What age for reading The Secret Garden?

[IAmReallyFabNow]

DD keeps asking to read my copy I bought in 1984. She is 7.

I was thinking about 9 when I read your heading. But if she wants to read it, why stop her?

She sounds about the right age. I must have been about 7 when I read it - I remember thinking 10 years sounded a really long time!!

I have just checked and I was bought it when I was 10. DD has been reading since she was 2 so I know she can read anything but still think it is just as important to understand what she is reading. She persuaded me to buy her a Jacqueline Wilson book last month and I had assumed she was too young for that just yet .

I read it to DD1 recently (she'll be 7 on Wednesday). She reads a lot, but it was definitely one that we were better reading together, rather than her reading it independently. it took quite a while to read, as we often got side-tracked into discussions about new words, or about the attitudes/societal norms of the time!

I would read it to her. It would be quite hard for a 7 year old, however good a reader she is because of the long and complex sentences.

But why on earth would you not just let her have a go if she asks?

But there are lots of Jacqueline Wilson's I wouldn't give a 7 year old.

Seeker, because I can't remember reading it and wanted to make sure there wasn't anything inappropriate. She is still very young. (OPM emoticon).

In that case, DON"T give her any Jacqueline Wilson's without reading them yourself first!

my two watched the lovely 1970s tv series when they were 3 and 4 and there was nothing in it unsuitable for them!

Is there anything inappropriate in The Secret Garden? I haven't read it for a while. The only bit I can think of is when the girl is horrified that the maid assumed she had dark skin as she lived in India. I can't remember the exact way it was phrased though, or whether any words were used that could now be perceived as racist.

What age is JW for?

there are JW books for all ages from new readers to teens.

Which JW are you talking about?

If your dd hasn't read it, she might like The Little Princess also by FHB - probably a bit 'younger' than the Secret Garden (lovely story, too).

In some ways I am a bit wary about encouraging children to read relatively complex fiction at aged 7, however strong their reading skills. I was forever trying to impress my mother with my quest for smaller words, more pages etc - nowadays there is so much brilliant age appropriate fiction to choose from - and if you get bogged down in the more challenging stuff that can be saved for later e.g. 10 - 14, there is a danger of missing out on some of the fantastic stuff out there that really is meant for you - and which I suspect starts to feel a bit one dimensional once you have cut your teeth on a more complex narrative.

This is a bit of a live issue in our house - it doesn't seem to get any easier. My daughter is now 14 and last year there were children in her class reading the lovely bones, the kite runner etc etc - which raises all sorts of other concerns -

I would say the Secret Garden was aimed at primary age, but written a long time ago so the language and style are old-fashioned. But I can't see Secret Garden as at all inappropriate - it's a fairly straightforward story of young children playing in a garden, and dealing with a few family issues. no sex, drugs, swearing, bad role models or anything else.

Admittedly I let my dds read whatever they like, without considering whether the books are age-appropriate. but even if you are bothered, I can't think of anything inappropriate in the Secret Garden.

The Secret Garden is a good one for reading to a child if you can do a Yorkshire accent

We've got a DVD of the serialisation the BBC did when I was young - the theme tune took me right back. Lovely