Post by rupertpenny on Mar 2, 2023 20:13:30 GMT -5
My daughter (4th grade) brought The Golden Compass to school and her teacher told me it was inappropriate and too mature for her and it kind of pissed me off. I LOVED this book, which I first read in 3rd grade, and gave it to her because she kept asking about my favorite childhood books. It is anti-religion, but I don’t really have a problem with that.
Anyway I haven’t moderated her media consumption much at all, and books are where I’d be more liberal anyway. I never read VC Andrews, but I was borrowing Clan of the Cave Bear and Robert A. Heinlein stuff from my grandfather and Tom Robbins from my mom. Books always felt like a very safe way for me to explore and satisfy my curiosity about topics I was to embarrassed to talk about.
I probably would try to steer her away from Colleen Hoover though, mostly because I just hated Verity that much.
As a librarian I mostly bring books home and hand them to her so this hasn’t really been an issue. In general though, I don’t think I’d prevent her from reading a book as much as I’d try to read at the same time and discuss. I grew up just like this though so…
Post by expectantsteelerfan on Mar 2, 2023 20:32:14 GMT -5
The Colleen Hoover discussion has me thinking. My vote was that I wouldn't restrict and wouldn't say a peep. I've read a good amount of Colleen Hoover, enough to know I'm not a fan of hers (It Ends With Us, Hopeless, Verity, maybe one more) and swore I wouldn't read any more. I get why some would think her books are problematic for young/immature readers, but I still don't know that I would restrict either of my kids from reading those books. I do think I'd want to talk to them about it a bit, but I feel like they are exposed to so much horrific stuff in general in this life.
meanie, oh man Christopher Pike. I had kind of forgotten about him, but I read everything he wrote.
I still have mine. I handed DD Remember Me a few months ago. She handed it right back and said no thank you. Rude.
I loved Christopher Pike! I have Remember Me and Remember Me 2 sitting in my living room right now. Brought them back from my parents house and was hoping I could convince my kid to read them. Remember me was my favorite!
I’m like many who read Stephen King Christopher like and Vc andrews and my parents couldn’t care less what I read. I loved that there was never any restrictions and I developed such a lifelong love of reading.
I get some of the hesitancy with the Colleen Hoover stuff to an extent. But I know I read tons of not appropriate stuff and turned out ok. I’d much rather have a discussion about it vs restrict. My kid isn’t a huge reader so I’d rather try to encourage it. However she has more interest in horror/dystopian than anything like Colleen Hoover type books!
Post by fivechickens on Mar 2, 2023 21:20:55 GMT -5
I voted SS because it has not been an issue. I am usually checking to make sure it is age appropriate and not too young.
Not sure how would handle a too mature book. My MIL likes to get DD3 books that aren’t necessarily age appropriate but just too challenging a read not the content. They are all usually asking me what this or that means so I assume if it was sexual content they would ask questions so I would know if it was inappropriate in that context.
I swore I would never, but honestly I hate Colleen Hoover and think she glorifies toxic behavior and don’t want my daughter to think that’s good, healthy or romantic. I would steer her toward some stronger female characters/writers but also if she wanted to read it- we’d just have discussions about how unhealthy the relationships being shown are
It’s interesting because I hadn’t run across her before L brought her up. L is the one who told me she glorifies DV and apparently released or was going to release a coloring book based on one of her books, and she was dragged on Ls tiktok feed for it basically being pictures of dv. L now refuses to read them on principal because of it.
I swore I would never, but honestly I hate Colleen Hoover and think she glorifies toxic behavior and don’t want my daughter to think that’s good, healthy or romantic. I would steer her toward some stronger female characters/writers but also if she wanted to read it- we’d just have discussions about how unhealthy the relationships being shown are
It’s interesting because I hadn’t run across her before L brought her up. L is the one who told me she glorifies DV and apparently released or was going to release a coloring book based on one of her books, and she was dragged on Ls tiktok feed for it basically being pictures of dv. L now refuses to read them on principal because of it.
This generation is all right.
How old is L now? Because in my head she’s maybe 7 lol But also- this made me tear up a little, they are alright huh?
The Hoover love runs deep on TT and I can’t stop myself from commenting Everytime 😂
Post by gretchenindisguise on Mar 2, 2023 21:27:46 GMT -5
But y’all. Just don’t be the mom I saw telling her son that he couldn’t get the books he wanted because he needed to read “books at his reading level” - which he seemed so not into. [eta - the ones he wanted were his 6-7th grade age group the ones mom wanted were 10th grade plus]
Or the mom who told her kids not to read graphic novels and trying to get them to pick a book from the “classics” book section.
