What age/ability to read Sherlock Holmes?

[FluffyBunnyGoneBad]

I've not read it so no idea. It's for ds.

TIA.

You're lucky!
I do try not to push him. The books do keep him off my laptop though. He's good at maths aswell, and science. It's hard knowing what to do for the best. I don't want to push him but he seems to pick up things so easily and very quickly. I'm hoping he'll level off but I've been waiting for a very long time. It's hard.

Crikey, he sounds fantastic. My ds is a very good reader, but only ever wants to read non-fiction. He doesn't know what he's missing...

The Willard Price ones may be a bit quick and easy but they are very enjoyable. If you could find the whole series in the library get them all out and that should maybe last him the morning

Oh, and I'll also ask my mum what my brother was reading at that age

Was only asking because my dd2 (12) also read very well and very early and had a high comprehension age but she still wants to read fairly 'simple' children's books (Corlaine / Charlotte's Web / Inkheart etc) and refuses to read at all if I try to suggest more 'mature' books.

I really don't know about comprehension. The old school told me this, I just hear him laugh, then he reads the bits out to me that he finds funny. I do ask him to tell me about the book (save's me reading it) and he does know. Is this enough to show he understands them do you think? I really wouldn't want him to sit reading something beyond him. He's been reading since he was three, as normal he went from reading one word one minute to a whole Mr Man book, then Roald Dahl. It's not normal!!

Non-fiction books are cool Wallace. What about some science fiction, not quite non-fiction. There are star wars books you know.

Sometimes children stick with what makes them comfortable janeite. When she's ready she'll try something else. Charlotte's web's a good book.

Stars Wars books!?

I really think that might just be the carrot to tempt him over

Yes, they sell them in Waterstones. Ds has gone through alot of books. There are some fab Dr Who books aswell. He may find these interesting.

Joke books are really good for boys, you can tell they understand them as they laugh at the jokes. Ds used to walk around the city centre reading them out to me. The old ladies thought he was adorable! He made them all smile.

I think that's certainly enough to show he understands them.

Chucks the complete works of Jane Austen at dd2 and demands a report back in half an hour, plus sufficient chuckling in the next ten minutes to prove she's reading it!

I could try him with Bill Bryson and see how he goes? A short history of nearly everything is a very good book.

I've never read Jane Austin I did buy Oscar Wilde's 'A picture of Dorian Gray' so I'm reading this at the moment. Ds has read more books then me, he's 10, I'm 31. . I'd like to try him with some poetry, make his reading a bit more varied maybe. He has a couple of books but it's hard finding poets that I 'get' so I wouldn't be able to go through what they are on about with him. God, I don't want to buy York notes for a 10 year old.

Has he read the Redwall series by Brian Jacques? Those are excellent. I still love to read them.

The Children Of The New Forest is a great children's classic.

ds1 (11) has read 5 of the Sherlock Holmes books and enjoyed them. He does read anything and everything though - 5 or 6 novels every week. Dh was reading the Conan Doyle books, and encouraged ds1 to read them too. I think it helped to have someone to chat about them with.

There's loads of fab stuff out there for children/young people though, that may be more accessible/suitable.

When he's slightly older the Carnegie shortlist every year is a good place to start looking for new authors/genres. Try to the Red House book awards - they always find hits. And the Richard & Judy books.

I don't censor reading past about 10; tbh if it's not aimed at them, it's unlikely to appeal.

Oh I've just remembered that I recently read a fab teenage book called 'The Knife Of Never Letting Go' which I can highly rec.

We're seeing Patrick Ness next week at the Hay Festival Janeite There's a sequel out now too.

Oh, also remembered that Sherlock Holmes contains some shockingly racist and sexist passages. So I think it's helpful if an adult reads them too, so you can discuss them and explain the historical context, and how differently we think nowadays and so on.

Ooh how exciting - can you remember what it's called please?

The Ask and the Answer.
I haven't actually read it yet - I'm sure it's lurking somewhere in ds1's bedroom.

Oh, thanks amiworrying. He knows that his feminist, multi cultral mum will eat him for breakfast if he ever comes out with anything like this. IIRC, the Narnia are all about religion but is't not very obvious. Is is as hidden as this?

you asked about poets, I think?

try Benjamin Zephaniah

Another poet he might enjoy is Andrew Peters, although some of them are a bit rude.

Sounds like he's reading some of the stuff I was reading at a similar age.

So one you haven't mentioned is the Scarlet Pimpernel novels -- exciting, full of derring-do. I reckon I was reading them and loving them at the same time as Lord of the Rings.

I was also reading the original Tarzan novels, although I'm not sure how casually racist they might have been. I don't recall this being prevalent (I was more into how ape societies functioned) but I'm sure there might be some of that.

Oh, and don't be too self-deprecating -- I didn't mind a bit of Sweet Valley High and Mallory Towers as well!

I used to love these, read them at about 9 or so? iirc? Primary level.

Language is quite compelling, they are, imo, well written. And plots are pretty simplistic, but with twists and so on.

Actually I think they are perfect 9/10 yo boy fare!

oh dear is there racism and sexism in it? oops, sorry.

Agree adult should read also but they are a pretty easy read, so that is not especially onerous for you.

I can think of one especially racist passage at, I think the beginning of the hound of the baskervilles.

Would go for adventures and memoirs of sherlock holmes, they are the best.

oh they are quite bloodthirsty but in a prudish victorian way.

have you tried him on huckleberry finn/tom sawyer? also I read charlotte bronte and thomas hardy at around this age-the themes are fairly simple and although they are a bit wordy, its quite easy to get the gist of what they are saying, iirc. I didn't find them especially hard going, until I did them later for A level ;-)

Oh and if he likes popular science and stuff like that-how about the new scientist stuff? "Do penguins feet freeze" and so on. Very accessible.

DS (just 11, very able reader) loves Sherlock Holmes and enjoyed Tom Sawyer too (although I read it allowed to him so we could talk about the racism and some of the harder 19th century uses of language. He's presently working his way through all the Wodehouses we have, and I might suggest Agatha Christie soon for some more junk reading for the holidays.

I like the idea of Bryson's Brief History for my DS. I also think he might like Garrison Keillor in a bit because he enjoys that slow burn humour too.

Basically, I loathe fantasy but he loves it, so I am trying to give him other options.