Student Question
What is the suitable age group for reading this novel?
Quick answer:
The novel is best suited for early high school students, typically 9th grade and above, due to its mature themes and explicit language. The graphic nature of certain scenes, such as the protagonist's rape and murder, may be too intense for younger readers. By high school, students are generally more equipped to handle complex and explicit content, having previously encountered challenging literature like Beowulf in their curriculum.
It is best to leave it to an early high school population due to the nature of the story, and because there is expletive language used in the book. The description in which Susie is raped and killed is quite strong, and I couldn't visualize any of my 6th-8th graders quite getting a grasp on it without taking away the morbo on it, which would defeat the purpose.
By the time kids reach 8th grade, they would have read Beowulf which is no picnic either, so they would be mentally ready a year later to deal with something a bit more explicit.
You might go back and reread the book through your child's eyes. Remember that the imagination is an incredible thing, but many of the images we conjur up are influenced by what we have already experienced. I am always amazed at some of the connections that...
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my students make in a story that I would have never made. On the other hand, I am frustrated at times that they miss what I consider to be obvious plot lines, but it is often their lack of life experiences that keep them from seeing things.
Think about a story that you have reread and got a completely different take on it because of where you were in your life the second time you read it.
Another example, I would never have denied my children the wonderful story "Where the Wild Things Are", but would have hesitated at taking them to the theatre to see the movie as young as they were when I first introduced the book.
If you do not let her watch PG 13 movies then I would say it is too early to let her read the book. The Lovely Bones is an incredible book but many times there are more graphic images and concepts in the book than in the movie. Also, considering the nature of the book, the book may scare her because of her age. I think it may be wise to wait a couple of years to let her read the book. Making her wait may even help her to appreciate and understand the book even more. A girl matures a lot from the age of eleven to thirteen.