I'm looking for some books to download from the library for dd13's Nook before she heads out for a summer camp. On this list that I came across recently (http://www.eschoolnews.com/2012/05/04/10-books-for-high-school-summer-reading/) one of the books they suggest for high schoolers in the Color Purple. Our library has it available as a download.

I saw the movie years ago and do recall that there were some difficult parts. Has anyone read this and do you think that it would be inappropriate for an older 13 y/o who will be in 10th grade in the fall? FWIW, she's read the Bell Jar and some other books with challenging themes in years past.

I don't object but I think that I would rather have my dd home when she read that so we could talk about the issues inside.

My memory of this book is quite old, but I don't think it's out of the question age wise. I read this somewhere around that age/grade (not sure exactly) in HS in the late 80s; we also watched the film.

Having her home and willing to discuss would be beneficial, as well as reading it with her. I would not consider this a summer camp book.

The book is more explicitly described, but leaving the visual impact to the imagination. The movie, while excellent, was edited down and ultimately rated PG-13. It was hard to view at points, but the book is/was stronger in my memory.

Hope this helps a bit.

I suppose it depends on the 13yr old, but I can't say I'd recommend that particular book for a pre-pubescent child.

I think if you were looking for something that's sort of in the same vein, but not so focused on adult romantic relationships, try Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston.

I am pretty sure both books have rape in them, so that's something to consider.

If she does end up reading both, and being okay with them, I loved I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou.

The Color Purple has a lot of frank sexuality in it: molestation/rape and a very positively described (yet still somewhat graphic, if memory serves) lesbian relationship. Up to you and your kid. I teach HS--wouldn't give it to my 9th graders most likely, but the advanced kids are often able to handle it by 10th or 11th, but only if they're emotionally "there" as well as intellectually.

Did they have 'To Kill a Mockingbird' as a freebie?

Dd read TKAM in her 9th grade pre-AP English class and really enjoyed it. She did wind up reading the Color Purple as well and also liked it and didn't find it too disturbing. I don't have a problem with a lesbian relationship although I didn't remember that part. I was more concerned about sexual violence.

I remember DS in the back seat of the car asking 'Mommy, what is sexual assault?' at age ???8???10?
Me: (gulp)Well, do you know what sexual means?
Him: yup
Me: Do you know what assault means?
Him: (Look of comprehension on his face) OHHHHHHHHH!
Me: ((shrugs)) It's rare.

I have no idea what he actually comprehended, I was just happy to have the conversation over. Yup - DH got a 'conversation' from me about how important it was to keep the news and radio OFF.

Newspapers have crime reports. Should they be kept out of reach of children?

Actually I was just thinking about this for looking for books for DD8 because it is hard to find books at the 'right level' that aren't inappropriate (Twilight??). DD8 picked up the Hunger Games that DH had bought to read for himself and ended up reading all three books very quickly--but does not seem at all disturbed and has not had nightmares or recurring anxiety (about that--although she has been having daily crises about random stuff, like today 'will I be able to get into a good college'?). So recently we were in an airport and out of books so I let her get the Zombie Survival Guide--which of course discusses all manner of how one disposes of zombies, etc.--again, no issues. But I agree that I would not want her to read something 'serious' (i.e., thoughtful, rather than cartoonish or clearly science fiction/unrealistic) about assault unless she were around to discuss it afterwards.

Re keeping the news and radio off, LOL--I was just in the checkout line at the grocery store with DD and all the tabloids were right there at kid eye level--"Climax, climax, climax" (on Cosmopolitan) and Hot Bodies of the Stars were some of the headlines. How are you going to avoid that???? Fortunately even though she was looking at them the whole time we were checking out, no questions....

DD, then 11, read both TKAM and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. She has read the rest of Ms. Angelou's autobiographical series, too. She has not read "Precious" which I feel is probably a little too much still.

She was pretty shocked at the Maya Angelou book, but took it in stride and we've never limited news and print media sources (though to be fair, we also never read pop stuff like People and Us weekly or anything... LOL. Cosmo? Isn't that the one by Carl Sagan? )...

so she's had a fair context in which to place this knowledge.

Only in the past year, at 12-13, has she been willing to push into more mature reading which contains more overt sexual themes and violence.

Personally, I like the idea of saving this kind of material for when a parent is around to answer questions/concerns as they arise.

My DD9 BEGGED me to read the Hunger Games (she was in a gr. 4/5 split at school and insisted that "everyone" had seen the movie). I finally agreed that she could read the book, but not see the movie. So far she's not shown any anxiety from the content. I read it as well so that I would know what she's reading, and we've talked about it. She wants to read the remaining two books in the trilogy (and so do I), so we're keeping our eyes out for them (so far I've only seen them in hard cover).

When DD9 and DS8 were younger I tried sheltering them from content - now I find it easier just to talk frankly about it. If they have questions, I want to be the one to answer them, not some random kid in the school yard.

At the moment they're watching "Jaws" with their Dad. We recently returned from a trip to Disneyland and Universal Studios, where they saw the fake shark, so they're getting a kick out of the movie (DS8 is asking a ton of questions though, lol)

Me too.

In fact I think there's an upside to exposing them to the older content: you can be the one to answer questions and guide how they're influenced by it. On the other hand if you shelter them for too long and they get their exposure in the school yard, etc., you lose your influence.