Is To Kill A Mockingbird okay to give to my ten year old?

[mynotsoperfectlife]

He's an excellent reader and very bright. It's not a difficult book to read in my memory - any thoughts?

DS has been ploughing through the Skulduggery Pleasant series for the last year or so and loves them. Like Harry Potter, they become more complex and darker as the characters age and the books progress. About to finish the last one and he's gutted there will be no more! They are far better than the usual science fi/fantasy drivel churned out by some young adult authors.

Terry Pratchett is becoming a firm favourite too, although I have to explain what the joke it sometimes when DS can see something is meant to be funny but can't quite work out what.

I'm not whisk but books don't have age classifications. JK Rowling didn't write for adults but it doesn't mean they don't enjoy her work.

Thanks Roomba I'll order those, don't think he's read them yet :) He also likes Anthony Horowitz but they aren't challenging reading wise - good stories though.

"Do you have to turn everything into an argument?"

No. But I feel very strongly about this. I don't see why people who are rightly careful about film classifications don't think twice about the books they give their children to read. And TKAM is an adult book.

"He also likes Anthony Horowitz but they aren't challenging reading wise - good stories though."

Sorry- being argumentative again! What do you mean by challenging? If he's happily reading Alex Ryder he is a person who can read- he doesn't need to be challenged. Just let him read lots of age appropriate books-which will, of course include some adult books-let him get on with it.

Actually, many books do have age classifications, especially children's books.

There is such a wide choice for children out there now. Certainly more than when I was a child. There's just no need to give adult books, with adult themes, to children these days. Unless you're trying to prove a point about how 'advanced' your reader is.

And I say this as someone who was a very advanced reader as a child, who has three advanced readers of her own, who has worked with advanced readers in primary schools, and who is about to start Uni to become an English teacher at secondary school. Where I will not be recommending TKAM for primary-aged children.

Books don't have classifications, though Bert and FWIW the film version of TKAM is a 12, so slightly "older" than DS but not dramatically so. And films classifications tend to be quite meaningless anyway. Any mention of sex sends the classification ramping up but gore and graphic violence are just fine. Annoys me, that :)

I think more likely with books is that they "go over" kids' heads a bit and they don't understand them. TKAM occurred to me as it's an easy read albeit with complex themes.

Has he read Pig Heart Boy? Noughts and Crosses would be good but I think again possibly a bit adult for junior school age.

Oh and I Capture the Castle perhaps? Also, Animal Farm is very accessible - you don't need to know the background to read it.

I think Animal Farm and ICTC are possibly more challenging in terms of content and themes than Mockingbird, but we'll see :)

I am in the Southern US and 'To Kill a Mockingbird' is a set text for 9th grade English classes. They are aged 14 - 15 in that grade.

This year at my DC's school 8th grade classes read 'Anthem', 'We', 'The House on Mango Street', and 'Twelfth Night' to put it in perspective.

[Mr. Ewell says] "I seen that black nigger yonder ruttin' on my Mayella!"

Not a phrase I'd want a 10 year old to be reading tbh....

What about The Lord of the Rings (I read that at aged 10), The Eagle of the Ninth, I am David, Ender's Game, Chocky, The Halloween Tree, Sherlock Holmes, Treasure Island, Ivanhoe?

Thanks, some great suggestions there. He liked I Am David - not as keen on LOTR.

We had a family tradition when I was younger that my dad would read us a story when went on holiday - just for about each night. When I was 12 he read us To Kill A Mockingbird. I loved it.

But what was really great was, because Dad was reading it to us, Mum & Dad could discuss it with me, explain the themes and the history etc.

No to TKAM - I would say it's unsuitable.

Lord of the Flies is good for that age but can be read at a deeper level when older.

Gosh, I'd have said the other way around surely!?

Yes to When Hitler Stole pink Rabbit and The Endless Steppe also The silver sword, Children of the Oregan Trail, Holes

I wouldn't want my 10 yr old reading it I don't think.
There's plenty of time to read adult, or young adult, fiction when you are an adult. There's so much amazing children's fiction out there to read when you are a child.

If youre looking for some recommendations we've recently read The Machine Gunners by Robert Westall, The Silver Sword, (bit of a war theme going on), The Island at the End of Everything, just now we're reading Artemis Fowl. My boys are 9 and 11, they're enjoying Artemis Fowl but me not so much. Strangely they've recently loved the first 3 Malory Towers books, I thought they would find them really dated (and full of girls) but they actually enjoyed figuring out all the characters of the different people and thinking who they knew in real life who was like that.
Wonder? That's a thought provoking book for kids if you're looking to challenge his thinking a bit, then there's a follow up book, I've forgotten what it's called.

Thanks, I forgot about The Machine Gunners.

I try to avoid Blyton for the most part ... I know some people love them but I do think there are damaging attitudes in there.

And yes, Holes. Good recommendation Lucked . That's a great book. Louis Sachar I think. We read it together then my mum read it, then my dad read it. And it's rare for him to read a book.

I agree that he's too young.

However I'd try:

Wonder
Holes
Boy in the tower
letter for the king
The Invention of Hugo cabret
The Marvels
Time travelling with a hamster
The weirdstone of brisingamen
Howl's moving castle
Small change for stuart/big change for stuart
The Neverending story
Momo
Marianne Dreams
The box of delights
Tom's midnight garden

I love Tom's Midnight Garden but DS was nonplussed to my annoyance! one of my favourites.

He did like Watership Down so there's hope for him yet.

DS2 (12) loves Louis Sachar. There's a Boy In The Girls Bathroom, Holes, Pig City. He reads them over and over.

Noughts and crosses isn't appropriate for age 10 IMO