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Original poster

Hunger Games for a 12 year old ?

29 replies

Shinyandnew2022 · 19/05/2023 22:06

DD has borrowed this from school library so I am possibly over thinking - but having done a bit of research it does seem quite divisive- has anyone read it or got DC who have ?
I am mindful that censorship or attempts to control might not be wise at all but mainly curious to know what anyone who has read it or has DC who have read it think of it .
DH asked is it like a modern Lord of the flies ?

OP posts:
Bobski2 · 19/05/2023 22:09

Great series of books, my DS read the whole series and loved them. I read just before to make sure they were suitable, he was about 10 when he read the first one.

Livingmagicallyagain · 19/05/2023 22:18

Amazing books, role models, themes and lessons. They're written for ages 11-13 according to the publisher. I was surprised but read them at the same time as 11 year old DD. Best books I have read in a long time and she loved them.

EconomyClassRockstar · 19/05/2023 22:22

12 is absolutely fine! You should get your own copy and read it at the same time as you'll have some amazing chats if you're lucky.

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12 year olds
Tygertiger · 19/05/2023 22:23

DS is 12 and has just read them and loved them. I’ve read them and they’re not as dark as LOTF in my view. There is death and violence but the cliff scene in LOTF with Piggy’s death is much worse.

Okunevo · 19/05/2023 22:24

DS read them at 9 or 10. Though he was very good at self censoring or skimming anything he was uncomfortable with. I'd say they are suitable for most children from age 11.

LittleBumblebee3 · 19/05/2023 22:24

12 is absolutely fine IMO 😊 also agree with @EconomyClassRockstar - you should read it too!

Acinonyx2 · 19/05/2023 22:27

I think dd was about 10 when I read them as a bed time books. I also enjoyed them - interesting themes - strong story lines. I also read Lord of the Flies at 12 as a bed time book at her request after an excerpt at school.

Cruisinforcroissant · 19/05/2023 22:27

Mine read the series in year 6 - there is a suggestion of kissing etc but they just hang out the night before a trial and literally sleep in the same room for company. Very well written series and highly recommend.

BernardsarenotalwaysSaints · 19/05/2023 22:27

12 is fine. Dc2 read them last summer when he was just 11 & really enjoyed them, dc1 (then 12.5) read them after him. I agree it's less dark than Flies (I've read them too), which they've both read & liked too.

Badbudgeter · 19/05/2023 22:29

It’s on the reading list in our secondary

Okunevo · 19/05/2023 22:31

Cruisinforcroissant · 19/05/2023 22:27

Mine read the series in year 6 - there is a suggestion of kissing etc but they just hang out the night before a trial and literally sleep in the same room for company. Very well written series and highly recommend.

It would be the violence, and on a lesser level, drinking, that would concern me for a younger child.

tourdefrance · 19/05/2023 22:31

Ds1 read the first one in year 8 as part of their topic on dystopian fiction (shortly before the dystopian reality of the pandemic). He asked for the others too as he enjoyed them so much. DS2 read them age 10 or so as they were on the bookshelf.
School has age restrictions on some books in its library so I'm sure if school are happy to lend it, it's fine.

DorritLittle · 19/05/2023 22:33

My 12 yo is reading them. I have started them too to see what the fuss is about.

Thelnebriati · 19/05/2023 22:33

Its not as dark as Lord Of The Flies imo. I also think there's enough of an intro to the darker stuff that if she doesn't enjoy it she can put it away until she's ready to try again.

Hobbes8 · 19/05/2023 22:34

My son is reading the first book at the moment and he’s 11 (nearly 12 - Y7). He’s not fazed at all by the violence and I’ll let him watch the film when he finished the book. He’s quite into marvel type films and anime.

yashayoo · 19/05/2023 22:35

I have to (gently) laugh when someone wonders whether a book series about teenagers literally murdering each other is suitable for their child and someone else assumes that the possible sex scenes would be the problem. I don't mean that in an unkind way I just think it's interesting that we tend to be much more ok with extreme violence than sexual content.

To the OP: 12 is fine and I would advise reading them too. Great books!

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 19/05/2023 22:37

We have no boundaries on books in our family. If you want to give it a read, go for it. We shouldn't try and curb young people's drive to read.

Lonecatwithkitten · 19/05/2023 22:56

The Hunger games is the same age group and Katniss shows great strength in maintaining her own moral code.
Dystopian themes are very common for age group as they have only a small amount of freedom in our lives so it is very difficult for them to have adventures in our world.
I read catcher in the Rye in English at school and Lord of the Flies. Anyone else remember riders very popular with 13 year olds in the 80s.

Daisypain · 19/05/2023 23:00

I once tried to watch the film and found the opening scene so disturbing I was totally on edge. The psychological tension then got to me and I had to turn it off. It worried me how normalised fear and violence is that it is actually both aimed at young people as viewers and involves kids in the story.

But I haven’t read the books which may be a totally different situation.

InTheFutilityRoomEatingBiscuits · 19/05/2023 23:04

My DC all read the books and watched the films between 10-13 As far as I can see they are still very popular and current and their friends are all still talking about them.

PeopleAreShit · 19/05/2023 23:08

My brain read your title as should you enter him into the hunger games 😂

Agree read the books at the same time as him so you can talk to him about them. Or there are the films if you’re really short on time

Cruisinforcroissant · 20/05/2023 07:37

I think violence in the book is much less than the film depicts // tension and betrayal is heightened due to the pace of reading. Bet the Video games they are playing are 10 times more violent!

hettiethehare · 20/05/2023 07:39

DD read them when she was 9 or 10 and loved them, but couldn’t watch the films at that age as they were too much.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 20/05/2023 07:52

Absolutely fine - they're aimed at 10-13 year olds.

Effieswig · 20/05/2023 07:54

My 12 year old ds is reading it in English. And in fact is watching Catching fire right now.

No issues with it at all.