about swear words in my son's reading book?

[MM74]

My son is 7. His reading book from school contains the word 'bastard'. Am I being uptight, PFB and unreasonable if I complain?

I've read this book. I loved it and I cried buckets at the end. I wouldn't give it to a child of that age though. I let some friends have it for their 11 year old, but told them to read it first and make their own judgement on whether it was suitable for him, given the subject material.

DS (6) has been exposed to swear words and so we explain them to him in an age appropriate way and he knows not to use them. He knows all about the word bastard, and it's old original meaning as well as it being used as a general cuss. I wouldn't deliberately expose him to bad language, but he's inquisitve about language generally and so if he hears something when we're out and about he asks!

I would send it back to school saying that I don't consider the book age appropriate.
My dd is a very good reader for her age and last year, in year 3, she brought home a book about teenage romance in a high school. All about girls fancying certain boys and talking about wanting to be kissed .
I sent it back to school with a note in the reading book asking the teacher to take a look at the book as I didn't think it at all appropriate for a 7 year old. The teacher agreed.
I think that, sometimes in schools, a more able reader is allowed to choose a book so I don't think that the teachers necessarily know what's taken home. Still, I would like to think that there was some control as to what was available to 7 year olds.

One of the fairly early on Biff and Chip books had a horse getting drunk on fermented apples . Think the book has subsequently been quietly withdrawn.

Both DS's read Private Peaceful in year 6.
It was a great talking point and we discussed it for weeks.

I cried my heart out.

DS2 is more thoughtful and 'deep' than DS1 and it got him asking a lot of questions.

I don't have an issue with the word but I would have an issue with your DS reading that book at his age.

the word is in the dictionary.... so what is the problem?
surely it is important for kids to know the meaning of swear words so they are less likely to use them.
you could use it to open up discussion about the context of the word use and why it is wrong to use swear words to display aggression

MM74 as others have already siad, that book is not suitable for a 7 year old. I wouldn't want my 9 year old reading it, it would cause him too much emotional turmoil.

I know how hard it is when you have children with reading ages above their age. My DS is like that and I have to be careful what he reads, but there are plenty of books out there that are suitable for younger children with high reading ages with harmless content.

From what I've gathered of the book, he hasn't got to the harrowing bits yet. (The boys have just decided to join up). I'm hoping that my note in his book back will get it swapped out, but if not, I'll take a firmer approach and request that it is changed for something more age-appropriate before he gets deeper in.

Would you say that the Morpugo books in general are suitable for this age range? (They seem to be doing them to death at his school at the the moment!)

I think 7 is probably a bit young for MM, simply because of the subject matter.

Oh and a word of warning, I would also steer clear of Dr Who books. My son is also an 'advanced' reader and DH made the mistake of getting him some Dr Who books when he was younger. To look at the print size, you'd have said they were below his reading ability and DH got them so that he'd have something 'fun' and a bit easier to read.

Although, when I flicked through it was all blouses stretched across heaving busoms and perky nipples and the like . Clearly Dr Who books aren't written for 7 year old boys (as one might expect) and are instead written for semi-literate sexually inadequate 40 somethings.

It's hard because there's a lot of reading material around for girls and so much of the stuff aimed at boys assumes boys don't like reading and so have to be puerile. It's tricky finding stuff that matches both their reading ability and their maturity.

I think my DS read His Dark Materials when he was that age.

He also started to like Darren Shan books when he was 7/8 too. Not entirely sure how 'suitable' they were, lots of killing demons and the like, but he certainly enjoyed them!

And Skullduggery Pleasant.

Thanks FolkGirl.

I think you've hit the nail on the head. Boys are deemed to be reluctant readers. My boy loves reading, and I'd love to find something for him to read that challenges him, without overstretching him in terms of maturity. He is currently reading Harry Potter for about the sixth time, he literally gets to the end of book 7 and starts again at the beginning. Loves Beast Quest and other fantasy-type stuff but it's a bit easy for him ...

Any other magical / fantasy stuff around there for an avid seven year-old reader?

Think you answered my question there before I asked it, thanks FG! They look good!

