Grade level for Animal FArm?

[radiobrain]

Just curious.

 

My husband started my 11 yo (6th/7th) reading Animal Farm last night.

 

At first I was a bit mad, then I said "Why not?". I had wanted to have it be a read-aloud with discussion with both my kids, but hadn't decided when...at least a year though.

 

So, what say the hive on this? Age, grade?

[Laura Corin]

It's an easy read, as far as grammar/vocab is concerned. I would leave it until your children have an interest in the world and how it is governed. That might be at eleven, or younger or older.

 

Laura

[michmom]

I don't know the suggested age but both my boys read it themselves at ages 11 and 13 and loved it. We had lots of great discussions about it and they still say it was one of their favorite books which they cite for examples in many essays.

 

Lynn

[Leanna Tomlinson]

It's an easy read for a 6th/7th grader, but an understanding of the historical context may not be there. I remember reading it for fun in Jr. high. When I got to high school and we studied Russia, I was able to make all of the connections. I read it again with a better understanding.

[radiobrain]

Thanks!

 

I asked how it was going and he said, "Oh, I like it! It's really easy to read":tongue_smilie:.... plus he knows it is about communism, and we are getting to Russia and the right time period in our European History class (I am a bit behind). He is kind of excited about that.

[vonfirmath]

I believe in PS I read that in 7th grade and understood it fine (in a classroom context) It was part of a unit of similar books.

[Aludlam]

I read it in high school. I really don't think I would have understood it until then.

[Carol in Cal.]

I read it in 7th or 8th grade. The teacher had to explain the Russian revolution and conflict between Trotsky and Stalin for it to have any resonance for us. It's a very easy read, but the interpretation would have gone right over my head if it wasn't for that explanation.

[radiobrain]

I read it in high school. I really don't think I would have understood it until then.

 

I know I read it in middle school, but I wasn't sure when. We have a LOT of socratic discussion in our house, and I can't keep my mouth shut about some things... so I think that will be fine. He has a decent grasp on that sort of thing.

 

I do appreciate your opinion though!!! I will wait until at least 8th to do Brave New World. hahahaha

[EKS]

I read it to my son when he was in 6th grade and we were studying the Russian Revolution. He liked it a lot. Then he read it again in 8th grade as part of his literature course. He liked it again and got more out of it the second time.

[Tidbits of Learning]

I have read it several times starting around jr. high age. However, I got the most out of it in my advanced Political Science class in college. We had this "hippy" professor and I mean that literally (this was the 90's and he was definitely still in the 60's) and he was a wealth of stories. I definitely took a lot more away from the book after his class. I think we watched Dr. Zhivago while studying the book as well.

[Tracy]

I read it in ps in 8th grade as part of a class assignment. As we read, the teacher walked us through the historical background and the analogies, and I really enjoyed it in that context.