acurtis75 Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I would appreciate any feedback from someone who has read the series about whether these books are appropriate for an advanced 6 year old. She has read everything she can find on Greek & Roman mythology and the Mary Pope Osbourne series. She's also read the Chronicles of Narnia series in it's entirety. I am specifically interested in whether there's inappropriate romantic content. We are a pretty conservative Christian family and since there's no way for me to read everything before she does I could use some insight from some other parents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 My kids say the first one was a little violent. The later ones got into romance. The books get darker as they go along. Also, the characters tend to say, "oh my gods!" which is the only inappropriate language they remember offhand. The 16yo recommends waiting a couple of years. Edited to add: I've read them all myself, but I can't remember, sigh. My dh read them aloud to the kids, and I'd be willing to bet he can't remember either. Such a shame to get old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyhomemaker Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 The books center around the Greek gods having children with many different people and then refusing to acknowledge their children. That may be a conversation you don't want to have with your 6 yr old. The kids in the book also pray to their parents (the gods) and give them sacrifices. I dont know if that would bother you from a Christian perspective or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I don't remember much romance - just a couple of kisses. Violence is a much bigger issue - cutting body parts off monsters, etc. Another possible issue with a six year old is the sassy/snotty tone of most of their conversations. My dc were likely to adopt the slang of whatever they're reading, so at 6, that would have bothered me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 My 10yr old loves them and began reading them shortly before he turned 9. I would not allow my young 7yr olds to read them or to listen to them as a read aloud. I'm not super conservative and I can't come up with a list of specific whys for why I won't let them read it. I think it is just the totality of the books- little things adding up- that makes me say no way for them right now. I read them all when my son was reading them. There are some romantic hints but nothing really overt or serious. The violence, language, and attitudes are my main problems. Also, the demigods are all born out of adulterous relationships and have distant parents. All the "gods" have different god spouses and then different and frequently multiple human affairs that produced these love children. It's the heart of the story and the parent/child relationship and feelings of abandonment and jealousy are very prominent themes. For me, they are too mature in subject for little kids. I think my DS was probably a little young for them when he started and I'd probably make him wait a year or 2 if I could do it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acurtis75 Posted October 12, 2011 Author Share Posted October 12, 2011 My 10yr old loves them and began reading them shortly before he turned 9. I would not allow my young 7yr olds to read them or to listen to them as a read aloud. I'm not super conservative and I can't come up with a list of specific whys for why I won't let them read it. I think it is just the totality of the books- little things adding up- that makes me say no way for them right now. I read them all when my son was reading them. There are some romantic hints but nothing really overt or serious. The violence, language, and attitudes are my main problems. Also, the demigods are all born out of adulterous relationships and have distant parents. All the "gods" have different god spouses and then different and frequently multiple human affairs that produced these love children. It's the heart of the story and the parent/child relationship and feelings of abandonment and jealousy are very prominent themes. For me, they are too mature in subject for little kids. I think my DS was probably a little young for them when he started and I'd probably make him wait a year or 2 if I could do it again. Thank you so much for the information. the attitudes and emotions sound way too mature for her. We are pretty conservative and probably would have to have way too many conversations we don't want to have yet if she read them. We're studying mythology and discussing various religions and how they differ from what we believe so that content wouldn't bother me so much but the adultery and adolescent behavior would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acurtis75 Posted October 12, 2011 Author Share Posted October 12, 2011 I don't remember much romance - just a couple of kisses. Violence is a much bigger issue - cutting body parts off monsters, etc. Another possible issue with a six year old is the sassy/snotty tone of most of their conversations. My dc were likely to adopt the slang of whatever they're reading, so at 6, that would have bothered me. Thank you for your insight....we definately don't need any extra exposure to sassy or snotty attitudes. We avoid the Disney channel and most cartoons for the same reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Thank you so much for the information. the attitudes and emotions sound way too mature for her. We are pretty conservative and probably would have to have way too many conversations we don't want to have yet if she read them. We're studying mythology and discussing various religions and how they differ from what we believe so that content wouldn't bother me so much but the adultery and adolescent behavior would. Frankly, having slogged through the Iliad and Odyssey last year with older dd (Fagles translation, with Teaching Company lectures), the gods were fairly skanky and a bit dimwitted in THOSE stories. Adultery and adolescent behavior seem to be typical