Chocolate War

[Frelga]

My son was told to read Chocolate War in his class, and before I raised the issue with his teachers, I wanted to ask if this book was well known or distinguished in any way that would justify its assignment to middle schoolers.

It's not a bad book for adults, although it's awfully depressing, but I can't think of a less appropriate book for preteens.

[axordil]

It's a YA classic, but I would hesitate before assigning it to many preteens, if only because of the harshness of the tone, plot and characters.

Still, I can think of waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more inappropriate books for them.

I'd peg it as okay for 14, personally.

Edited to fix page-stretching "way" - VtF

[Voronwë the Faithful]

But definitely no younger than that, and even that is pushing it.

[Frelga]

Really, a classic?

I'd peg it no earlier than high school. Certainly not preteens who are already anxious about the train of puberty coming down the tunnel at them.

I can think of books that are more violent or more sexually explicit but I really can't think of any book that would be more devastating at that age. It allows not a ray of hope or redemption for any of its characters, and the message it sends is that resistance is futile.

It's well written and all, and I'm not knocking the book itself, but the only useful lesson it teaches that I can see is that masturbation is normal.

P.S.: Ax, your waaaay stretches the page. Could you please make it shorter? Thanks!

[Holbytla]

From Wikipedia;

Because of the novel's language, the concept of a high school's secret society using intimidation to enforce the cultural norms of the school, and the protagonist's sexual ponderings, it has been the frequent target of censors and appears at number three on the American Library Association's list of the "Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books in 2000-2009."

[vison]

I read hundreds of "age inappropriate" books as a very young kid, from about 8 years onward. I don't know that they ever hurt me.

But it's not my decision.

[Frelga]

So did I, vison. And in retrospect, some of them really did not do me any good.

[axordil]

I actually kind of wanted my waa**aay to stretch the page, because there really are about 300,000 less appropriate books, including 99% of all romances ever written.

My takeaway from the book is that there are bastards in the world, and sometimes they are in charge, and sometimes they win. Which is all unfortunate but true. You might as well take all the great tragedies off the shelves if you want to shelter kids from that lesson.

[Lalaith]

I haven't read it, so I can't comment on this book in particular. I would echo Frelga's sentiment, though.

And in retrospect, some of them really did not do me any good.

And I might add that some of them did hurt me.

Perhaps his teacher would allow him to read an alternative book?