Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Children's books

Join in for children's book recommendations.

Original poster

What age/ability to read Sherlock Holmes?

60 replies

FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 23/05/2009 20:29

I've not read it so no idea. It's for ds.

TIA.

OP posts:
YanknCock · 23/05/2009 21:04

Am doing a bit of a and at myself, but I'm sure it was around your son's age that I had a thing about Edgar Allen Poe! IIRC, he's a bit gruesome!

Original poster
FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 23/05/2009 21:03

He's done Inkhart, there's something about a dragon (elder????), not young bond though, I have not seen any of these. He could try Darren Shan. I didn't have access to books as a child so I don't know what to give to him.

OP posts:
janeite · 23/05/2009 21:00

Has he read the young Bond books? They are quite graphic. Darren Shan? The 39 Steps?

Some of King's short stories might be worth a try but I'd suggest that you read them yourself first.

Inkheart and its sequels?

Of Mice And Men or some of Steinbeck's short stories?

Original poster
FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 23/05/2009 20:57

Yes, he's done Hitchikers (four times IIRC), all Terry Pratchet and Philip Pullman, Black beauty, Alice in Wonderland, Wind in the willows, Horrible Histories,Book thief, the number devil (he said this was good), Anne Frank, Alex rider, Narnia, he's read so many I can't remember them all. I'm not sure what to give him next. We have books all over the house and he's read every single one of them. I'm stuck for ideas now. Maybe some classics?

OP posts:
YanknCock · 23/05/2009 20:56

DH and I are Sherlock Holmes fans and both recently re-read the complete collection (fighting each other for the books at night). DH reckons the later stories get a bit 'dark' while I sort of think it would all be okay for a child with the reading ability you describe. Mind you, I was reading Stephen King quite early, and Sherlock Holmes stories are nowhere near as graphic! I don't think they are particularly scary at all.

Hassled · 23/05/2009 20:49

Fluffy - I'm in the same boat with DS2 - bloody HP for the billionth time. He's a very competent reader but that doesn't mean he has the maturity to understand more adult stuff. So it's hard to know where to turn - has he tried the Hitchhiker's Guide books? They've gone down well.

Original poster
FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 23/05/2009 20:42

He's 10 but has a reading and comprehension age of 16+ so I don't think this will be a problem. I don't know about the content being too old for him though. I don't want to give him nightmares IYSWIM. God, I sound like I'm boasting now He's reading Harry Potter again at the moment so I need to get him reading something else. HP is fine but this will be the 30th time he's read them all.

OP posts:
janeite · 23/05/2009 20:36

They are probably a bit difficult and rambly at least at first. I use them with Yr 10 who are L4 plus but they need a lot of help with picking out the 'nitty gritties' from the stories.

Original poster
FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 23/05/2009 20:36

Ds has already read all these. He read them a few years ago, he's a good reader and has read alot of books. I'm not sure how scary/grusome Sherlock Holmes is. What about Agatha Christie? I need to read more don't I!

OP posts:
Hassled · 23/05/2009 20:31

Well I have a bookworm of a DS2 (nearly 11) who reads Terry Pratchett, Philip Pullman etc. And he was bored silly - didn't get on with the language at all. I was gutted.

So older than that...