Stupid school rule?

[upsideup]

DC's school recently introuduced an hour of silent reading per week, dd absolutely loved this (DS doesn't but it has encouraged him to read more). Untill now they have been taking in a book from home, DD10 who spends hours reading for pleasure anyway takes in the book shes reading at home. I dont choose her books and I am also not strict about what she reads, was already aware that some of the books she enjoys were targeted at an age range slightly above hers.
We have had a letter home saying that dd's book this week was rated as 14+ so is not suitable to be read at school and I should send her in with a book suitable for her age so under 10's as teachers are not going to be closely monitoring what books the children are reading. That is ridiculous right?
She had not told us this all week as shes worried shes in trouble with the teacher but her book was taken off her and she was given a random book from the libary by the teacher which is not the sort of thing she likes and was too 'babyish' for her so she spent the whole lesson doing nothing.
To be clear the books she is reading are young teen fiction books, not gory or sexual true crime books, theres maybe mentions of kissing or mild swearing but nothing harmful or frightening for a 10 year old to hear, mine atleast and as its silent reading and not being read aloud surely its nobodies business what shes reading and it should be mine and her dads decision if its suitable or not for her, not the teachers?
We are going stuggle to find a book aimed at under 10s that she enjoys and I also have know idea how to find out what age rating a book has and surely its just a reccomendation to what age group may enjoy the book not a strict rule?
I can see the benefit of quietly reading at school and definately not one of the many parents who complained when the silent reading was introduced but what benefit is forcing her to read a book that she dosnt enjoy and is below her level? Shouldnt she be encouraged to challenge herself and have an enjoyment for reading not punished?

Do your schools do the same? AIBU to want to challenge this stupid rule?

Veterinari

I appreciate the suggestions, however a lot of them that people on here see to be suitable for a 10 year old and I think dd would enjoy reading actually are targetted at over 10s and with the school current rule that is not allowed, though I will look at getting them for her to read at home. Most of the classic books actually aged at under 10s she has already read or decided its not something she would enjoy.

rockin I was not only an avid reader, but a child who read to escape real life. I still hadn't read every single adult classic by the end of primary, despite being somewhat unusual due to home circumstances, so it's fair to assume ops dd hasn't either.

Whether anyone agrees or not, the school are unlikely to change their rule, so people are making practical suggestions to work within the rule.

Well I was reading all those at 10-12 years OP - it seems that your DD has read some of them but also that you’ve either attributed imaginary ratings to others or decided that she won’t like a range of fairly varied genres without actually trying them, or you’re assuming she’s Read them without checking, or you’ve discounted the books without actually familiarising yourself with them e.g. it seems clear that you may be confusing the Terry Pratchett Wiches books that i’ve Suggested with the Ronald Dahl book.

It’s impossible to help folk who refuse to be helped. Good luck.

If you are looking for book recommendations, then how about
Katherine Randell Rooftoppers and other books
Cornelia Funke, Dragon rider series and Ink heart series
Peter Bunzi Cogheart series
Ransom Riggs Miss Perigrin's home for perculiar children
Jennifer Bell The Crooked sixpence series
Gil Lewis - all her books are good
Chris d'Lacey Dragon chronicles
Chris Columbus House of Secrets
Katherine Woodfine Clockwork Sparrow

Have the school said dickens and those she likes are rated too old? Or are you just guessing?

It is very easy to have 1 book for school and 1 for home, I can't not believe you can't find a book she will enjoy that is not young adult there is a huge choice. She can read what she likes at home and a school suitable book at school
This. Have a home book and a school book.
There are so many types of book out there. I find it hard to believe that a child of 10 independently decides they could only possibly read teen boks with suicide, emotional abuse, racism and subtance abuse in it. Or decide that the only way a book can be advanced is dealing with those issues.

It feels a bit like the OP just wants to be told school are awful and going to put her amazing reader off book for life.

You’ve had many books upthread mentioned. The only thing I can think of is horrible histories, Shakespeare rewritten for children, Little Women.

I can’t really think of anything else. At your dds age, I was reading Catherine Cookson but I don’t remember any non violent ones. I’d also suggest your dd re reads some of her favourites at school. I used to love rereading novels.

Interestingly, my son is 11 and reading Alex Rider. The books are in our school library! Infact I was considering today my son going as Alex Rider for world book day! Have you tried Journey to the River Sea?

