Have any of you read Skellig, Robinson Crusoe or Gulliver's Travels?

[Notplannedforthis]

If so, are they appropriate for a 9yo and/or a 6yo?

We have kindly been given these three books, unabridged on audio CD for our DDs. I have not read any of them before.

If you have read them, would they be suitable for girls of those ages to listen to at bedtime or should I listen first/with them?

DD9 is nearly 10 and quite mature in her reading - both reading age and interest level however DD6 is most definitely not.

Thank you

I have read Skellig with my year 5 class so definitely suitable. It's a lovely book. Robinson Crusoe and Gullivers Travels are most suited to 9+ I would say.

Skellig would probably be suitable for 9/10yo but not 6yo. It has mature themes, the baby is very unwell- they think she will die- and the family are very stressed and sad about it. It's very transactional and requires a good understanding of social relationships.

I read it with Y5. I don't think kids much younger than that would appreciate it, although I know it is sometimes read in Y4.

Robinson Crusoe is SO BORING. It’s also extremely odd. Before he gets marooned he enjoys shooting a load of African animals iirc.
And after the island there was something about a bear.
The middle section is him making lists of shit.

Sorry meant definitely suitable for your 9yo!

Unabridged Gulliver's Travels a bit weird — all the stuff about he can barely stand to see his wife and children because they seem coarse and unrefined after the horse people.

They'd all be ok for a nine year old though. I don't think the six year old would understand all the 'feelings' in Skellig, and might find bits of the other two too wordy to get on with.

Skellig definitely seems up 9yo DD's street from the blurb and what has been said here. Thank you.
Do you think it would just go over DD 6's head, or would it be upsetting? She does tend to fall asleep pretty quickly, but if there's something disturbing early in the book it might upset her.

They're in the same bedroom, until I can afford a larger house.

Your 10 year old might enjoy Skellig, my ds studied it in English this year, he’s 11.

The original book of Gulliver’s Travels is quite hard going - more of a social satire than an adventure story. A modern adaptation would probably be more fun for kids that age!
The ending is quite downbeat too - he comes to despise the human race (including his own family) and only wants to hang out with horses.

I've read unabridged versions of Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver's Travels. They aren't children's books. The 6 year old would be bored and confused and the 9 year old would probably struggle.

Robinson Crusoe is an adventure story but was written in the early 18th century so the language is tricky. There's also a lot of religion and some VERY outdated attitudes.

Gulliver's Travels was also written in the early 18th century. It's primarily a satire. Gulliver goes on 4 voyages but modernised children's versions usually only concentrate on 2 (Lilliput and the giants). The 3rd one is quite weird and the 4th one very poignant but not really child friendly.

Skellig is often taught as a text for Upper Juniors so would be suitable for the 9 year old.

Haven't read for a long time but my recollection filtered through decades would be Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver's Travels might be too long and possibly a little tedious for the ages. Possibly being audio books might make them less off-putting.

Good luck.

I agree with the above comments. Skellig should be fine for a mature 9 year old but not for a 6 year old. Crusoe and Gulliver are not children’s books, though there are some good versions of both rewritten for children, particularly Gulliver. They would find unabridged audio versions of the originals very heavy going, I would think.

@cariadlet

I've read unabridged versions of Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver's Travels. They aren't children's books. The 6 year old would be bored and confused and the 9 year old would probably struggle.

Robinson Crusoe is an adventure story but was written in the early 18th century so the language is tricky. There's also a lot of religion and some VERY outdated attitudes.

Gulliver's Travels was also written in the early 18th century. It's primarily a satire. Gulliver goes on 4 voyages but modernised children's versions usually only concentrate on 2 (Lilliput and the giants). The 3rd one is quite weird and the 4th one very poignant but not really child friendly.

Skellig is often taught as a text for Upper Juniors so would be suitable for the 9 year old.

Yes to this.

I did both Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver's Travels for third year uni modules! I think she'll probably find them very hard going and rather dull I know I did.

There are some very weird bits in Gulliver. Get an edition rewritten for children.

Thank you for all the input, Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver's Travels may be ones to put away for later.

DD9 listened to the first of the three Skellig CDs last night when DD6 had already fallen asleep and she loved it.

The person that gave us the audio CDs said they thought of us when they were having a clear out as they know DD9 wants to sit the 11plus exam next year and they remembered them being on an 11+ reading list years ago. I've just checked now and they are indeed both on various lists of 'books to read before the 11+'. Seems a very odd choice to put on those lists given what you've all said here.

Thank you again.

Gulliver is sexually abused/used as a sex toy by the female giants of Brobdingnag . . . that bit might go over her head though.

I loved Robinson Crusoe - one of my favourite books, though I agree some rather tricky and outdated themes - I was old enough to recognise that - think I was about 12-13 when I read it

@BalloonSlayer

Gulliver is sexually abused/used as a sex toy by the female giants of Brobdingnag . . . that bit might go over her head though.

It definitely went over mine.

It didn't go over mine when I reread it as an adult. I remember thinking it was a very different book from my childhood memories, which only seemed to have Lilliput.

I studied Gulliver’s Travels at university. I only really remember him putting out a fire by peeing on it, and going all weird with the horses. I’d forgotten about Brobdingnag

Unless mine was abridged? But I remember a horrible bit about Brobdingnag where he talked about the giant (to him) flies landing on the food and laying eggs on it that he could see, and the giants still ate it.

I still really hate bluebottles in my kitchen thanks to that!

Oh wow! Gulliver definitely seems like one to skip.

Skellig would be fine for the 9 year old. The others, not so much.

I have had a look at some of the ‘books to read for the 11+’ lists on the internet, and some of them strike me as quite odd. There are plenty of great children’s classics out there if you want to extend vocabulary. I’m puzzled that they would recommend two books, originally written for adults, which in their unabridged versions are really not suitable for 9-10 year olds. IMO Crusoe is really quite boring, and his attitude to his companion, Friday, is, er, distinctly colonial.

Gulliver's Travels was intended for adults as a political satire.
Although Liliput is often adapted for children I have never seen the other three adapted. If it is the original I would give it a miss for now.

Swiss Family Robinson instead of Robinson Crusoe. Children of New Forest. Although written many years ago I read at 10-11 years of age and loved them. (Still do)