Have just looked up private peaceful and it does seem a bit inappropriate for a seven year olds school book. That's not to say its inappropriate for all seven year olds but it would be the sort of thing I would say parents should choose and even preread so as to be able to discuss it with their child and allay fears. The teacher hasn't time to properly do that. I am constantly surprised how little some primary teachers know about children's literature (I am a primary teacher btw). It is worth pointing it out. The problem with reading above or below expectations for age is that the reading level doesn't always match the emotional maturity level. Dd can read all sorts of things that I'd rather she didn't.

I think the Alex Rider books (by Anthony Horowitz) are suitable for ages 8-13 so he's not far off that now. Plus the Flat Stanley series or anything by Roald Dahl if he gets a bit more into humour?

No lots of Michael Morpurgo are brilliant for this age, A Series of Unfortunate Events are good. I would save His Dark Materials for later. Vampirates are good. Mr Gum books are really funny. Cressida Cowell is fab.

I think its an unsuitable book for his ages because he can't possibly understand the themes and events. It's a book for KS3 11 upwards. there are plenty of Michael Morpurgo books for younger readers.

Thanks all, shall go and investigate on Amazon!

Maybe check the books he's reading is age appropriate rather than getting upset about a word?

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Amazon.co.uk Review
Longer novels from Children's Laureate Michael Morpurgo are always a particular treat, and Private Peaceful is no exception. Tragic, surprising and engaging in equal measures, Morpurgo's novel charts both the childhood of young Thomas Peaceful in the early years of the 20th century, and his eventual underage enlistment in the British army to help fight the First World War.
It is, above all, a poignant story of war and about all of its many life-changing effects on those involvedalso the brutality of the commanding regimes and the relentless squalor of trench warfare. It's not for the squeamishMorpurgo tells it like it was and his honest insight is on every page for all to appreciate.

"Tommo" Peaceful is recalling his childhood from those terrible battlefields. He remembers his big brother Charlie taking him to his first day of school, the death of his father, his mum working hard to keep a roof over their heads and food on their table. He remembers his brother Joe, who some called simple, but who to Tommo was very special. He also recalls the only girl in his life, Molly, and how Charlie somehow took her away from him. But as the World turned to War, he had to grow up fast. Together Charlie and Tommo enlist and are sent to France, almost immediately, to what could only be described as pure hell on Earth. Bullets, bombs, death. Shells, noise, dirt. Disease, rats, stench. Charlie and Tommo fight for their lives and to stay together--facing certain death in the face every time they try to advance the British lines.

Morpurgo rattles through his narrative at some speed, gracefully capturing both the horror of war and the ecstasy of life. The ending is shocking and memorable. This is difficult, emotionally draining but highly recommended reading. (Recommended for ages 10 and over)

"an unflinching examination of the horrors of war and the injustice surrounding the execution of soldiers by firing squad"

'Barstard' would be the least of my worries for a 7 yr old reading this. I think I would be questioning why he was allowed to read a book like that at seven.

I had precocious readers and spent a lot of time and effort finding reading material that they would enjoy that was age appropriate, especially my first.

However, I let the side down when I realised my (then) 9 yr old had found his teen brother's copy of Black Hawk Down and read it. Sigh.

Like others have said the story of private peaceful would concern me more than the word, it's not appropriate for a 7 year old.

Ds1 read it at 9 and wouldn't talk about it at all. I then read it and we had a discussion about it. Very tough story for young children.

I'm hoping I've nabbed it early enough to have nipped it in the bud. Reading the reviews and the blurb suggest the second half is the more descriptive of the war.

He's due home any minute. Will be interesting to see if the teacher or TA have commented or if the book has been changed.

Blimey! He must be a good reader if he's tackling that at 7!

My dd read Private Peaceful in year 4. It is still her favourite book and she has since re-read it several times. I would be cautious about your 7 year old reading it but would encourage him to do so in a few years time as it is a fantastic book. Lots of other Michael Morpurgo books are great for good readers at this age.

A primary school should not be setting books with swearing in. That should be a decision parent's make at home for their own kids.

Aimed more at secondary school pupils than KS2 tbh. Possibly as a class text in y6 if being read in sections and discussed, along side class work and a WW history topic.

Not appropriate for a 7 year old's normal reading book though.