We can do it for a while, but it's hard to do it effectively -- and the reality is that violence has become part of our world and our media. Our job as parents is to help our kids navigate this violence.
We don't want them to be too upset by it, but at the same time, we don't want them to think that violence is good. We need to understand what they are ready to see or read, and then we need to talk with them again and again about it.
Talking about the violence in "The Hunger Games" could lead to all sorts of really interesting conversations about what people are forced to do in desperate situations, about power and its abuse, about media and the glamorization of violence. But I won't be having those conversations with Natasha just yet, because she's not ready for them. And I'm back to the drawing board in my quest to get her sucked in by books. I'm thinking maybe "The Mysterious Benedict Society". Anybody have ideas? Main Menu U.
News U. Politics Joe Biden Congress Extremism. The Maze Runner. Rating: PG, for thematic elements and intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, including some disturbing images.
This is yet another sci-fi thriller based on yet another young adult novel set in a rigidly structured, dystopian future. Sometimes, finding an age - appropriate book is as easy as matching your child's age to the reading level printed on the back of a book. If your child is 10, for example, then you can look for books in the 9—12 age bracket. Generally, yes. The Hunger Games series appeals to teenagers and adults alike because of the universal appeal of the themes.
Not all Young Adult books appeal to adults. YA books with themes that atract only to teenagers typically don't become breakout successes like the Hunger Games and Harry Potter. Katniss said that she miscarried due to an electric shock in the arena.
However, during the 15 years after the events of Mockingjay, Katniss became pregnant legitimately. The Hunger Games has been cut by its distributor in order to achieve a teen-friendly rating of 12A in the UK. The film, set in a post-apocalyptic America where adolescents fight to the death on live TV, had been facing a 15 certificate.
The movie is based on the first of a trilogy of novels by Suzanne Collins. Concerns have been raised about the violent content of The Hunger Games , after some parents have taken their children out of screenings saying that they have found the film too distressing.
This means that children aged 12 and over can see the film alone, and those under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Rated PG : Parental guidance suggested — Some material may not be suitable for children. I look forward to dinner at her house so I can hear her thoughts on it. I used to be really strict on what my son, who is 11 years old, read and just as strict as what he watched. He has read the series and loved it. The reason I finally gave up and let him read what he wanted.
Book in Young Adults categories is every time he reads a book from the Harry Potter Series, any of Rick Riordan, the series that starts out with Hatched and so on with just ending with Hunger Games series he wants me to read everyone of the books he reads so we can talk about it. Days after he finishes a book we have conversations what he thought of the book, how he would change it, and so on. We have more conversations in our home because of his reading books I may not find all the books that appropriate but find it worth it in the long run.
I have a 11 year old boy who talks to his mother, so I will let him read. Movies…however, if he reads the book I do let him watch the movies.
I love your prespective on this. I have done the same with my daughter, who is now 14, and it sparks a lot converesation between her and I. I started this when she wanted to read the Twilight series and I was hesitant about her reading it. Most of the time, I read the books as well so I have some idea of what she is reading. When she asked to see the movie because all her friends were going, I wanted to say no.
But she and I sat down and discussed the books together. I asked her what she got out of them and if she saw any parallels to our current society. Her response was an emphatic YES. She said we need to continuously monitor the laws they are making and ensure that they are doing our will and not becoming entertainment for the elite. Thank you for all the comments above.
I appreciate the back and forth which helped me talk with my daughter and make an informed decision on this movie. I have read all three books and so have my two older children, 14 and I started reading the series after my eldest was required to read it for school and she told me the premise of the story. It sounded terrible. Our youth director at church advised me to read the books myself so that I could discuss them with my daughter.
I am glad I did read them, unlike some of those posting here, because they were different than I expected. Your daughter should read it!!!!! Twilight is great but I always hated that she need a man all the time. Since we just moved here, she is reading this recommended book and Im a little uncomfortable about the content. Our kids grow up too fast as it is. I think this book will be put back on the shelf for another year.
