My 10 year old, Sammi, has been asking a lot of questions about The Hunger Games book. ALL of her friends have read it, and seen the movie. (We are talking 5th graders.)Yesterday, she had an electronic tablet that one of her friends let her borrow, with The Hunger Games on it. Luckily, we were still in the car when she pulled out the tablet . . . so I could properly freak-out, drive back to the school, and return it to her friend. Are you kidding me? Borrowing expensive electronic equipment?? No way!
And then the issue of reading the book came up.
I have been wishy-washy (in my mind) about whether or not the book is appropriate for her age group (it has been awhile since I have read it). She reads ALL the time, and she reads EVERYTHING. Her group of friends even plays The Hunger Games at school, during recess (whatever that means??). I just don't know that The Hunger Games is something she needs to fill her head with so young. I mean, it is pretty intense, if I recall . . . . She is only 10.
I read all the books and really enjoyed them, but at the same time I don't think it's really a book for kids. Sometimes I even wonder why I read them, there not really uplifting, I mean kids are killing kids, it's actually kind of sad. I guess my best advice would be that you, or Charles should read it or a least scan it again and then decided. Hope this helps. Love you Beth
ReplyDeleteMy 5th grader read them and now that I've seen the movie, I wish I had previewed the books before letting him read them. I have seen an increase in violent behavior from him since he read them. He is constantly obsessed with survival skills and trying to fashion weapons to kill the animals in our back yard.
ReplyDeleteMy 5th grader read them and now that I've seen the movie, I wish I had previewed the books before letting him read them. I have seen an increase in violent behavior from him since he read them. He is constantly obsessed with survival skills and trying to fashion weapons to kill the animals in our back yard.
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feelings--
ReplyDeleteOn one hand, children who are too young to read a mature subject are also too young to understand exactly what they are reading. But does that mean that they won't be affected by it in a negative way?
Hard for me to say--my brothers and I often watched James Bond movies when my mom was busy teaching violin lessons. When I go back and watch a James Bond movie, I am absolutely shocked at the material I was exposed to. But at the time, it all went over my head. On the other hand, when my brothers started wrestling on a daily basis, and it started getting out of hand, mom confiscated James Bond.
I think "Hunger Games" has a serious message that we, as a society, need to think about. For that reason, I think I would probably wait until my kids were older, so that they could understand and discuss the book and it's implications.
I totally understand your concerns! I'm a parent too! Even my 9 year old son with a 10-grade reading level begged me to let him read it, we wouldnt allow him. We allowed our oldest just last summer after he turned 13, we felt he s matured enough to read and be mature enough to behave good. Even he helped us with 2nd son, he said ok ill wait til I'm old enough to read it. Remember about the Harry Potter Craze? I have a confessiom, I myself have never read it, just never like it.... But Mike did, the 2 kids did ... So...
ReplyDeleteIf you were in my feet, in our LDS point of view, I recommended, if you feel , up to you and Charles. I wouldnt let her read it til she s a teenager & mature enough to understand it.
Annie
This is just my opinion, but I think 5th grade is WAY too young. I know lots of kids her age have read them, but I wouldn't even be comfortable with Julia knowing the premise of the books! (And somehow, even with all the kids at school obsessed with it, she doesn't know!) Julia is super sensitive, and I know it would be so disturbing to her. It should be disturbing to everyone! Wait till she's older. Like 16. She doesn't need those images in her head at such a tender age.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments -- loved them! Yes, I think we will wait with Sammi. She is a really super reader (she loves to read) but I just think it is a little too real-life violent and not age appropriate (I chatted with some people who reminded me of some of the scenes). I remember really enjoying the books, a lot, but I just think the right age will make all the difference for Sammi. Thanks for all your thoughts!
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