To think Goodnight Mr Tom is not a nice book for a 9 year old

[Mintychoc1]

My mum lives next door to me, and likes to read 9 year old DS a bedtime story. I’m very grateful for her help, he likes the time with his gran, and she loves reading to him - all good. She’s retired English teacher, so knows about literature, and likes to read him timeless classics.

She’s been reading him Goodnight Mr Tom, and they’re on the last chapter. DS told me it was very sad, so I googled it and read the plot summary. Blimey it’s horrible! Child abuse, a baby is starved to death, another child dies, abusive mother kills herself - all against a backdrop of WW2 misery.

Surely this is unnecessarily nasty for a 9 year old?

And we’re constantly told how damaging Xbox games like fortnite are! But this seems so much more disturbing, as it’s more real.

Am I missing something ?

We watched the film of this in juniors when we studied WW2. It is sad but not age inappropriate IMO.

I liked the film at the time and have found it more upsetting rewatching it as an adult.

Lots of schools read it in Y6. I wouldn’t say it was inappropriate for a 9 year old necessarily. It is sad though!

I read it at a similar age, loved it and don't think I'm damaged by the experience.. Read it properly rather than internet summary - it is a really good book.

I was older than 9 when I read it (12 I think), I wouldn't consider it appropriate for a 9 yo - the language is accessible but the themes are a bit too dark in my opinion.

I don't think you're missing anything!

I've often wondered why it's considered children's literature. I was completely traumatised reading it as an adult. But I've also read it with a child of around 9/10 - and they possibly found it less affecting than I did.

yanbu. love it, but even as an adult it makes me cry. too much for a 9 yr old.

I'm a Year Five teacher and we teach Goodnight Mister Tom in the spring term. Yes I agree it is very adult, however I've taught it four years running and the children have loved it. We've even taken two lots to the theatre to see it. I was shocked when I saw it on our curriculum, but now having taught it I don't think 9 is too young. The children learn a lot from it.

My kids read it in primary school and loved it.

If your Mum is an English teacher she is the best person to have your kids reading with.

We had very restrictions for games or subjects / issues or whatever else.

I read a lot of children's books and find things that I breezed through when I was younger really upset me now -- Goodnight Mr Tom is an example of that. I felt very matter of fact about babies dying when I was a child (promise I'm not a sociopath, even thinking about the story upsets me now). I think you have to trust your mum, surely if DS was really upset she'd stop?

I watched the film when I was about that age. It only traumatised me a little bit....

No seriously I think it’s fine. It’s a children’s book isn’t it? I think it covers some important issues. Obviously it slightly depends on the child. There are lots of children’s books for that age that are very sad. It’s a good introduction for the worlds miseries if you ask me.

Prehaps read the actual book, rather than just the plot summery.

Many schools read it in years 5 and 6.

I read it in year 5 certianly. I was also reading carries war etc.

Yes its horriable, yes its real, because stuff like that really hapoened

I loved it when I was younger

Brilliant book so yabu I’m afroad

Yes it's an appropriate age.Strange that were happy to let kids learn about Macbeth in primary but not this.
As adults we have more insight into the abuse side than children.They feel it is sad but are reassured by the happy ending.

I found it quite sad as a nine year-old but mostly interesting and heartwarming. Everyone I know who read it as an adult was a complete wreck by the end. Kids can be quite matter-of-fact about stuff. The baby's death in particular upset me far less as a child than it would now that I'm a parent.

I don’t think DS was as distressed by the starving baby as I was, but I don’t think he knows about the best friend dying yet. I think that will upset him.
I don’t know - it just seems to me like a lot of children’s books are very dark, but because they’re classics no one questions it. Some nursery rhymes and fairy tales are really punitive , teaching children that terrible things will happen if they are naughty.
Real life is hard enough, shouldn’t story time be about happy escapism ?

the film is rated 12 so no I don't think it is suitable for 9 years old and I would be very annoyed at school showing 9 year olds a 12 film it's different if a class of 11-12 year olds.

I don't know any primaries that study macbeth most don't do shakespeare before 14

I should say - it's an astonishingly excellent book. Just pretty shocking - for a child - from the point of view of an adult.

Well worth reading in full yourself OP.

It's one of those books I remember really well. From my 8/9 year old perspective it didn't patronise me, helped me understand death and unpleasant people.

I suspet that before this book Jadis, the White Witch, was one of the nastiest people I had read about. Such things are neessary for kids, aren't they?

My favourite author at that age was probably Dickens. Re-reading them as an adult they are like completely different books.

I had all my Dads old childhood books to read, a lot of which would be classed as not suitable for children nowadays.

Sure Tom Gates, Diary of a wimpy kid et al have their place but it's good to give young readers something a bit darker now and again. Michael Morpurgo is good at striking that balance I think.

I read it roughly that age and loved it. Yes it was sad, but I was just more happy with the ending and that Mister Tom and Willie got to stay together.

The baby death didn't affect me in the same way as it would now. And the friend's death was sadder but it was good to see how Willie got through it and how everyone around him supported him.

I remember reading this aged about 8, it was the first 'big book' I ever read by myself (much longer than most roald dahl etc books). The baby starving bit all went over my head a bit and I felt quite disassociated from most of the awful parts. I did feel a bit sad when Zach(?? - the best friend) died but was not at all traumatised. It's fine, and let's not forget it was also the reality for many children of that age and much younger sadly. Perhaps reading the book instead of the synopsis might help you understand what a great book with many heartwarming parts it is?

Reading/listening to stories is about experiencing the sadness and perils of life in a safe way before going on to experience them in real life. I think the reason a lot of young people lack resilience is because they haven't been properly prepared for the real world.

OP I really disagree with you about story time needing to be happy escapism. Reading is in many ways a "safe" way to learn about experiences we haven't had (and hopefully never will), and I think that's really important.

I also think it's very reductive to equate a challenging but very well written book for children with Fortnite etc. That's a bit like saying Tess of the D'Urbervilles is akin to Grand Theft Auto!

I had nightmares about that baby dying when I was 9 or 10 (from reading the book, not watching the film) so I'd say it depends on the child, like all things. Probably not good for sensitive souls, fine for those who are more robust.