I think 4th grade is too young—especially for a whole-class novel. Is it being taught as a whole-class, or was it just recommended to your daughter? I teach it at the high school level and feel it is very appropriate for my age group of students. I know many middle school teachers have great success, but I really think even 6th grade is pushing it if it is required for all to read.
I personally think it is the maturity level of the child and if you are comfortable with the subject matter. I would agree with you.
Even though I just turned 11 when I first read them, I already read the whole Twilight saga, and saw the movies when I was about 8 or 9 in the fourth grade. I have known about the birds and the bees since about second grade.
So, once again, it all depends on what she already knows and how mature she is and if YOU are ready to expose her to that kind of stuff.
Go Tracee! I have been reading through these posts. I am a mother of 3 boys, aged 11, 12, and Orman on TpT. I have not seen students so thrilled and inspired to read in many years. My students are not caught up in the violence and love interest in the story.
They are connecting with the characters. They appreciate the raw honesty in the writing. The history of our country and most others is tied to violence against the young and innocent. Teaching our children about this can prevent the mistakes of the past.
The cross-curricular connections students make reading this series is amazing. They have a deeper understanding of democracy, moral understanding, and are enjoying rich literature. Many of the classical literature some of you are speaking of was controversial in its inception!
You know, they get so bored hearing about the birds and the bees from their parents, nonetheless! I doubt many would actually support this line of thinking. Come on, folks! Who are you kidding? You are justifying your decisions in letting kids consume these books and other inappropriate media with faulty reasoning.
Ask yourselves that. Take a step back from all the hype and take a closer, more honest, look at your moral compass. If you think so, so be it! These ideas can make a lasting, impactful, extremely negative impression on their psyches. This, so that we can teach our children that torture, murder and other evils are not acceptable! This, so that we can teach them that we should try with all our being to prevent them from ever happening again. But, we should not have to go into graphic detail to get these messages across to them at this age.
It is the same with your arguments about the Bible being so violent and how seeing Christ on the crucifix is worse than kids reading about children torturing and killing other children. They ages 10 and 4 learn this from their families. They attend church and faith formation classes. They know about good and evil. They know about the 10 commandments.
They know about the Golden Rule. Yes, my 4-year-old is saddened by the image of Christ on the cross as am I. I prefer to see images of the Risen Lord… But, it offers the opportunity for us to discuss our beliefs. Sandra I supplied the link on my posts because I wanted to make that very clear: I am a teacher, I teach this series at my high school, I share my resources with my fellow teachers.
In all of my posts here you can click on my name or link to see my website. I love to share my success story with other teachers who are struggling to find literature that will engage our students. I had several freshmen boys admit it was the first book they ever read cover to cover in their life. Reading the novels did not make them more violent, it made them more compassionate human beings.
They wanted to help others via charity work and food drives. Instead, they wanted to read! And they wanted to help others. Just as you are sharing your thoughts, which I respect as a parent, I am sharing what I have experienced first hand with over teenagers and many parents, librarians, and other teachers. In addition, I hear from thousands of teachers and students around the world telling me how much the series has moved them. There are a lot of great things happening because of these books.
Does anyone attend church anymore in this country?? Our religious beliefs tell us not to kill each other. Do we take our children to church and preach one thing, and then take them to a movie and let them watch thekilling of children by other children?
Where has religion gone in this country??? This book and its series is nothing but a waste of time! Lessons on how to treat one another, how to deal with death, how to deal with bad times, good times, can all be taught in the religious arena!
Please, no more of this disgusting book! Collins uses the same writing techniques used in the Bible. But do small children who hear of it year after year go out and try to nail people to a cross? The image of Christ on a crucifix is everywhere at least it is for me; I grew up Catholic and lived across the street from our church. Does seeing this often bloody image of a man nailed to a cross make people want to kill one another? If we used your logic and the arguments stated above, it would!
