Books for naive 10 yo reading at a high school level? - Page 3

[Tigerle]

Originally Posted by MeepyCat 

Originally Posted by ollyoxenfree 

I thought of Jane Austen, also suggested by pp, but wondered if the romances would be considered "too mature".  They are certainly tame compared to most teen fiction these days. It's hard to know what some parents will find objectionable. 

In re:  Jane Austen - while many of her books are romances, the extent of the romance is... conversation.  At no point do the people in love kiss, or even touch suggestively.  (I believe that Fanny, in Mansfield Park leans on Edmund's arm at one point, while on a walk, and Marianne in Sense and Sensibility is carried home by Willoughby after she sprains her ankle.  I have read every last one of these books, and that's *it*.)  They may dance together at public occasions.  Girls are seldom alone with men, although they are permitted to receive proposals of marriage in private. Austen expends a lot of ink on the benefits of good manners and familial affection. The book with the most scandalous plotlines (Mansfield Park) is also the one that younger readers are most likely to get bored with.  I would have no trouble giving them to a ten year-old - if her parents disapprove, I don't know what they *would* approve of.

Oh but you've forgotten Mr. Knightley drawing Emma's arm through his when he thinks he has to comfort her about Frank Churchill's defection, just before he proposes. Frissons!

[MeepyCat]

Originally Posted by Tigerle 

 

Oh but you've forgotten Mr. Knightley drawing Emma's arm through his when he thinks he has to comfort her about Frank Churchill's defection, just before he proposes. Frissons!

OMG, you're right!  I think have to go to the authorities and turn in my English degree now.  Where's the blushing smiley?

Nonetheless:  Frissons are as deep as it gets.  These books aren't romances in the way that we discuss romances now - they're artifacts of a time when marriage *was* a respectable woman's work, in a place where women of a certain social class were legally prohibited from pursuing most paying jobs.  It matters who Lizzy Bennett marries because that is THE thing that's going to happen to her.  It is her entire life.

I agree that that's whacked, but I still think most parents can get their heads around this kind of romance in the hands of ten year-olds.
 

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by MeepyCat 

I agree that that's whacked, but I still think most parents can get their heads around this kind of romance in the hands of ten year-olds.
 

Yeah, I agree most parents can get their heads around it. "Most parents" may not include those parents who object to Harry Potter and other fantasy novels on the grounds that they promote devil worship or whatever the objection is to speculative children's fiction, as noted by the OP in her first request for suggestions.   

[sapphire_chan]

How about giving the parents a list of potential books and having them say which are okay? It'll still be a surprise for the kid.

[Monkey Keeper]

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan 

How about giving the parents a list of potential books and having them say which are okay? It'll still be a surprise for the kid.

This is a wonderful suggestion!  However, my SIL won't have feedback. She didn't know anything about some books I gave her while back that were left over from my childhood (those goofy Babysitter's Club ones!) and wouldn't read them herself to know whether they were okay--so she sent them back unread.  I have to do the due diligence myself.  I have some good ones bought and an awesome list to work from going forward, though, thanks to the discussion here.

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by PinkBunch 

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan 

How about giving the parents a list of potential books and having them say which are okay? It'll still be a surprise for the kid.

This is a wonderful suggestion!  However, my SIL won't have feedback. She didn't know anything about some books I gave her while back that were left over from my childhood (those goofy Babysitter's Club ones!) and wouldn't read them herself to know whether they were okay--so she sent them back unread.  I have to do the due diligence myself.  I have some good ones bought and an awesome list to work from going forward, though, thanks to the discussion here.
 

Okay, then I'm confused. If you say the books are okay, your SIL will accept that? However, if you tell her "I'm not sure about these" she'll just reject them out of hand? Well then, problem solved! "Hey SIL, have you heard about any of the following books? You haven't? Great! They'll be just find for your dd."

[Monkey Keeper]

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan 

Originally Posted by PinkBunch 

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan 

How about giving the parents a list of potential books and having them say which are okay? It'll still be a surprise for the kid.

This is a wonderful suggestion!  However, my SIL won't have feedback. She didn't know anything about some books I gave her while back that were left over from my childhood (those goofy Babysitter's Club ones!) and wouldn't read them herself to know whether they were okay--so she sent them back unread.  I have to do the due diligence myself.  I have some good ones bought and an awesome list to work from going forward, though, thanks to the discussion here.
 

