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Original poster

Year 6 Class Novel is...

62 replies

Mowgli1970 · 12/09/2010 19:55

Dracula! I think it's inappropriate, though I can see that it would interest boys and jumps on the current trend for vampire-related books/films. Dd is terrified! What do you think of Dracula as reading material for 10 year olds?

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BelligerentGhoul · 12/09/2010 19:56

This is your 2nd thread on this, right?

I guess they just do snippets of various classics and presumably would have the sense to choose wisely?

We do sections of Dracula with Yr 7.

Original poster
Mowgli1970 · 12/09/2010 19:57

Yeah, I posted in AIBU too. Thought I'd post here as it maybe more relevant.

OP posts:
coatgate · 12/09/2010 19:58

Wtf - Mine did the Magician's Nephew last year (5) but not started one yet this year. My DD (10) has to sleep with my on the slightest pretext, Dracula would have her sellotaped to my side. Deeply inappropriate imo.

ravenAK · 12/09/2010 20:00

It won't be the original I wouldn't've thought - or at least not all of it!

I do extracts with y7 too.

BlueHair · 12/09/2010 20:06

Usbourne books have written a version - my Year 2 ds loved it!

www.usborne.com/catalogue/catalogue.aspx?id=2704

What part of the book do you find so objectionable?

Original poster
Mowgli1970 · 12/09/2010 20:10

Just the concept of bloodsucking vampires that come out at night - doesn't make for easy bedtimes in our house!

OP posts:
mrz · 12/09/2010 20:19

What would you consider appropriate reading material?

mamaduckbone · 12/09/2010 20:33

My friend's ds's school is reading Good Night Mr Tom to y3 - now that's inappropriate.

Hassled · 12/09/2010 20:34

I would have thought Dracula would be spot on for Yr6.

Goodnight Mr Tom for Yr 3 is a different matter - those poor kids will be traumatised. The cupboard/baby thing still haunts me.

BelligerentGhoul · 12/09/2010 20:36

I wouldn't have thought that Yr 3 would understand Goodnight Mr Tom.

catinthehat2 · 12/09/2010 20:42

Mowgli - have you ever read Dracula?
By Bram Stoker?
The book not the graphic novel, abridged version/video/dvd/whatever?

You might be surprised.

Also think it's unlikely that Yr 6 would get the whole thing.

ALSO - guess what! Frankenstein was written by a girly! yes! wearing a frock!

Smithagain · 12/09/2010 20:44

Yikes, I wouldn't have coped with that at 10yo. I was absolutely freaked out by vampires at that age and it lasted well into my teens. I think I accidentally watched a vampire film on TV and it really got under my skin.

mrz · 12/09/2010 20:54

Goodnight Mr Tom was my daughter's favourite book (and film the John Thaw version) at primary and she would certainly have loved Dracula

Headbanger · 12/09/2010 20:58

AWESOME. Brilliant selection. Far more likely to turn children on to reading than some insipid nonsense!

winnybella · 12/09/2010 20:58

I'm reading Dracula now for my uni course. I thought it would be like Frankenstein, not really scary at all, but fuck, it is! I.m just about 60 pages in, but it's not just the vampires etc, but the psychological horror of it.

So I would say inappropriate, unless it's a really, really watered down kiddy version.

claireb1974 · 12/09/2010 20:58

my DS is doing Goodnight Mr Tom yr 6. Dracula may be a bit much for a class read as some children are alot more sensitive than others. I would not worry for my DS but I know others in the class would not take to it so well.

BelligerentGhoul · 12/09/2010 21:00

GMT for Yr 6 is fine and I think a common class reader for that age.

pinkthechaffinch · 12/09/2010 21:00

YABU, when I was in Y6 (or J4 as twas then known at my school aeons ago- 1988) our class teacher read Dracula aloud to us in the winter term.

I remember feeling pleasurably scared about walking home alone on those dark winter afternoons. I'm sure your dc will enjoy it too.

spanieleyes · 12/09/2010 21:00

We're reading Egyptian myths and stories, murder,torture and incest! My 5/6s love it Grin

mrz · 12/09/2010 21:11

Dare I confess to using Macbeth the Scottish play and Tam O'Shanter with Y2?

ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave · 12/09/2010 21:12

I was terrified of vampires at that age only thing that ever actually gave me nightmares so personally I would have hated it and I think after a few weeks of sleepless nights my parents would have hated it too Grin. But fortunately I am old and we didn't have class novels in my day...

Don't quite see the relevance of Frankenstein 's being written by a woman to whether or not Dracula gives children nightmares, though, catinthehat2.

PixieOnaLeaf · 12/09/2010 21:18

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ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave · 12/09/2010 21:19

I'd happily read Macbeth by that age and loved it. It was just something about vampires..

catinthehat2 · 12/09/2010 21:26

Prof - see OP "Dracula! I think it's inappropriate, though I can see that it would interest boys ".....

DilysPrice · 12/09/2010 21:30

It's a rattling good read, but it is quite sexy, though not explicitly so of course.
Quite challenging for 10 year olds I'd have thought, but not necessarily in a bad way.

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