The Colleen Hoover discussion has me thinking. My vote was that I wouldn't restrict and wouldn't say a peep. I've read a good amount of Colleen Hoover, enough to know I'm not a fan of hers (It Ends With Us, Hopeless, Verity, maybe one more) and swore I wouldn't read any more. I get why some would think her books are problematic for young/immature readers, but I still don't know that I would restrict either of my kids from reading those books. I do think I'd want to talk to them about it a bit, but I feel like they are exposed to so much horrific stuff in general in this life.
The thing is- so many of her books romanticize it- I HATE that, and while I wouldn’t restrict- I would be talking About it.
This is coming from someone who read EVERYTHING. It’s different now that it’s glorified all over TT as being romantic.
For the most part no but recently I saw DD reading some book that seemed way too adult for her. I told her that kids that still sleep with teddy bears at night are not ready to read books at that level. She let out a nervous laugh but I think she gets that she is still a kid. She picked it up at a book swap in school but now I can't remember where I hid the book either so watch her find it sooner than later and read it. Otherwise the only restriction I have is that I will not spend money to buy graphic novels. She complains that the library doesn't have any but I say that's too bad.
For the most part no but recently I saw DD reading some book that seemed way too adult for her. I told her that kids that still sleep with teddy bears at night are not ready to read books at that level. She let out a nervous laugh but I think she gets that she is still a kid. She picked it up at a book swap in school but now I can't remember where I hid the book either so watch her find it sooner than later and read it. Otherwise the only restriction I have is that I will not spend money to buy graphic novels. She complains that the library doesn't have any but I say that's too bad.
It’s interesting because I hadn’t run across her before L brought her up. L is the one who told me she glorifies DV and apparently released or was going to release a coloring book based on one of her books, and she was dragged on Ls tiktok feed for it basically being pictures of dv. L now refuses to read them on principal because of it.
This generation is all right.
How old is L now? Because in my head she’s maybe 7 lol But also- this made me tear up a little, they are alright huh?
The Hoover love runs deep on TT and I can’t stop myself from commenting Everytime 😂
13! She will be 14 this summer and starting 9th grade in the fall. I’m dying at how old she is these days.
For the most part no but recently I saw DD reading some book that seemed way too adult for her. I told her that kids that still sleep with teddy bears at night are not ready to read books at that level. She let out a nervous laugh but I think she gets that she is still a kid. She picked it up at a book swap in school but now I can't remember where I hid the book either so watch her find it sooner than later and read it. Otherwise the only restriction I have is that I will not spend money to buy graphic novels. She complains that the library doesn't have any but I say that's too bad.
Why not graphic novels?
I posted before I saw your post. For example, I’ve seen DD read the regular Baby-sitters Club books so I’m not going to spend money at Barnes and Nobles for the graphic novel versions of the Baby-sitters Club.
Sort of? You have to mix in books you haven't read before with ones you have, and not everything can be graphic novels, and if it gives you nightmares you can't read it.
I would also say no to anything racist, misogynist, homophobic, etc. Censoring for domestic violence and rape makes sense to me.
I posted before I saw your post. For example, I’ve seen DD read the regular Baby-sitters Club books so I’m not going to spend money at Barnes and Nobles for the graphic novel versions of the Baby-sitters Club.
oh I bought that whole set! Haha BUT- it’s because we’re struggling w reading a bit and they give my daughter a lot of confidence. Also they read them very quickly so it feels like a waste sometimes
I posted before I saw your post. For example, I’ve seen DD read the regular Baby-sitters Club books so I’m not going to spend money at Barnes and Nobles for the graphic novel versions of the Baby-sitters Club.
What about the library? See if you can get them from interlibrary loans. That is what we do.
I have a limit on which graphic novels I'll pay for (Graphic Novels can be a great way to handle big subjects. Something like White Bird (holocaust), When Stars Are Scattered (Refugees), Go With the Flow (Menstruation), Catherine's War (Holocaust again), Gender Queer, or Persopolis (Iranian revolution) are completely different from Narwhal and Jelly (which are adorable, but not substantive). But I'm much more open with library books.
I don't buy anything my kids would finish between library check out and getting home. lol.
I think CH's books are terrible in general (in fairness I have only read two) so I'd steer my kid away from them anyway.
So excepting those, no. My 12 year old reads everything from YA in my 8tj grade classroom (The Hate You Give and similar) to Bug Nate. He loves graphic novels too. I sometimes limit purchases of graphic novels but only because my kids read them so quickly.
I think CH's books are terrible in general (in fairness I have only read two) so I'd steer my kid away from them anyway.
So excepting those, no. My 12 year old reads everything from YA in my 8tj grade classroom (The Hate You Give and similar) to Bug Nate. He loves graphic novels too. I sometimes limit purchases of graphic novels but only because my kids read them so quickly.
