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 ?

Another one here for the way books like these start introducing topics of love and loss, unfairness, exploitation and cruelty. And the triumphant message that life goes on and love is the most important thing and the (optimistic) message even an abused child like Will can overcome the worst and go forward. It's not realistic - I think many people fostering children who've been deprived of love and mentally tortured would say it's tough for the child to recover and very tough for the new parent - Will doesn't shout abuse, abscond, bite, defecate inappropriately - and he can talk and has no mental processing problems.

OP read the book - then you'll know what your DC has had read to him. And talk to your DM about what's in store for him. Can I recommend the stories of Green Knowe? magical. But again, not if he doesn't like children coming back from the past which would exclude Tom's Midnight Garden as well. And a lot of great children's literature.

We read that and Carrie's war at that age as part of our history project at school.

They have sad parts but at 9, you can understand that it's just a story and exploring books of different emotions is a good thing.

My brother died when I was six.

I think I read Goodnight Mister Tom around age 9. I remember it being a total revelation in finding acceptance and even joy in grief, and in its very open treatment of children processing different kinds of bereavement and grief. I still find myself drawing on it.

I read this at 10 and loved it. DD is 9 and I would be happy for her to read it if she wanted (she has seen the film).

We read this in year 5 and did a lot based around WWII, I loved it so much that I begged my parents to buy me a copy as I couldn't wait for it to be read to us daily. I devoured it when I got it (and still enjoyed hearing it in class) and it's remained one of my favourite books

When the film is on TV I usually see quite a few people posting on Facebook that they are watching and it's one of their favourite books/films after reading/seeing it in primary school, and others commenting the same thing on those posts

It’s a wonderful book. Yes the content is quite disturbing but (spoiler alert) it has a happy ending. DD was about the same age when she read it, saw the play and watched the film several times. She loved it.

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 echo this. I first knew I wanted to be a foster parent after reading The Story of Tracy Beaker, when I was only about 9 myself! It helped me understand a bit about what a friend of mine, who was in the care system, was going through. Children need to learn the world isn't all fluffiness and sunshine.

We read Goodnight Mr Tom as a class in year 6 but I'd already read my sister's copy a year or so previously. It's a brilliant book, far better than the film. I re-read it every few years. It has some very moving themes but the overriding message is one of love and hope. To be honest OP I'd worry more about the impact of the fantasy computer games.

The boy who played Tom in the TV version was a terrible actor. A shame as everything else was well portrayed.

John thaw was amazing in the TV version still watch it today

But then im a morse fan and therefore love john

John Thaw made a perfect Mr Tom.

not for a 9 year old
but i forgot i loved that film

Ooops, I mean the boy who played Will. He was the weak actor.

I don't think it's inappropriate and I think that reading memorable, thought provoking books at any age can help reluctant readers see how interesting books can be

If primary schools think it is OK at 9 it probably is.

I read it at 12 in my 2nd year English class. I don’t even remember the child abuse and only vaguely remember the baby dying. I would probably find it more harrowing now.

I do remember Zach dying - as homework we wrote the chapter where he did! I mainly just remember loving the book.

I loved the book as a child, think I was about 10 when I read it. I recently watched the film with my 7 year old. He was fine, he enjoyed it too.