Letting my 11 year old read The Hunger Games

Long-time readers of this blog, and people who know me well, know that there's no "letting" involved when it comes to reading. My philosophy when it comes to children and books is, "let them read what they want." Experience has taught me that children can be trusted to put down a book when it is too advanced or difficult or upsetting for them. In fact, experience has taught me that most "problems" with childrens books are more about adult hang-ups (my own included) than about an issue for the child. When The Hunger Games was originally published, I put it in the YA department, which in this library is grades 9-12. I would occasionally get middle school readers who would ask for it. Now, thanks to the success of the film, I have 8 and 9 year olds looking for the book. I've also had parents seeking it out for their children, explaining (as if any explanation were needed) that their child could handle it. Hey--we don't judge in this library! Although the parent that asked me for "that hungry book" for their fifth grader did leave me wondering if she was aware of the book's premise. When a chaperon on a pre-school visit pulled me aside earlier this week and asked how I felt about the book, and was it safe for her 11 year old boy, it was clear to me that I will be talking Hunger Games for most of the spring.

I, too, have an 11 year old at home; a daughter I used to think was a reluctant reader, until it finally dawned on me that she just reads differently than I do (more on that later.) She has been reading Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson for her social studies unit on the American Revolution and hating it every step of the way. Her objection--too graphic. She told me (repeatedly) about a scene where a man is shot dead, and then proceeded to describe how the blood looked on the ground. She didn't like it. It upset her. She even told me she didn't think "little kids" (she is in fifth grade, so she is selectively little when the occasion suits!) should be forced to read the book, even for school (a point she later made to her teachers in a written response she was required to write about the book.)

And then The Hunger Games trailers started to appear. And she asked me if she could see the movie. I am not nearly as permissive about movies as I am about books. I told her no. My daughter, being clever, immediately attacked my weak spot. "What if I read the book?"

I'd still read it!

With the Forge experience still fresh in my mind I pointed out that The Hunger Games is more graphic and contextually far more disturbing. It was a point taken. She had not liked reading Forge. She was a little worried about reading The Hunger Games and being scared. But she really wanted to see the movie--a PG-13 movie about kids fighting to the death, which she knew would be an automatic 'no' unless there were some pretty exceptional circumstances. For my part, I wanted my daughter to love a book that I love--an intelligent, magnificent piece of dystopian fiction with a strong heroine and a compelling plot which reveals more and more with each reading. But I didn't want her to get nightmares, or be so deterred if she wasn't ready for it that she then never picked it up again (I suspect this was her experience with Harry Potter.) So we tried to make the book as safe as possible for her. I started reading it to her, a chapter a night, so that she could ask all the questions she wanted (so long as they weren't spoilers!) and not confront the harsher scenes on her own. Then, when we were done, if she still wanted to see the film, I would take her.

That arrangement lasted about a week, at which point she ripped the book from my hands and proceeded to finish it herself. She loved it. She marched down stairs when she finished it and decreed it "the best book ever!" No Forge ill-effects whatsoever.

And this is where I get to the part where I contemplate the different types of readers we are, my daughter and I. I read like my life depends on it. I'm not joking when I say I worry about the books I'm not reading, the great books which will slip through my fingers simply because I don't have the time to read them all. When I have spare time on my hands, my first thought is to read. Every other form of entertainment is balanced against whether or not I want to take the time away from a book. This is possibly unhealthy, I admit it. But it's indicative about how I feel about books.

My daughter likes to read, but usually only at bedtime. Rare is the occasion when she will choose to read instead of watch TV or play on the computer or go outside or simply daydream. In fact, there are times when I feel that she will do anything to avoid picking up a book if it's not during that last hour or so before bed. But when she does read, she has a pantheon of go-to books that she constantly revisits. For her, reading is not so much about the new experience as it is about comforting familiarity. She will sample new books when she has to, usually for school, or on the recommendation of a friend. Sometimes she will even take my advice and try something I think she will like. The Hunger Games (and now Catching Fire, which she is zipping through) is that rare book where she did drop all else to read it. And I know that it will enter her inner sanctum of beloved books and be read repeatedly. I know that what she doesn't understand now at 11 will hit her differently when she is 13, 15, 18--when she is revisiting the Capital and the Districts and seeing a story she thought she knew so well take on new meaning because she is at a different point in her life than she is now. That is an incredible gift that Suzanne Collins has given to my daughter.

