Most of those are classics, and if the child is willing to tackle them, I'd probably be willing to have the hard conversations they provoked. But on the flip side, the Common Sense Media reviews reminded me that I'd also want to be reading along -- I prefer to guide my kids' exposure to old-fashioned social constructs like the casual racism and sexism that is sometimes prevalent in older novels.
I'm trying to get my kids into Oliver Twist and Robinson Crusoe and not having a lot of luck, given that the themes aren't science fiction or fantasy.
It's terrific that your guy is interested in novels that are so driven by character.
What's his recent reading before this?
