hard to explain rape in an age appropriate manner.
Jacob wrote: "I'm not sure if a sixth or seventh grader would be capable of appreciating "To Kill a Mockingbird"... and, being forced to read a book you're not fully able to appreciate is really quite cruel. Or,..."I was in 2nd or 3rd grade and was not scarred for life.
Mary wrote: "I was in 2nd or 3rd grade and was not scarred for life."I don't think I ever implied that in reading, a child would be "scarred for life." Being disinterested in a text and being emotionally disturbed by a text are two very different things.
Jacob wrote: "Mary wrote: "I was in 2nd or 3rd grade and was not scarred for life."I don't think I ever implied that in reading, a child would be "scarred for life." Being disinterested in a text and being emo..."
Fair enough. However if we continue to assign books to the entire class, then disinterest will always be a problem. I could be 90 and still not care about Holden Caufield's narcissistic problems.
I remember reading this in about the 6th grade. I pretty much read then, like I do now, all the time and someone had said it was a good book. Maybe it was a teacher as I did not have many friends who enjoyed reading as I did. Over the years I have read it again several times. I think that there is something new to be gathered each time. In the sixth grade I certainly did not understand all the messages. I remember being outraged about the racism.
I don't think that a young person is ever too young to read and understand that this was the reality of parts of our country then. And sadly it is still the reality in some places, although more in people's thoughts than what happened in this book.
Also to see what a true hero looks like. A man that would stand up in a community that he had lived in forever and when he knew the prevailing viewpoint, and fight against what he knew to be wrong. Takes a very special kind of person to do that.
To Kill a Mocking Bird....From the time I learned to read, I read everything I could get my hands on. Dad and Mom read to us as well. So I read for the joy of reading. Sure, by middle school, I wasn't picking up all the little nuances and if I was confused about rape I would have asked my parents. I read then and throughout the rest of my schooling, for the same reason. I loved a good story and characters The point was I read for the joy of reading and still do That was 70 yrs ago. Now I'm a reading addict and am far more discriminating in my choices. What I do remember is loving the father, who didn't think the children were too young, Scout, racial content and Boo. Such a good story! Simply written.From a teacher's standpoint, I suppose, it become more complicated.
This is a good book for 6th and 7th graders. My son read it in 5th grade and enjoyed it. The language can be a little harsh, but by that point kids have usually been exposed to that kind of language by their peer group.
Although a younger reader may not be 'fully' prepared to understand all the layers in the book, there is nothing wrong with reading it. The first time I read To Kill a Mockingbird, it was instantly my favorite book, merely because of the characters. I was a Tomboy and completely related to Scout. Sure there was a lot of meaning I missed at the time, but I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Now that I reread it almost every year to prepare lessons for my students, I see more and more of its depth and loved it even more. I think nothing is lost by reading it early, and then coming back and rereading it later as well.
I don't think it's inappropriate in a graphic sense, but some of the themes might be lost on younger readers. That said, if the kid is bright, they wouldn't have trouble with it :)
Bart wrote: "I don't think it's inappropriate in a graphic sense, but some of the themes might be lost on younger readers. That said, if the kid is bright, they wouldn't have trouble with it :)"And that is fine. I have read TKAM and seen different things in it each time I read it. The same with LOTRs, the Hobbit, Pride and Prejudice and a number of other classics. Our impressions of books change as we grow older and have more world experience. If we waited to read any book until we could absorb all of the themes in one reading, then we might never read them at all.
Plus, that is the sign of a good book. Having layers and being able to get a little more out of it each time. There is a reason some of these are classics.
Lara wrote: "Although a younger reader may not be 'fully' prepared to understand all the layers in the book, there is nothing wrong with reading it. The first time I read To Kill a Mockingbird, it was instantl..."Totally agree. I have a friend who also reads it every year. I pick it up and re-read it, but not every year. What I hope is that for generations and generations it will be something that readers enjoy and can appreciate. Not sure that will happen, but we can hope for the best.
The book was one of the first adult books I read at age 12 I also read it every year (and I am now 63) and find it great each time I have also taught it to young teenagers
So is it appropriate for a 13 year old?
Roseanimator wrote: "So is it appropriate for a 13 year old?"Yes.
Annmarie wrote: "Jenna wrote: "I read this book the summer of my 5th grade year, and i think it was appropriate for me even then. It really just depends on your maturity level, and i personally think the book isn't..."Somehow, I did not read as a youngster. When one of our daughters said it was her FAV book, I had to read it. I've read twice and it is one of my FAVS, definitely!!
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