So yes, I "let" my daughter read The Hunger Games. My parental concerns gave way to her wishes, and in the end she proved me correct to trust my librarian instincts. Where Forge fumbled, Katniss triumphed. Score one for the freedom to read what you want.

Spiderwick Chronicles--the Pumpkin

Today NMD had to turn in the first big project of the school year--a pumpkin decorated like a character from a book she read over the summer. It is 100% her work, and I'm pretty proud of the effort she put into it. So without further ado, I present Mallory, from the Spiderwick Chronicles Book 3: The Ironwood Tree!

Here's an up close shot of Mallory (sans sword). The pumpkins will be on display in the school library, just in time for all the parents to see and admire when we attend Back to School Night.

You read to me, I'll read to you Meme

This week NMD and I have combined older titles with newer. While she makes her way through Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater, I have been on picture book duty. Here's the current list, some of which I have already commented on.

I read to NMD:
1000 Times No, as told by Mr. Warburton
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
Funny Farm by Mark Teague
Grumpy Grandpa by Heather Henson, illus. by Ross McDonald
Marley Goes to School by John Grogan, illus. by Richard Cowdrey
One by Kathryn Otoshi
Sea of Tranquility by Mark Haddon, illus. by Christian Birmingham
Sir Cumference and All the King's Tens by Cindy Neuschwander, illus. by Wayne Geehan
Snoring Beauty by Bruce Hale, illus. by Howard Fine
Vunce Upon a Time by J. Otto Seibold and Siobhan Vivian

This week's highlights include Sea of Tranquility, which is a personal favorite. If you think you've heard the author's name before, well you probably have. Before Mark Haddon became internationally famous for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, he wrote this gentle, fond picture book about his own love affair with the moon. The book has been re-released for the fortieth anniversary of the lunar landings as Footprints on the Moon.

No surprise that NMD liked 1000 Times No--she is eight after all! It is an amusing and straightforward story of a toddler who wants to make himself absolutely understood by declaring "no" not once, not twice, but 1000 times in 1000 different ways. Fun to pore over with your own strong-willed child.

This weeks' most interesting concept book is Kathryn Otoshi's One. It is essentially an anti-bullying story. But the way that she combines colors and numbers--everyday teaching tools for young children--with word play for the grown-up reader is a novel approach to a subject which is not always successfully tackled.

Don't forget to visit The Well-Read Child, which is hosting this meme.

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You

The original meme at Well-Read Child seems to have ceased, but this is still such a good exercise that I'll continue anyway. This is actually two weeks worth of picture book reading, and I did all of it--NMD was simply a contented listener.

• Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon
• Dog Biscuit by Helen Cooper
• Dolphins on the Sand by Jim Arnosky
• Enemy by David Cali, illus. by Serge Bloch
• Flapstick by Jon Agee
• My Sister Alicia May by Nancy Tupper Ling, illus. by Shennen Bersani
• Night of the Gargoyles by Eve Bunting, illus. by David Wiesner
• Otto Grows Down by Michael Sussman, illus. by Scott Magoon
• Pete's a Pizza by William Steig
• Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant, illus. by Stephen Gammell
• Smart Feller, Fart Smeller by Jon Agee
• Tacky Goes to Camp by Helen Lester; illus. by Lynn Munsinger
• Tadpole Rex by Kurt Cyrus
• That Pesky Rat by Lauren Child

This fortnight's highlights:
Jon Agee's book of playful spoonerisms was not just a good teaching moment ("What's a spoonerism?") but a good opportunity for a lot of laughing. After a brief definition not just of spoonerisms but of their unintentional creator, the tongue twisted Oxford don William Spooner, Agee gets down to what he does best--writing and illustrating intelligent, humorous books. I'm so grateful that he takes the time from writing picture books to play with language as he does.

Night of the Gargoyles is a favorite that we were revisiting. It's a window into the night time world of mischievous gargoyles, released from their silent sentinel duty. Illustrator David Wiesner really lets his imagination free as he creates the scenarios and games for the gargoyles. Mysterious and edgy without being scary.





We are continuing our love affair with Jim Arnosky with this story based on an actual event. Why dolphins beach themselves is a natural mystery for which there never seems to be a reasonable answer. In this story a town pulls together to keep the beached dolphins hydrated and comfortable until they can be returned to the water. Uplifting and satisfying.