My daughter is 12 and my son is 15. My son hates to read and always has. I think its because he struggles so much with dyslexia. If I saw him reading, I think I'd just be so happy that he was, that I wouldn't worry about WHAT he was reading. lol
My daughter reads a lot of LGBT YA, and I don't censor anything she reads. When they were in elementary school, I probably curated their books a little bit more, but at this age, they can read whatever they want.
I read some pretty smutty stuff in high school. I don’t recall my mom ever telling me I wasn’t allowed to read something.
DS1 is a big reader and I think DS2 might be as well. I can’t see myself restricting them much. Even now, we use books as an opportunity to learn when topics come up that they aren’t familiar with or that I want them to understand better.
Post by mustardseed2007 on Mar 3, 2023 1:01:57 GMT -5
Actually several years ago DS got a book that was collection of Dr Suess books out of the school library and that’s when I found out/realized the early works of his including the one about the zoo (that I had when I was a kid) has terribly racist parts/illustrations.
I talked to DS about it and then I pointed it out to the school librarian. DS checked it out again about a year later and those parts of the collection were no longer in the book. I didn’t ask if they’d had it removed or bought a new copy or what but it just wasn’t there anymore.
Aw I get the limiting graphic novels because they are read very quickly but I am positive my daughter wouldn't be the reader she is today without them. They were all she would read in 2nd/3rd grade and she still enjoys them as comfort books. When we do book purges they are always the ones that stay.
I was just talking about this with my family! I used to read adult books beginning in fifth grade or so. Theoretically, I don't restrict. My youngest is 9, and his school library is where he selects most of his books, so I'm certainly fine with whatever. If he tried to read something with explicit/graphic sex or violence at his age, I would take that from him, though. But this is purely hypothetical as I don't see him selecting anything like that. He likes Diary of a Wimpy kid.
Post by maudefindlay on Mar 3, 2023 8:53:44 GMT -5
I have 2 in elementary and 1 in middle school. They get their books from the school libraries or from our local bookstore and I'm usually with them then. They seem to just pick things targeted for their ages. My oldest is not a reader unfortunately. I don't see myself taking away any books/materials unless it was actual porn.
Eta My youngest has a copy of IT. I'd just be proud if she stuck with it and read a book that long. Eta My friend's Mom saw my copy of Flowers in the Attic sticking out of my backpack in my middle school days and asked to borrow it. Upon returning it she thanked me for "highlighting all the good parts".
Aw I get the limiting graphic novels because they are read very quickly but I am positive my daughter wouldn't be the reader she is today without them. They were all she would read in 2nd/3rd grade and she still enjoys them as comfort books. When we do book purges they are always the ones that stay.
My son really got into reading with the Dogman and Bad Guys graphic novel series and those were the first books he really loved. I'm so glad I didn't restrict them because they are graphic novels with insipid plots. He now is such a great reader and I'm glad he found a way to love reading.
Aw I get the limiting graphic novels because they are read very quickly but I am positive my daughter wouldn't be the reader she is today without them. They were all she would read in 2nd/3rd grade and she still enjoys them as comfort books. When we do book purges they are always the ones that stay.
My son really got into reading with the Dogman and Bad Guys graphic novel series and those were the first books he really loved. I'm so glad I didn't restrict them because they are graphic novels with insipid plots. He now is such a great reader and I'm glad he found a way to love reading.
Yep. DD loved Big Nate and Bad Guys. Then she discovered Raina Telgemeir and read Guts probably 1800 million times. Approximately. Reading was hard for her until late 3rd grade. Graphic novels gave her so much confidence.
My son really got into reading with the Dogman and Bad Guys graphic novel series and those were the first books he really loved. I'm so glad I didn't restrict them because they are graphic novels with insipid plots. He now is such a great reader and I'm glad he found a way to love reading.
Yep. DD loved Big Nate and Bad Guys. Then she discovered Raina Telgemeir and read Guts probably 1800 million times. Approximately. Reading was hard for her until late 3rd grade. Graphic novels gave her so much confidence.
I also have found that he is much more willing to read a graphic novel about a challenging topic (e.g. the holocaust) than a novel or a non-fiction book. He also re-reads his graphic novels constantly, so on that level, I think they are a good investment!
My DS1 (10) is an avid reader. We recently got him Kindle Unlimited. I dont check what he is downloading but I do ask him about what he is reading fairly frequently. If it is a book/author I dont know, I do a quick check on commonsense media to see what they have to say about it. I haven't banned or stopped him from reading anything but I will ask him questions about it if I see an issue highlighted that I think he should be aware of or talk about with me.
He loves Rold Dahl so we have had to have discussions about time/place/history and language being used that is wrong. Again, I dont stop him reading it, just make sure we talk about it.
I wish I had this probem with my DS 2 (8). He reads dog man and other cmic novels or books about soccer and thats it.