But it does not make people more violent; it is used to teach a lesson. Even a small child understands this. Kids get bored. They tune them out. Are you kidding me? As a Catholic and a teacher, I find your comparison of the Bible to this book both ludicrous and disturbing. I see your line of thought, but then you jump the track. Perhaps you forget parts of the Biblical story-the part where Jesus tells Peter to put away his sword.
People I know have used this same argument to justify having young children protesting at abortion facilities. They need to know about the horrors of abortion. I have yet heard an argument that validates telling a 3 or 4 year old that a mother is going to kill her baby. In regard to the book. I have read it. So has my husband. Our 11 year old daughter will not. Perhaps when she is older. Kill or be killed. Let our children be children. They have a whole lot more years to be a grown up.
I was not arguing that an year old should read the novel. In no way was I actually justifying the violence in either for young children. I am shocked at the number of people who feel qualified to criticize a book without having read it.
Do you write reviews of movies without ever watching them? Criticize artwork without seeing it? It is referred to in the second and third books of the trilogy. Glimmer as a mention of sex. I seriously wonder which books you would find appropriate for teenagers?
The Diary of Anne Frank would be out of the question, as well. Do classics become classics because they are popular? I was an advanced student through all my years in school. I hated them. I am now I have 4 children and they attend public school. It is well written violence. I find it sad that we feel the need to feed this to our kids. There are better options out there.
What a shame. Children killing children. This is our new classic? How enlightening. I too am shocked by the number of people praising this series. This is certainly a reflection of the downward spiral of our society.
I cannot believe middle schools have this series on their reading lists with teachers advocating this. I praise the series, but I think that it should not be read in middle school. I think it is more appropriate for high school students. First of all, thank you Sandra, I could not have said better myself why I do not think the gruesome themes in the books are appropriate for children. While I believe it is extremely important to teach my children history, I do not find it necessary to explain every mode of torture used in the holocaust or of the japanese prison camps, which is what these books do.
They will learn those things eventually, and it is important that they do, but there is a proper time. As for the prostitution it is a vital part of the plot and is handled very tastefully as are the other very few sexual references in the books. However, along with the physical violence, the use of prostitution and psychological torture are among the many reasons I think it is inappropriate for school age children.
Orman, Although one would not deny the importance of teaching children this age historical facts, one does NOT have to rub in their faces the gruesome details of how warriors and soldiers kill one another. Our society would not send children into war. Why should we expose them to the details of torture and death by encouraging them to read such material? It merely pollutes their minds with strong, graphic and disturbing images that they should NOT have to be processing at this age — that they cannot healthily process at this age.
Well, prostitution, in the generally understood sense of the term — is all about sex. I want her to know about the beauty, responsibility and moral aspects of our sexuality. All of this in a general and age-appropriate manner in keeping with our beliefs. Our society is already bombarded with sexual images, language, etc.
Because our duty as adults is to remember these kids are kids! Not little adults. Unfortunately, there will be a time when these individuals will be exposed to these concepts — but it should not be when they are so young and impressionable.
As for the comparison to the Percy Jackson series, the latter is about mythical creatures fighting one another — not children torturing and killing other children. And, with care, they will … hopefully into caring adults who value life and each other. Well put, I agree. Keep them kids as long as we can and no eyeshadow at 12 either, dammit! Funny how you are all about keeping kids clean, yet right on a website about clean advice about a book you go on swearing. I am a 13 year old and I personally love the series, or at least how far I have read.
As for the sexual references, maybe you should give your kids a little time before letting them read this book. It is centered towards 7th to 8th grade students, not 10 year olds! Is it okay for children? In my opinion, no. But is it okay for middle school and up with discretion?