There are a lot of books that would come under the 9 - 12 group that I never read as a child (because I simply hadn't come across them) and even now age 42 would consider some of my favourite books. Goodnight Mr Tom is one. When the book was adapted for TV in the 90s it was re printed under the Penguin (adult) name, rather than the Puffin (children's) one. Loads of adults read it, loved it and were suprised to discover it's actually a 'children's book'. I really can't believe she has read everything in the 9 - 12 range.

vet very modest of you to suggest the witches over Tp's books that are more you

I got a note home from DDs (11) teacher saying that the Stephen King book she had taken in was unsuitable. I took great delight it telling her it was Eyes of the Dragon which in no way was in the same vein as his others. If the teacher had looked past the authors name and read the blurb in the back she would have known this. I did tell DD not take in Carrie which was the original book she wanted to take

overly invested in proving that your child is more advanced than the rest of the class

Rubbish. shes behind in every subject apart from english, shes also very unconfident in class, she hates getting picked on to answer questions or having to do team or class acivities. But reading is something she really enjoys and is advanced at and also the 1 hour a week quiet reading is something she looked forward to as she can read a book she enjoys and have a break from loud group activities or subjects she finds challenging. I dont undertsand the school rule, I dont understand how it will encourage chidlren to enjoy reading and challenge and improve their reading skills which is what the introduction of silent reading was said to do, in fact I think it does the opposite.

Artemis Fowl books by Eion Colfer
The Scer Sword by Ian Seraillier
101 Dalmations and The Twilight Barking by Dodie Smith

Interestingly, in my first year at High School when I was 11, we read Cider with Rosie and Moonfleet!

That should be Silver Sword. Bloody autocorrect!

Or maybe this is a good time for her to experiment with different genres. I like history and at the moment enjoy reading the My Story books by Scholastic which are fictional diaries set around different historical events. Sometimes this leads me to seek out other (non fiction) history books - if it's a piece of history I didn't know much about. This is the best time to experiment with all the 1000s of books aimed at her age. In a couple of years time she will have to read a bunch of books she probably won't find interesting and have to analyse every plot device and sentence!!

attributed imaginary ratings to

I got the ratings from commonsensemedia.orf which was a website suggested on the letter to be useful for finding age ratings for books and the website according to dd that the teacher typed her book title into.

Oh so we’re only allowed to answer the specific question in the OP, not to give general advice? Apologies - didn't realise the thread police were on patrol.
^
God forbid that people should try and offer solutions that might meet the OP and schools requirements eh?!^

Where did I say that

It's nice that people try to help, but IME with my own DD most of the suggestions are unsuitable, especially the classics as at this age they are for the most part not relevant to them & seen as fuddy duddy school books, which isn't what they are interested in reading.

The world & his wife had suggestions for what my own DD should be reading instead of what she liked, though well meant, it rarely had any interest for her as she already knew what her interests are.

The Maximum Ride Series was much loved by my own DD at this sort of age, though I doubt that would be acceptable to the school either. Wonder might be okay though. But I really do think the answer is in speaking to the teacher & finding a compromise

What about Antonia Forest? Some of her holiday books are very challenging indeed for this age group.
“Peter’s Room” is supposed to be one of the best children’s books ever written and deals with the Bronte’s fantasy Gondal world.

My DS adored Garth Nix at around this age. Also read the Spooks Apprentice books, Alan Garner, Diane Wynne-Jones, Eoin Colfer, Terry Pratchet and Phillip Pullman.

MaisyPops

It feels a bit like the OP just wants to be told school are awful

I think the school is great, I think both my DC's teachers are great, we've never had any problems at school before, I dont want to be told the school is awful at all.
However I do not think this school rule is great, I was one of the parents who supported the intoduction of the silent reading when so many others complained (and still are complaing that they want there children to actually be taught at school) because I agreed it would encourage an 'enjoyment of reading' and ' an improvement in childrens reading skills' I dont think this rule does that.

Our DC (10yo) is currently reading the Long Earth trilogy by Baxter & Pratchett.

I'd suggest you ask the teacher for a quick chat and find a compromise. Your DD certainly shouldn't be given a random book from the library but I suppose they might want to be careful about the appropriate nature of a book if it's taken into school. Shame that they can't be a bit more encouraging of her love of reading. This 'one size fits all' approach sucks the joy out of something which can be such fun. We had similar problems at primary school and it was so irritating!

Can she read non-fiction at school? Then keep the fiction for home? Or something like retellings of Greek myths? I recall that one class teacher removed a children's version of Hamlet from the class library as she deemed it too violent. Still makes me chuckle.

I'm often bemused by parents who can't see past their own child when declaring school rules to be stupid. And continue to argue the toss even when reasoned argument and sensible suggestions are arriving thick and fast. There are literally 1000s of books that would be age appropriate in this instance, and I'm talking about reading age. OP seems to dismiss most suggestions thus far, which is a shame because it rather limits her dc to modern literature written for YA. I was weaned on Jeeves and Wooster, and Just William, most of which I'd read by the time I was 10. I'm not claiming great intellect, just was gifted at decoding script from a young age, and enjoying the images it evoked. It wouldn't be difficult to find a book that both school and the dc would be happy with, for an hour a week. Unless one has a very narrow view of literature.

www.hoagiesgifted.org/reading_lists.htm

You may have come across this already but posting in case it may help. It's a collection of reading lists for gifted children, which helped me a few years ago when I was trying to keep my then 8 year old reading children's books a little longer. He read quite a few books from this sci-fi/fantasy list.
www.hoagiesgifted.org/scifi_fantasy.htm