I had originally intended to use A Bad Case of Stripes for a storycraft program at work, but when I decided that it wasn't suited, I brought it home to read to NMD. That was a good decision! While the words and images themselves combine to humorous effect, the book tells a serious story about a girl who is so concerned about what other people think of her that her real self becomes suppressed and she can do no more than reflect what others say about her. The scene where she stands in her classroom, helplessly changing patterns according to what her taunting classmates call out to her is particularly painful to read. A good introduction to discussions about self-esteem and being true to one's self, which, sadly, is something that has already come up in these early tween years.

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You Meme week 6

I Read to NMD:
Egg Drop by Mini Grey
Stay Away From Rat Boy! by Laurie Lears, illus. by Red Hansen
Trudy by Henry Cole

NMD Read to Me:
People Magazine: Special Selena Gomez & Demi Lovato Collector's Issue

We Read Together:
Grandfather Buffalo by Jim Arnosky

Hmmm....what to make of this week's selection. A mixed bag, to say the least. I had such high hopes for Egg Drop--Traction Man is a favorite here. But upon reading this story about an impatient egg who tries to fly....well, NMD and I were both left scratching our heads. We have reasonably "quirky" senses of humor--witness the success of Dust Bunnies with NMD--but neither of us thought this one was either funny or a worth successor of Mini Grey's fantastic picture books.

Book of the week was definitely Grandfather Buffalo. You always know what you are going to get with any Jim Arnosky picture book: a fine, straightforward story with lovely nature illustrations, usually in a slightly over sized format (great for sharing!) Grandfather Buffalo is, as his name implies, an elderly buffalo, and he sometimes has trouble keeping up with the herd. But he is still a steady presence with much to teach the calves. What is particularly nice about this book is how Arnosky conveys a human, generational tale without anthropomorphizing the buffalo. It's an older book, so might require a trip to the library to locate, but worth the effort.

As for NMD's selection.......hello tween years!

Don't forget to visit The Well Read Child, sponsor of the Meme, to see what other bloggers and their children are reading.

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You

It's an even ten this week!

NMD read to me:
Humpty Dumpty Climbs Again by Dave Horowitz
No Bows! by Shirley Smith Duke, illus. by Jenny Matthson
Worst Best Friend by Alexis O'Neill, illus. by Laura Huliska-Beith

I read to NMD:
A Book by Mordeicai Gerstein
Busy Bea by Nancy Poyder
Library Mouse: a Friend's Tale by Daniel Kirk
Maybelle, Bunny of the North by Keith Patterson
Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illus. by Scott Magoon
Thank You Bear by Greg Foley

We Read Together:
Crocodile Blues by Coleman Polhemus

This week's list has already received a fair amount of coverage, with Humpty Dumpty Climbs Again as my book of the week, and a number of other titles highlighted as books in which I see elements of my daughter. So what of what's left? This week's "read together titles" Crocodile Blues, is an odd, wordless picture book which tells the story of a man and his parrot (and he's not even a pirate!) who get an egg out of a vending machine, take it home, and are then faced with the dilemma of "what to do" once the egg hatches and reveals a crocodile. Illustrations are rendered completely in contrasting inky black and electric blue. So while the story leaves both the characters and the readers scratching their heads, it is a striking book too look at .

A Book is a piece of meta fiction which doesn't work as well, for me, as Who is Melvin Bubble by Nick Bruel or the high-energy Ivan the Terrier by Peter Catalanatto. This latest offering by Mordecei Gerstein tells of a character in search of a story (wait--I'm getting flashes of Pierendello!) The little girl leads readers through numerous storybook scenarios, many of which will be familiar to readers, before finally finding her true story. Perhaps if the interplay between the character and the reader had been more engaging I would have enjoyed this book as much as I expected to. Still, kudos to Gerstein for playing with the picture book format-I always appreciate that.

Probably the most traditional book we read was Library Mouse: a Friend's Tale, which continues the adventures of Sam, the shy mouse who lives in a library and has literary aspirations. When a boy from the Writer's and Illustrator's Club, which Sam himself inspired, discovers Sam's true identity, the question of "Is Sam's identity safe" is posed. Well, what do you think? Beautiful illustrations and tributes to numerous children's literary classics, old and new, surface in this one, which makes for a fun "I Spy" experience on top of the more traditional buddy tale.

