Would you let a 10year old read His dark materials?

[zeus123]

DDhas just started reading The Northern lights but is it suitable for a 10 year old. She has a good reading age but am worried about the content. Sorry havent read the books myself - Is there any sex/violence which is inappropriate for this age?
It is a library book from the school - she has just finished the Ruby in the smoke and loved it so has gone Philip Pullman again.

i bought the box set for dd1 at the same age. she doesn't appear traumatised, but i haven't read them myself. she's reading all the blardy vampirey twilight rubbish now at 11 though.

if it helps i think i was reading jilly cooper about then... if my mum left it around i read it. as long as there was a book available i was out of mischief.

dh is slightly wary that i have a selection of (at first glance) not child friendly books on our shelves currently. one is called 'big black penis' and he makes me turn it round so you can't read the title. it's more of an academic thang tbh, but i can see it might appear to be, er, slightly odd to other mothers whose kids come to play...

It's fine for a 10yo. I'd be less keen for an 8yo, but more because they'd miss the point of it (it's quite a philosophically complex book) rather than anything more graphic.

There is some implied sex at the end of the 3rd book, but it's very subtle, and I don't think a pre-teen would even spot what was being implied.

My parents didn't censor anything I read at 10. My children are a lot younger but I imagine I wouldn't interfere in their reading choices either. If they chose to read a load of crap I might buy books for them but I wouldn't impose anything on them. Bkimey, I read all sorts at 10.

Agree with Anazgora, it contains quite complex themes but nothing inappropriate at all. Its a great trilogy actually, worth a read yourself.

Although she is 10 she is a very young 10
IFYSWIM. I was just vary that she will be scared and don't think she is mature enough to deal with any sexual reference.

You honestly haven't anything to worry about from that point of view. There are some scary bits in the trilogy, tbh can't remember which book contains which but there is a section where they travel into the land of the dead. Also some sad bits about children and cutting their demons away (you need to read the book to understand the significance of this!). Certainly no more scary than Harry Potter say.

She has finished reading HP and really enjoyed it.
And is really enjoying The Northern lights _ got up,brushed and has stuck her face in the book today,,.:)

Just to add definitely no need to worry. DD hasn't read it, but her friend who is 8 read all three quite a while ago (she has a big brother who often reads to her with books of his choice) and I know she loved them. Far less scary/upsetting than the later HPs I would say.

DD (now 9) is currently reading the Eragon trilogy which I suspect probably is rather unsuitable . . .

Oh Thanks a lot.

I didn't even realise it might not be unsuitable (haven't read it myself)

Dd took it out of the school library (juniors section of primary school) if that helps (she is also 10) - she absolutely loved it. Was absorbed for ages.

I think they're a lot darker and more unsettling than Harry P, as did my DD1, who started reading them at about 10. She loved them, but I read some of the first one to her, because she was upset about the children being separated from their daemons. DD2 read the first one at 9 and wasn't distressed, but she's made of far sterner stuff.

The sex is negligible, but there is violence and grief (best not to have the former without the latter though).

It sounds as if your DD is fine with them. Do have a read yourself, they're very compelling.