What age for War Horse (read by a parent if needed) and other war-related Morpurgo

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Dh just went and bought War Horse and another similar book (The Elephant in the Garden) for ds who is six. I think this is FAR too young to be reading about such dark stuff.
Ds is quite laid back and doesn't seem to have nightmares but this might be pushing it.
There are so many nicer books than these for a six year old, even if he is smart he doesn't have the emotional maturity of a ten year old or whatever.

I'd much rather he read something like Tom's Midnight Garden. AIBU!?

Ds1 was 9,I think that is about right. It's a very emotional story.

What is it about Tom's Midnight Garden that makes it older - it seems more innocent?

Ds has a reading age of about 10 and has ploughed through a lot of younger books. He still adores Majeika and lots of 'easier' books too but generally is also fine with 'older' books but I'd much rather they were funny or light. Not ready for him to read all about war!

dd has just read a Elephat in the Garden - she is 10. I remember ds reading Toro Toro a little younger and feeling a bit about exposing him to such subject matter. Agree there are plenty of less serious books suitable for a 6yo - Swallows and Amazons, Mr Gum, books by Eoin Colfer and CS Lewis

I think a six year old could cope with War Horse, read aloud by an adult. Both DD1 and DD2 read it at that age, and DD3 was six when we took her to see the stage play. They were all fine with it. Private Peaceful is the one he would be too young for yet - as endorsed by Morpurgo himself. We went to a talk by him at Hay on Wye and DD2, who was six then and had just read War Horse, bought Private Peaceful and took it with some other books to be signed by him. He was utterly lovely, but did say to her that she should wait a while before reading PP. I think she was about 9/10 when she read it in the end. I agree that perhaps he might get more out of it at 10, but that doesn't mean he can't read it again for himself when he is 10. And if your DH wants to read it to him then it will be a lovely experience for both of them.
But YANBU to want him to read Tom's Midnight Garden! Great book.

That's very true Birds. I guess, as an inveterate rereader myself, I don't tend to think that a book once read is read for ever. You can always come back to a good book and get more and more out of it each time.

ds1 was 9.he read it at school and took part in their own theatre production of it

I think the experience is different if it is a persoanl choice of book, from reading the blurb on the cover or recommendation, than if it is read to you. Used to love the sense of discovery at coming across a new book and reading it avidly, often in the car in the way home ! A reading age of 10 doesn't mean he has to read at that level or is ready for or interested in books aimed at 10yr olds. There is plenty to be gained from reading and re-reading more age appropriate ones and saving others until later.

I totally agree as I think was clear from my link below LIZS - he reads and re-reads Majeika, Mr Men etc.

Just read war horse to my ds1 who is 8.5 (and quite a sensitive soul)

He loved it and was really riveted by the story and it lead to many conversations about cruelty, human frailty and the point of war.

We are hoping to go and see the film in January.......

(oh and its the one of the books read by the teacher in y5)

I was thinking of reading this to my DD who's 9 and DS who's 7. We are in the middle of Mr Gum books at the moment and I'm getting a bit bored. I'm a little worried about the content (not read the book yet myself) but I think it's good to learn about some of the more negative sides to human nature in a way that can lead to a positive discussion.

Thanks for the thread folks.

A war related (in a gentle way) book by Michael Morpurgo is Adolphus Tips. My sons class (yr3) read it at school in Sept, and they all loved it, I think most of the children went out and bought a copy.

War does feature in it, but only from them being moved from their homes, so the soldiers can train for the D-Day landing.

I read it and it really is quite lovely.

Probably the 6 year old who was introduced to War Horse was ok with it because it went over his\her head and they didn't cotton on to the darker side of it.