Make sure to check out what others are reading at the Well-Read Child Meme which inspired this post in the first place!

Picture Book Profile

I've had a lot of fun today reading the different responses to the Well-Read Child's What Are You Reading Meme. This is the third week now that I have been contributing, and I'm enjoying not just the recommendations by all the different bloggers, but the conversations created by the comments left on this blog, and the comments I am leaving for others. One of these comments, which I left for the author of Teaching Young Children, set me thinking about picture books in which I have found my own daughter. I'm sure all readers recognize characteristics of people they know in the books they read. Well here's a list of four titles that, when I put them down upon first reading them, made me think, "I know this little girl/pig/bear!"

No Bows! by Shirley Smith Duke, illus. by Jenny Mattheson

"No bows......BRAIDS
No pink.......PURPLE
No puppy....LIZARD"

Now as it happens, my daughter loves bows and hates braids. However, this straightforward point/counterpoint book about a girl with her own flair who knows exactly what she likes is my 8 year old in 50 words or less. There is even a certain physical resemblance between the little girl in the book and the little girl in this house. And this tub shot ....well....says it all really.

Busy Bea by Nancy Poydar
This was a recent discovery for me, made while weeding the P section at work. I am pretty familiar with Nancy Poydar's work, having used many of her picture books in story time, but this debut offering clearly slipped past me. It tells the story of Bea, a little girl who doesn't mean to lose all her stuff......sound familiar to anyone? It's just that Bea is so busy enjoying life that she forgets to remember to bring home her lunchbox and her raincoat and her sweater. This book reminded me of an incident at school where I literally followed a trail of gloves, hats and scarves from my daughter's class room to the entrance where the headmaster was greeting the kids as they arrived. That was slightly embarrassing. But the book was a gentle reminder to me that my daughter's just a kid with a lot of enthusiasm and interests who simply cannot be tied down by such mundane, earthly concerns as remembering to pick up an abandoned jacket. Her mind is busy with much more fantastic possibilities. which brings me to.....

Olivia by Ian Falconer
The similarity between Olivia and my daughter is so obvious that even she picked up on it; she has always demanded that, when reading any of the Olivia books, her own name is inserted in place of the porcine protagonist's. To be honest, Olivia is much more focused and driven than my daughter, but they both share rich inner fantasy worlds inspired by outside influences. In Olivia's case she is inspired by art (think of the scene when the pig family is at the art museum, and when Olivia looks at the Degas painting and she is imagining herself as the ballerina.) For my daughter it is music that triggers a withdrawal into whatever story she is imagining for herself. Like the narrator of Olivia, I often wonder what she is imagining, but I'm always sure that it is wonderful.

Thank You Bear by Greg Foley
Bear is sensitive. Bear is a worrier. Bear has found the most wonderful box for his friend Mouse, but he is so dismayed by the reaction and responses of all to whom he shows it that he is beginning to doubt the value of his gift. Fortunately, Bear is also steadfast, and it's a happy ending for Bear and Mouse who know a good thing when they see it. This book brings back fond memories of perfect sticks and just right pebbles and spectacular seashells, all rescued and treasured by a little girl who saw beauty and value in them all. (She also cluttered the house no end, but the sentiment was genuine.)

So there you have it--my little girl as defined by picture books: a free-spirited, forgetful, swashbuckling, worrying bear. More or less :)

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You Meme

NMD Read to Me

Elephants Cannot Dance! by Mo Willems

I Read to NMD
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett, illus. by Ron Barrett
Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin; illus. by Harry Bliss
Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery, illus. by Jean Cassels

Wombat Walkabout by Carol Diggory Shields, illus. by Sophie Blackall

We Read Together

There was a Man who Loved a Rat and other vile little poems by Gerda Rovetch, illus. by Lissa Rovetch (you can see what I've said about this book prevously here.)

We revisited some classic titles this week, just because :) Diary of a Worm is a particular favorite because illustrator Harry Bliss visited my daughter's school this year, and her copy is autographed! The diary format of the book prompted the discussion, "how does a worm write?" The answer was easily answered by a glance at the front cover, but when you apply the question to the premise of worms having noteworthy lives, as opposed to their physical limitations when trying to hold a pencil, it becomes a more interesting debate. "Two Bobbies" also generated much discussion, since the events of Hurricane Katrina are contemporary to my daughter's life, but she doesn't remember having lived through it (as a newsworthy event, not as an actual experience, since we do not reside in New Orleans.) Plus, as a fan of non-fiction, she has a soft spot for anything based on a true story.