Okay, then I'm confused. If you say the books are okay, your SIL will accept that? However, if you tell her "I'm not sure about these" she'll just reject them out of hand? Well then, problem solved! "Hey SIL, have you heard about any of the following books? You haven't? Great! They'll be just find for your dd."

nak

I agree it is confusing, but yes, there is some level trust placed in me along with a quick once-over by mom (read the dust jacket, flip to a random page).  I just try to pick books that are as unobjectionable as possible to avoid the conflict and not waste my money!  Hence my plea for help as I am out of the loop in terms of current children's fiction.

[Tigerchild]

I'd double check on Narnia with the parents before buying it.  While Lewis was a Christian author, I know none of my home churches would have approved of it--sorcery is out.  Period.  Esp. since the good guys use sorcery after a fashion in it as well.  But, there are other groups that forgive him that because of his other works.  Because it's in a grey area though, I would check.

I think that it'd be neat to ask the parents about Austen.  IME, just because a group does not like fantasy/magic doesn't mean that they will nix the themes of very strong rules about what/who is appropriate to romance, nor will they object to a woman's main fulfillment being found in seeking/obtaining a husband and marriage.  In the group I was a walkaway from, even the dresses style was idolized, and those of us who were in the church probably would understand more than other women who weren't the fear/problems one would face if you didn't find a mate or didn't have a father to broker the relationship or other problem.

So...I wouldn't rule out Jane Austen just because the parents don't like R.K Rowling, KWIM?

[deminc]

You may want to consider The Mysterious Benedict Society - about four children, gifted in different ways, on a mission. It's a fun read, no sexual stuff, and the plot can be challenging. You can read it on different levels. There are three books in the series, I prefer the first. You can borrow from the library to take a look through first to see if it's suitable.  

Edit to add: someone suggested The Giver. I think you best look through it first as it may not be suitable for the sensitive child. This is a very interesting layered book, but controversial. In some schools, it is on the reading list. In others it is not allowed. The pivotal part of the book is when the protagonist sees his father killing a baby that was deemed "unviable" for their society, and then simply depositing the body in a dustbin. His entire worldview is shaken and he realises that hisnew brother will also be euthanised because he can't sleep through the night. Subsequently he discovers that the previous child selected for his current role chose to die instead of completing her training. The adults are portrayed as helpless, deceitful and ignorant. So consider with care.    

Edited by deminc - 12/11/10 at 3:41pm

[Monkey Keeper]

Originally Posted by deminc 

You may want to consider The Mysterious Benedict Society - about four children, gifted in different ways, on a mission. It's a fun read, no sexual stuff, and the plot can be challenging. You can read it on different levels. There are three books in the series, I prefer the first. You can borrow from the library to take a look through first to see if it's suitable.  

THanks!!! This is what I actually bought; it looked good, so I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it.  I think she will too--and it's long, so that helps with value :)  

[DesertFlower]

Anne of Green Gables!

[domesticidyll]

Sweet to see so many of my old favorites (and nice to see some things I haven't read).

You might also look at Shannon Hale--try Goose Girl.

Heather

[Tigerle]

Originally Posted by MeepyCat 

Originally Posted by Tigerle 

 

Oh but you've forgotten Mr. Knightley drawing Emma's arm through his when he thinks he has to comfort her about Frank Churchill's defection, just before he proposes. Frissons!

OMG, you're right!  I think have to go to the authorities and turn in my English degree now.  Where's the blushing smiley?

Nonetheless:  Frissons are as deep as it gets.  These books aren't romances in the way that we discuss romances now - they're artifacts of a time when marriage *was* a respectable woman's work, in a place where women of a certain social class were legally prohibited from pursuing most paying jobs.  It matters who Lizzy Bennett marries because that is THE thing that's going to happen to her.  It is her entire life.

I agree that that's whacked, but I still think most parents can get their heads around this kind of romance in the hands of ten year-olds.
 

Sorry, just couldn't resist. compulsive correctors lurk in this forum and rear their ugly heads, now and again. Didn't we have a self-help-thread about this recently?

Really enjoyed how you summed up what P&P is all about.

[Cavy]

I also wanted to query whether Narnia books would be ok, there's lots of magic in them.

What about SciFi? There's heaps of SciFi out there that could be suitable, Asimov produced the biggest thickest tomes.  I Robot series, then there's Heinlein, Bradbury and their prodigious output...

Since there was so much talk of Nesbitt, may I suggest the Swallows and Amazons series by Arthur Ransome? 

http://www.arthur-ransome.org/ar/bibliography

There are heaps of them and they are very good old fashioned adventure stories (written quite well).

I was reading plenty of my dad's pat mystery novels at about that age, like Dick Francis books. Which are more formulaic than scarey.

I simply adore Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones, most of her other books are fantasy, though.

If you were in Britain I would also suggest authors: Michael Morpurgo, Philip Pullman, Joshua Doder, Erin Hunter.