I have been and am being raised in a highly Christian household with good morals and no tolerance to inappropriate content. We were informed of issues in the world at an early age and are able to act on it to help teach others that bad things are in fact bad. I am highly in favor of the fact that it is appropriate for youth, but with discretion of whether the individual is mature enough for it or not. Amen to letting them be children.
Why do we insist that they have to read gruesome stuff just to be exposed to genre. They will be adults soon enough and get to spend their whole lives dealing with adult issues—I agree makeup, low cut clothing, etc are not necessary. Children do not process things the same way we as adults do. Their minds, not to mention, their souls are not fully developed yet.
My husband read it. Nearly every tween, young teen I have spoken to about the book immediately light up as they tell me how violent the books are.
I recently finished reading The Hunger Games trilogy and I was horrified to discover that this book is encouraged reading for middle school children. The above poster is correct, this series should fall in the horror genre. Is the violence and twisted psychological torture intrinsic to the plot necessary for the point the books are meant to make?
Is it a good and important point? Would I let my child read it before the age of 15 or 16? These books are disturbing on every imaginable level and are the sort of horrors we should still be trying to protect our middle schoolers from, not intentionally exposing them to.
Literature like The Hunger Games is offered as a high-interest companion to real history. Students need a mixture of both non-fiction like their history books and fiction in school. They are taught the same lessons in history they study gladiator battles, genocide, slavery, battle strategies in middle school history , but it makes sense to them when they read it from a teenage perspective.
And Suzanne Collins does a brilliant job writing. I am a teacher and I am thankful she wrote this series; my students are more engaged and excited about reading than ever before. They take more interest in history class when they see the connections.
Education is about opening their minds, not sheltering our kids from rich learning experiences. I let my son read it when he was He loved it even more than the Percy Jackson series, which actually has much more violence than The Hunger Games. But after reading these posts in an attempt to research, for myself, whether my 12 year old should be allowed to read the books following her request to do so , I am decided: no way.
When my husband and I are watching the Today Show in the morning, and Anne Curry comes on to tell us about the father who just locked himself in his house with his two little boys in order to incinerate them all, we turn the t. Or when Al Roker suddenly switches to the newscaster describing how the 9-year-old was kidnapped, raped and murdered, and the family is still looking for her body, we likewise turn the channel.
Yes, these are the realities of the world we live in, and I KNOW these kids are already hearing about them. Does the fact that there is evil in the world mean I want my innocent, happy and sweet girl hearing about it all at this point?
Does it mean that there will come a time when she will hear about it? But before that time comes, I want to wrap her in the love and security of that magical, happy world where things end up ok. I was able to deal with it, because I knew that things would be ok in the long run, and I still believe that, thanks to this early sheltering and protection of my parents.
So again, with all due respect to you and your profession and your opinion, I vehemently disagree with allowing a 12 year old, or perhaps even a year-old, read this series. Is graphic detail of the variety and types of tortures endured by prisoners at Auschwitz or the intricate details of HOW soldiers were actually killed or died, an integral part to teaching students in this age group about these historical events or is it sufficient to explain that the people involved suffered greatly and many lives were lost?
Where do we draw the line in exposing young minds to the intricate details of the horrors of the world before it is necessary to do so? I think this is what the previous poster was trying to say, and I agree. We teach our children to toughen up and be hardened to the realities of the world but gasp in shock and horror at the idea of looking to God for hope in the midst of all this depravity and misery.
Something is seriously wrong with the moral fibre of our society when this is the norm rather than the exception. Thanks for the info. I came to this site after my 9 year old 4th grader brought home a permission slip to be signed that she could read the book with her reading group at school.
If I choose for her to not read the book, she will be moved out of her advanced reading group to another group where they are reading something different. Helped me decide 7. Had useful details 8. Read my mind 1. Parent of a 1-year-old Written by smaurine June 17, I would never allow a child or youg teen to read this It is a good story, don't get me wrong, but no way would I ever let a child or young teen read this violent book.
