Is the Cherub series is too grown up for 11 year olds?

[newmum2012]

Hi

My son started reading the Cherub series by Robert Muchamore on the recommendation of a year 7 reading list I found on the internet. By the time he'd got several books in, (he was reading one book a day) I was horrified at some of the content and disturbed that this is what was being recommended for our 11 year olds to read. I just happened to flick through while waiting for the books to be stamped at the counter in the library and within the space of 3 pages, I read someone calling someone else the P word, an adolescent couple having sex in the bath and a bit of drug use and brainwashing to boot. Is it just me or does anyone find it uncomfortable that we're putting this stuff in front of our kids to read?

If anyone can suggest anything else that's got the same gripping pull of these books (my son loves the adventure in them) but without all the swearing and sex I'd really love to hear. Thank you.

I've not hear of the series, but my son like Artemis Fowl, Septimus Heap, Alex Rider and Percy Jackson. He is also a Hunger Games fan and currently is really enjoying Tamora Pierce, oh and also the Warriors series. I've read most of these (not Alex Rider or the Warriors) and doubt very much that their is much sex or serious swearing in them, as I tried to persuade him to read Terry Pratchet and he refused on the grounds that he first few pages had the word 'piss' as I recall.

Dd1 loves them as does a lad in her class (year 6) they're both mature for their age and very law abiding and "good" children.
The other lad did tell dd1 that she shouldn't read them because there was swearing in, which she was a bit by-not sure if he was serious, trying to be chivellous, or something else.

Having looked through them, I think the author has tried too hard to make them a bit of "this is what all teenagers dream about". The main chap is fairly obsessed with girls/sex and at one point it is mentioned that underage drinking has a "blind eye" turned to.
Underage sex is stated as a reason for being chucked out od Cherub (I think it does happen to one girl) and drug taking is also a no-go. I don't recall any drug taking by the "good" guys, but they are busting up drug gangs in a couple of stories.

I find it slightly strange that in this "school" where there is a huge emphasis put on being exceedingly fit and healthy that drinking isn't considered a huge issue, also when they're on missions surely getting drunk and giving something away would be a huge risk? I feel that is put in just for the shock value not because it fits with the story. Similarly I think that at one point one of the kids that's just left is smoking, which again I'd have thought was out of character.

Alex Rider are similar adventures, dd1 read them before finding Chrub, but very little swearing, it tends to say "Alex swore viciously" rather than actual words. If he hasn't tried them they're definitely worth trying.

Dd1 just picked up what looks like similar to the Henderson Boy set (forrunner of Cherub) a book called "Hitler's Angel" but she said it's quite tame in comparison to Cherub.

It's a difficult question - my son is 11 and he enjoys Alex Rider and the Young Bond series. In places, these are really quite violent, which I don't feel 100% happy with. In Germany, they seem to be stricter about that kind of thing (maybe having learned some lessons) and when my son asked for Young Bond at the library a year ago, they flatly refused as it's classified as a "Youth" book here for 13+.

On swearing, I've written a book for 9-12s myself and have nothing worse than "bloody" in it a couple of times - and that's from the villain. I was rather charmed to see, recently, in a recent autobiography from a senior member of the Armed Forces, that he'd written "bl**dy" all the way through so as not to offend anyone!

But as we know, children hear far worse at school - I know that's no excuse for loading a pre-teen book full of foul language - and at least books like Young Bond are well-written, in my opinion.

It's a difficult question - my son is 11 and he enjoys Alex Rider and the Young Bond series. In places, these are really quite violent, which I don't feel 100% happy with. In Germany, they seem to be stricter about that kind of thing (maybe having learned some lessons) and when my son asked for Young Bond at the library a year ago, they flatly refused as it's classified as a "Youth" book here for 13+.

On swearing, I've written a book for 9-12s myself and have nothing worse than "bloody" in it a couple of times - and that's from the villain. I was rather charmed to see, in a recent autobiography from a senior member of the Armed Forces, that he'd written "bl**dy" all the way through so as not to offend anyone!

But as we know, children hear far worse at school - I know that's no excuse for loading a pre-teen book full of foul language - and at least books like Young Bond are well-written, in my opinion.

My 11 yo loved the cherub series - his view on the sex and drugs stuff was 'Oh well I've got to learn about it at some point!'

Personally I think at 11 they know sex and drugs exist (if they're at secondary they'll hear and lot worse!) - reading a book with sex and rugs in wouldn't give them any new ideas - and they are presented in a morally responsible way.

I actually found the Higher Games series (also loved by my 11yo) far more disturbing.

Thanks everyone - it's great to get another viewpoint as I never know if I'm an overprotective mother and my son keeps telling me "I've heard it all at school anyway". Maybe I'll try to distract him with the Alex Rider books instead as they sound like a better bet.