Whale Rider (book review?)

[Daisy]

After Christmas we spend some time studying the Maori and I'm looking at this book for my 11yo daughter.

 

Have any of you read the BOOK? If so, can you let me know if it is appropriate reading for an 11yo? It is listed in the teen section and I'm not sure why.

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Whale-Rider/dp/B000A7KJBS/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1291418920&sr=8-7

[mama27]

After Christmas we spend some time studying the Maori and I'm looking at this book for my 11yo daughter.

 

Have any of you read the BOOK? If so, can you let me know if it is appropriate reading for an 11yo? It is listed in the teen section and I'm not sure why.

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Whale-Rider/dp/B000A7KJBS/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1291418920&sr=8-7

 

 

I don't know about the book but the movie was pretty good. One of my dds looks exactly like this girl. lol

[Deb in NZ]

I haven't read the book, but I have heard that the book is even better than the movie (& the movie was great.)

[Brenda in FL]

Haven't read the book, but I have seen the movie. That, in combination that its in the teen section, would lead me to pre-read it before I gave it to an 11 year old daughter. (If I couldn't find any other review as to its content)

 

Sorry I couldn't be much help.

[Daisy]

I've never seen the movie, so I'm really clueless. LOL.

[Tani]

my 10 yr ds and 13 dd and so far, no problems here. Just asked my dd if she thought anything was inappropriate from when she read it through and she cannot think of anything. She says she really enjoyed the book. She read it herself about a year ago and is listening in as I read it to her brother.

HTH, Tani

[RootAnn]

I did it as a read aloud last year with my 6 & 8 yr olds (ages then). It is written from the perspective of an older teen/young 20s-ish boy for much of it, if I remember correctly. My kids really liked it, but there was a really tough section about whales being beached & someone coming with a chainsaw & cutting them up. There was a scary section near the end (where you think the main character died) and some disturbing imagery.

 

My kids enjoyed it, but we did stop periodically and talk about things. I have never seen the movie. My younger dd is very sensitive and was disturbed by the whale scene. The writing is very vivid and made it seem very "real" to her.

 

I'm not at all familiar with the movie.

[Brenda in FL]

I've never seen the movie, so I'm really clueless. LOL.

 

In the movie there was drug and alcohol use and some crude language (I don't remember if there was any references to sex or not) I watched it about 4 years ago - so my perspective is biased towards when the kids were younger. If I saw it again - I may feel differently about the content now that my kids are older - but I'm still pretty conservative about what we watch. Our library also has the book in the Young Adult section - so those are the reason's I'd pre-read for our family - or read it aloud and then I could censor what I wanted to censor. I bet its a great book - I really liked the movie - I wish I had know there was a book when we did the Maori last year.

[swimmermom3]

Daisy, we read the book and saw the movie when my youngest was in 5th grade (10 or 11). He loved, loved, loved it and he is difficult to please when it comes to books. The movie is good, but the book is much better. You can't lose with either, but if you are going to watch the movie, please read the book first. I come from a secular viewpoint so please keep that in mind when I say that it is fine for the age you are asking about unless your child is very sensitive.

 

There are underlying currents that your child may or may not get. I believe the narrator moves to the city and has a good guy friend. It could be interpreted in different ways. The mention of drugs and alcohol are a cultural problem in an area where young people are being drawn away to the cities or are losing their cultural identity. There is a touch of fantasy to the story, so again how you receive the book would depend on your viewpoint. I think it's beautifully done and makes a great read aloud if you enjoy getting into the spirit of the book. There are many humorous points that will draw a chuckle. I'd love to hear what you think once you have read it, if you decide to. I will say that if I remember right from the Sonlight forum, those readers that are very conservative with what they allow their children to read did not care for the book.

[Daisy]

Daisy, we read the book and saw the movie when my youngest was in 5th grade (10 or 11). He loved, loved, loved it and he is difficult to please when it comes to books. The movie is good, but the book is much better. You can't lose with either, but if you are going to watch the movie, please read the book first. I come from a secular viewpoint so please keep that in mind when I say that it is fine for the age you are asking about unless your child is very sensitive.

 

There are underlying currents that your child may or may not get. I believe the narrator moves to the city and has a good guy friend. It could be interpreted in different ways. The mention of drugs and alcohol are a cultural problem in an area where young people are being drawn away to the cities or are losing their cultural identity. There is a touch of fantasy to the story, so again how you receive the book would depend on your viewpoint. I think it's beautifully done and makes a great read aloud if you enjoy getting into the spirit of the book. There are many humorous points that will draw a chuckle. I'd love to hear what you think once you have read it, if you decide to. I will say that if I remember right from the Sonlight forum, those readers that are very conservative with what they allow their children to read did not care for the book.

 

I requested it from interlibrary loan. I'm conservative christian but do not have a problem with my 11yo reading a book with occasional negative elements, so we'll see. ;) And I wouldn't dream of seeing the movie before reading the book. That is blasphemy in our family. LOL.

[Daisy]

Just thought I would update you on this. My husband pre-read the book for our daughter and decided she could read it. Here is what he noted.

Mature themes... Husband says these themes are presented in a age-appropriate fashion. They are all resolved in a positive way.

Racism (white vs native people)

Religious aspects (reference to non-christian polytheistic beliefs)

Violence (treatment of the whales, a man is run over & dies)

Sexism (grandfather's treatment of the girl)

 

Language...

 

One use of the word d@mn. p. 125 "That d@mn kid," I swore as I leaped into the surf. For one thing, I was no hero, and for another, I was frightened by the heavy seas.

 

One embarrassing moment (at least for hubby)

 

p. 82 a story is told about a lady who bends over and raises her petticoats to the chief and reminds him that "here is the place you come from!" That was Mihi's way of reminding the chief that all men are born of women. LOL.

 

Hubby liked the book a lot. He said it was wonderful.

[hsbaby]

I watched the movie in a college course. If the book is even better than the movie, well, I NEED to read it:) I loved the movie!