Hunger Games at 13!

[LesleyA]

My friend’s daughter is reading Hunger Games at school for this years set work/prescribed reading. I’m shocked. I understand the storyline but haven’t read it. My daughter gets creeped out reading Nancy Drew. Please tell me your opinions. Is it gruesome, appropriate, of benefit? I’m also wondering whether if it is fine whether I’m doing my daughter a disservice by not introducing her to those types of books if that’s what her peers are reading (advised by the school). Opinions please (on the book not my parenting).

My DD read them at 10 and they were the first books she couldn’t put down. I was also concerned so read them first to check suitability. The themes are all laudable and while there is romance amongst the action there is nothing sexual or inappropriate in that manner. My daughter adored the series so much she re-read them again aged 11.

My DD read the hunger games as they were published, she was only young, she went on to study English Lit at university because of those books.
By 13 she was on to Game of Thrones

At 13 at school in the olden days we were reading animal farm and lord of the flies - classics and arguably much more disturbing than hunger games.

Hunger games is aiming at young teenagers

I think teens are generally quite interested in dark/horror/gruesome books and films. I loved scary and horror stuff at that age and wouldn't touch it as an adult. It's probably easier to process as a teen as you're not quite as aware of how awful some of the world is - it feels more like fantasy and testing out boundaries, even dark ones, is appealing.

At around that age (maybe younger) my absolute favourite book read over and over was The Last Children of Schewenborn, a cheery tale of some children trying to survive in a nuclear apocalypse

At that age, my friends and I were all reading Flowers in the Attic .

Hunger Games is fine.

Wow my daughter had obsessively devoured them at about 10 years old. After she had a full obsession with HP and devoured all those over and over lol.

I saw Pulp Fiction at the cinema at 14 so can’t imagine Hunger Games is too bad.

I assigned this to 13yos, and they absolutely loved studying it. Yes it deals with some pretty dark stuff but a smart teacher can find ways to discuss that.

@Mypathtriedtokillme

We read “Lord of the Fly” at that age and “Of Mice and Men” at 14.

(We also had to read The Handmaiden tale at 17.)

Only once of those is an actual book

I read Naomi Campbell's 'Swan' at that age, along with the Screwtape Letters, possibly cancelling each other out? It was the age we could borrow from the adult section of the public library, so I picked familiar names.

DS read The Hunger Games in grade 4, as did some other advanced readers (off their own bat, not for school).

HG would seem childish to many kids past the age of 13.

Nothing shocking about it. The Hunger Games is aimed at that age group.

Might be worth having a read yourself? Judging a book by its cover???

Well if they've read Harry Potter books 4-7 then they've read far more emotionally jarring stuff.

Think hunger games should be ok for ages 10+

Also...she is a teenage girl who goes to a local high school...hunger games are nothing in comparison to that hell xD

Teenagers need "dark" books so they can explore and learn to regulate difficult emotions.

I understand the storyline but haven’t read it.

just for that, YABU!

YABU anyway, I started reading Stephen King at that age, and Kids start reading Harry Potter from Year2/ Year3 - with tales of torture, parents murdered etc.. and seem a bit dark for young children!

Its aimed at that age surely? I think if you want to know what a book is like and if its suitable you really should read it.

Mine read them at 11-13, totally appropriate.

To the PP who dismissed the entire genre as boring - you’re missing out on a stunning range of books. They don’t come with an upper age limit, you can still enjoy great storytelling as an adult.

I read Naomi’s room around that age. It terrified me! Hunger Games is fine.

You really can't have an opinion or be shocked if you haven't read the books.

Most books we read at school had horrific themes:
Animal Farm
1984
Any thing by this guy called Shakespeare.
Mice & Men
Mocking Bird

I can't remember anyone being upset, more outraged out the characters/situations and the unfairness/cruelty.
It's good to engage young people.

I would find anything on climate change much more terrifying personally. Because that is not fiction and is coming our way.

My sons 13 now and has already done hunger games at school so I voted YABU. We watched the films as he was doing it at school I didnt think it was appropriate though but by this point they had finished the topic.

@mintyfreshh

I hope that unpleasant swipe has given you the self-esteem boost that you need to get through today .

Iv just given it to me 11 year old to read (first year high school). I think raises important issues and it's a good story.

My 9 year old has just finished the boy at the back of the class and the boy in the striped pyjamas. We talked about ti and he was sad that people were/are treated like that.

I read those with my sons when they were in y5/6!! The books were on the bookshelf in their classroom! We’re reading the prequel Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - it’s awesome! We watched all the films when they were about 11 as well.

I was reading James Herberts at 13...

Hunger games isnt that dark. They are decent stories with interesting themes. I think because it's set in a fantasy society it does detach the reader from the reality a bit.