My personal favorite this week was Wombat Walkabout, which takes the format of a counting book and uses it to introduce readers to the wildlife and fauna of Australia. The counting is almost incidental, for the teaching moments come not during the counting, which never advances beyond six, but as the reader is introduced to new and wonderful creatures, charmingly illustrated by Sophia Blackwell (known to us previously via the Ivy and Bean series of books by Annie Barrows.) "Wombat" also has elements of the trickster tale as the wily marsupials outsmart the hungry fox. Lots of fun!

You Read to Me I'll Read to You week 2

Slightly less mutual reading this week, what with the end of the school year and doctor's appointments--curling up separately with chapter books was more the trend. But my daughter and I did manage to share a few fun picture books, as well as a couple of chapters from the wildly amusing Horrid Harry series (who will be returning to this blog soon.)

NMD Read to Me:
The Doghouse by Jan Thomas

Yes Day! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal; illus. by Tom Lichtenheld

I Read to NMD:
Great Paper Caper by Oliver Jeffers
Horrid Henry's School Project by Francesca Simon, illus. by Tony Ross
Horrid Henry's Sleepover by Francesca Simon, illus. by Tony Ross
It's a Secret! by John Burningham

We Read Together:

Doctor All-Knowing retold by Doris Orgel from the Grimm folk tale; illus. by Alexandra Boiger

In terms of pure read-aloud fun, The Doghouse was the hands down winner this week. With it's reliance on cumulative storytelling, vibrant colors, and humorously building tension, a reader can really throw themselves into performance mode with this one. This week's new discovery was Doctor All-Knowing. I thought I was pretty well-versed in the Grimm canon, but I had never come across this tale before. It reminded me very much of Lloyd Alexander's excellent The Fortune-Tellers, in which a wily protagonist is able to rise above their station with a few well-placed words and some good old-fashioned luck thrown into the mix. (Note to self--reread The Fortune-Tellers this week!) And I think "oddest book of the week" goes to The Great Paper Caper. It's one part environmental-morality fable, one part who-done-it, and all parts goofy premise, starting with the lack of substantial legs on the animals! Good fun, though, and worth a visit.

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Week 1

So the first week of participation in the Well-Read Child's reading meme breaks down as such:


You Read to Me:
* Alice the Fairy by David Shannon
* Sam Starts School by Barbara Taylor Cork, illus. by Nicola Smee
I Read to You:
* Alfie and the Big Boys by Shirley Hughes
* Beckoning Cat by Koko Nishizuka, illus by Rosanne Litzinger
* Chicken Cheeks by Micahel Ian Black; illus by Kevin Hawkes
* Cow That Was the Best Moo-ther By Andy Cutbill, illus by Russell Ayto
* Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau by Jon Agee
* My Red Balloon by Eve Bunting, illus. by Kay Life
* Put it on the List! by Kristen Darbyshire
* Retired Kid by Jon Agee
* Tough Chicks by Cece Meng, illus. by Melissa Suber

Looks like I did most of the reading this week! The breakdown didn't seem so unbalanced at the time, but never mind! My daughter and I are unapologetic picture book fans, so even though she has moved on to chapter books for her personal reading, bedtime is still picture book time. This week's star read was Touch Chicks, with its story of three newly hatched chicks not content to simply loaf around the farm and be cute, as chicks are supposed to do. Honorable mention goes to Alfie and the Big Boys. This long-running series continues to charm with its quiet wisdom and "every-child" protagonist. It seems that Alfie, like Charlie Brown, will never age but stay a winsome preschooler for eternity. And that's okay with us!

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You

An interesting Meme is taking shape over at The Well-Read Child; starting next Thursday, bloggers from across the kidlitosphere will link up to list what they have been reading over the course of the week. The parameters are pretty broad: a personal reading list, a child's reading list, recommended favorites. The only stipulation is that the meme must relate to kids reading. Well, never wanting to Miss out on something cool, I've signed on! So this coming Thursday I will link up with the books that my daughter and I have read to each other over the week. You can see the current week's running tally in the right-hand sidebar. As unapologetic picture book fans you can expect a lot of PB titles. But you never know--there may be a random chapter or Doctor Who comic making an appearance.