Should middle schoolers read this?

[Kirsty]

I read it in year 8, I think it was ok to read then

[Alyssa]

Mare wrote: "What is this world where parents check up on and moderate or censor or OK what their kids read? If a kid finds a book and reads it, great. If the kid is reading and doesn't like or understand it ..."
You saved me the trouble of writing it all down! Let kids read what they want. In my opinion, books are one of the greatest places for children to learn on their own and within their own terms.

[OngoingRain]

Bettie wrote: "I think it can be read and understood from 15-16 years onwards. But, of course, I don't believe there is such thing as a "proper age" to read a book. :)"

I totally agree with you :D ( It was an amazing book and if someone is able to understand it, goahead, because it's totally worth it! But not for too young people , of course. They wouldn't understand everything that this book can give.)

[Cassandra]

I agree that it's completely up to maturity, not age. I know plenty of 13 year olds who could read this book and understand it, and some 17 year olds who'd be utterly confused.

I read it earlier this year, (I'm 14) and I understood everything. It's definitely worth the time, especially if you can relate with any or all of the characters in one way or another.

[Olivia]

I think that the only time you can assign a proper reading age to a book is when you do it in relation to the person who may read it, an individual. The book, in general I think, would be fine for high school and middle school students. There is no point in hiding the content because these things happen in real life; one way or the other that potential reader has to hear a real-life story and it likely won't be a censored utopia that is pictured in it. All the time you hear kids, especially middle school students, making jokes about things that they don't understand like homophobia and sexuality and drugs. If you're going to teach students something through a book, then it should be a book that displays what those students may have to face later on.

[Shannon]

No way middle schoolers should NOT read this book

[Shan x]

I believe this book can be read by anyone who has a mature mind and does not copy characters and idolize to be like them. This is a great book and shows many life problems that you don't read/hear in everyday stories. It is a great book and I love it.

[Grace]

Jammin with my Beets wrote: "Bettie wrote: "I think it can be read and understood from 15-16 years onwards. But, of course, I don't believe there is such thing as a "proper age" to read a book. :)"

Agree that there isn't real..."


Agree also with this. Not everyone of the same age has the same ability to comprehend, we all have different experiences and social conditioning which would enable some younger people to understand what some people even five or ten years older than them are yet to comprehend.

[Vivian]

I wish I could have read a book like this in middle school. I think kids are exposed to these kind of issues already so I don't think 7th or 8th graders would have a hard time grasping some of these topics. I think it would be especially helpful to expose some of these issues through a great story as this one, plus the movie is wonderful as well! Great discussion post!

[Donna]

Mare wrote: "What is this world where parents check up on and moderate or censor or OK what their kids read? If a kid finds a book and reads it, great. If the kid is reading and doesn't like or understand it ..." Right? Thank you! I too was wondering exactly what a "cut off" entailed. Both as a middle school teacher (retired) and as a parent, the notion of cutting off students from particular books sends a trickle of chill down my spine.

American librarians have been champs when it comes to not banning books from school libraries. I can tell you right now that were a middle school teacher to assign this particular book, there would be some push back, and rightly so. Some students that age aren't ready for it, and they know it. Some may never be.

Once I confess I tried to tell one of my own children that a particular book was off limits for now. The book was The Silence of the Lambs, and the child was twelve. I was concerned that it would really mess with her head, and I asked her to wait. I stashed my copy in an unfindable place. The answer? She had already walked to the public library, checked out the book, read it, and returned it! And she was fine.

In the end, I think once a student hits this age, the standard should be the same as what you are comfortable having in the house. I don't want porn in the house and neither does my spouse; therefore, our kids would not be welcome to bring it here. Literature? That's up to the reader.

[Bookaholic]

I read this book when I was 13. I didn't think it was that bad. I guess I have read worse. I'm 14 and my mom wants me to read the catcher in the rye now.

[Emily]

Maybe, but only is they're very mature and can handle reading about serious things like sex, abuse, and drugs in an appropriate way.