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Original poster

Is To Kill A Mockingbird okay to give to my ten year old?

79 replies

mynotsoperfectlife · 28/05/2017 22:06

He's an excellent reader and very bright. It's not a difficult book to read in my memory - any thoughts?

OP posts:
Original poster
mynotsoperfectlife · 28/05/2017 22:51

Yes, that's why I'm asking here, although there isn't actually a rape IIRC.

OP posts:
Whiskwarrior · 28/05/2017 22:48

Some of the themes in it are quite mature. It's GCSE level. Nothing to do with reading ability. More to do with emotional maturity and dealing with certain issues.

Rape. Racism. Domestic abuse. Tom Robinson is shot and killed.

Not for kids.

Mama1980 · 28/05/2017 22:46

My son is 9 and can read as well as I can but no way would I give him that to read I'm afraid. The rape and the racist themes are not something I'd want him reading, interesting as social commentary but not stuff I'd want him reading yet.
Plus a lot is quite nuanced I'm not sure he'd follow and pick up on everything anyway.

Roomba · 28/05/2017 22:36

I wouldn't give it to a ten year old to read! DS1 is a pretty advanced reader at 11, but a book about a rape trial, containing lots of racist epithets isn't what I'd want him reading. I think ten is far too young to understand most of the themes of the novel anyway.