It's disturbing, to say the very least. It reminds me a lot of the feeling I got when forced to read Lord of the Flies as a youth: creeped out!
The main character is brave, wise, and rather selfless, but I hesitate to call her a role model because she is forced to kill and maim. After reading some of the death scenes I was shaken for days. When a very young girl was speared to death, I couldn't stop crying. It's not the description of the violence that is disturbing, but the implied terror the mere children feel and the continuing loss of character after character.
This book is not for children, but if you decide to let your older teenager read it, please take the time to read the book first and make sure it's suitable for your child because I believe it is possible for a sensitive person to experience vicarious trauma just from reading this book.
Helped me decide 6. Had useful details 7. Read my mind 3. Parent of a year-old Written by Kay November 28, Too violent and disturbing for kids My child just read this book in the 6th grade. He liked it and asked me to read it. Wow I was shocked that the school thinks it is a good idea for grade schoolers to read this. This book is not for pre-teens. While it is well written and a page-turner, that does not make it a great read for kids. It is full of really awful graphic violence. The story is kids are forced to kill kids and that is not what I want my 11 year old's head filled with.
It is like letting a child play a violent video game over and over. If you put junk in you get junk out. The message of the book is not to give official authorities too much power over your life so I guess I will call his teacher tomorrow and let her know I am exercising my parental rights to not have my child read the rest of these books at this time. Had useful details 5.
Amazing Book, But for Middle School and Up A lot of parents on here are looking at this in a overly parent point of view, and I'd normally say that that's a good thing, but it may be a bit restrictive in this scenario. To start Violence: There will be violence. It's a book about a bunch of preteens and teens fighting to the death. There are a lot of deaths, but the gore isn't bad at all. I'd rate it a 2 on a scale of It's there but not too descriptive.
The injuries are realistic, and when will your child be exposed to realistic injuries? When it happens to them? Sex: There is some kissing, I'd rate it about a 3 still using a scale of In the series, prostitution is mentioned twice, never descriptive.
In the first book it's mentioned indirectly, but in the second book it is mentioned directly. That's why I rated it as middle school and up, and it's sure to bring up some interesting questions in younger audiences. I don't know how you raise your children, but you'll have to be the judge of that. Swearing: There is very mild language. The only 'bad word' used is "Hell", and it's only used a few times. Despite his problem, he is one of the best characters and never does anything bad.
He's the mentor to the main characters, as he won one of the games himself. He's been through a lot in his life and lost his whole family, so his problem is understandable. Positive Messages: This book teaches the values of teamwork in hard times and a friend, even when you think you may not need one, can make a world of difference.
Role Models: The main character, Katniss, is an amazing role model. She is a strong woman, and would do anything to protect the people she loves. In the very beginning of the book, she hunts outside the bounds of her district District In the books, this IS illegal but this isn't promoting crime.
It's showing that she'd risk her life for her family. She lives in the poorer part of her district Another example is when her younger sister Prim[rose] gets chosen for the Hunger Games, she volunteers so Prim isn't in danger.
Educational Value: This book shows the consequences of having a power hungry or overly controlling government or a dictatorship. This book takes place in the future in the United States. The phrase "Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it" I feel really holds true to this series, except it goes for the future.
Especially in these times where the government is taking away our right of movement during the Coronavirus. It shows how dangerous a government like that can be.
You as parents should be the judge of this book, but I read this book series not too long ago, and it was very entertaining. These books are also very sad because Collins did such a great job with this book and characters and they felt so real. This book is amazing and I'd definitely recommend it, but for audiences over middle school.
Sorry for the rant, but I hope you find this review useful. Helped me decide 2. Had useful details 4. Read my mind 4. Discussion, discussion, discussion is the key Hunger Games is a book with many messages meant to mirror problems in our own society, namely desensitization to violence on tv, reality tv shows that blur the lines between real human sufferring and being kicked off the island, war, famine, haves vs.
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