oops

For some reason I got lost and got into Around the World in 80 Days and so didn't read the actual book club book.  sorry.  I'll join in on the 80 Days discussion (one of my favorite books...but my kids say I say that about all books I read).  Ha! 

So, as for Kelly's question (though she and I kind of talked about it a little bit ago).....  It's funny because I was surprised when Kelly told me she had her daughter read Ender's Game but was unsure about Hunger Games.  When for me it was a lot easier to have my son read Hunger Games than to read Ender's Game.  He read both and liked both...but they were introduced in flipped order.  I agree with Kami and actually stear clear of modern adult fiction books because most of them (if not all) seem to push my boundaries. 

I once had a friend tell me about a book and rated it. "It's definitely PG-13,"  she said.  I thought that was funny.  I think even our children are going to rate books differently than we might.  I think it's not so much "a magical age" as it is "per child."  I know my girls will definitely not be reading some of the books John has read at his same age because he has a maturity level beyond where they are.  And, another thing to consider is the way in which the material is presented and the purpose of why it's presented.  YOU know when it's put in there just to be there and not really as a major part of the purpose of the book. 

Oh, and one other thing...how many times did you read a book, or start a book, and think, "Woah!  That was not a good book to read.  I shouldn't have read that" or "I'm not going to continue because it's too much for me"??  Our children are going to have that same experience with the books they read.  There comes a point when parents don't "allow" their children to read so much as teach their children to listen to their own conscience of what is right and wrong in their reading.  They will make mistakes.  We may expose them too soon to some concepts (i.e. WWII harshness) and then regret it.   But overall, if we are always providing them with good reading lists and materials from an early age, they will gravitate toward that which is good. 

My ever so readily given opinoin on that topic.  :-) 
LOL
JULIA