for that crowd. I can now appreciate more why Rick Riordan chose to portray them the way that he did. Which really adds nothing to the original discussion -- just something I've found myself pondering lately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Frankly, having slogged through the Iliad and Odyssey last year with older dd (Fagles translation, with Teaching Company lectures), the gods were fairly skanky and a bit dimwitted in THOSE stories. Adultery and adolescent behavior seem to be typical for that crowd. I can now appreciate more why Rick Riordan chose to portray them the way that he did. Yep. This would be why there are no good kids movies about them. They all turn out to be X rated or highly edited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Yep. This would be why there are no good kids movies about them. They all turn out to be X rated or highly edited. Yep. To make Greek mythology into a kids' story (like the movie Hercules) they have to remove 90% of reality and use a lot of imagination, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acurtis75 Posted October 12, 2011 Author Share Posted October 12, 2011 Yep. This would be why there are no good kids movies about them. They all turn out to be X rated or highly edited.[/quote For some reason the adultery and adolescent behavior in the Greek mythology stories we've studies doesn't disturb me enough not to let dd read them. We spent a lot of time discussing what was wrong about it and how it doesn't line up with our biblical outlines for behavior but because they are clearly fictional and fantastical I didn't see it having a negative impact on dd thought processes or even influencing her. Unfortunately, realistic pre-teen characters with bad attitudes seem to have an immediate impact on her vocabulary and demeanor. The tendency in modern television and books to portray all adults as idiots, all teachers and authority figures as bad guys (dd recently asked me why teachers are always the antagonists in tv shows & books) and all teenagers as world-saving geniuses who can break the rules because they are smarter than everyone else is quite disturbing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunriseiz Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Our 7 yo dd loves mythology as well and has since she began really reading. One of our librarians who loves mythology and whom I trust immensely said 'no' when it came up for us. One of her biggest reasons was the demi-god aspect. In any case, she recommended The Red Pyramid instead and dd loooooved it and was so excited when the 2nd book came out. I will ask dd tomorrow if she has any other suggestions. I am interested in what the other posters have to say as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivka Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 I read the whole Percy Jackson series to my six-year-old, and she looooved it. I think that the details of how demigods are created rolled right past her - the series isn't very explicit. She loved the characters and the humor and the exciting plots and the myths. The whole thing was very real to her. Of course, we're not coming from a conservative Christian perspective. I think you probably would be wise to wait, given those concerns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 (edited) I have a 6-year old who is into Greek mythology, and she has listened to the entire series. She's not sensitive to the violent parts and knows the gods are not real. However, I would not let her listen to The Red Pyramid, although I know she would love it. I can't stand the arguments between the siblings and the lack of respect they show for one another in the beginning. Percy Jackson, on the other hand, does not have the kind of language that would stop me from letting DD listen to it again. I didn't think the pre-teen behavior in Percy Jackson was as annoying or pervasive as The Red Pyramid. Edited October 13, 2011 by crazyforlatin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acurtis75 Posted October 13, 2011 Author Share Posted October 13, 2011 I have a 6-year old who is into Greek mythology, and she has listened to the entire series. She's not sensitive to the violent parts and knows the gods are not real. However, I would not let her listen to The Red Pyramid, although I know she would love it. I can't stand the arguments between the siblings and the lack of respect they show for one another in the beginning. Percy Jackson, on the other hand, does not have the kind of language that would stop me from letting DD listen to it again. I didn't think the pre-teen behavior in Percy Jackson was as annoying or pervasive as The Red Pyramid. Thanks for the additional information. I just sat dh down and told him I can't possibly keep up with dd's reading on my own (we co-own a business, I do the buying and books for another family member's business & I coach her homeschool p.e. class and both of us have lots of responsibilities in our relatively small church). We just agreed to take turns reading some of the books ahead of her so that we will be able to discuss the content. Someone else mentioned a kind of family book club so we're going to try to do that but take turns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in SW WA Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 I ignored my own no-twaddle policy and gave my Greek-myth-loving dd8 the Percy Jackson series for Christmas. She read them all and started Harry Potter today. Hopefully she'll go back to true British classics when our jaunt into pop-culture brain candy ends.:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 My (Late November birthday) 7 yr old mythology lover enjoys them-but having said that, she read the Padric Colum versions of the Iliad, Odyssey and a lot of other Greek mythology last year, and hasn't been bothered by the violence because "it's like the real thing"-as are the Gods having children (and the most explicit description on how the children are created is where Annabell explains that children of Athena are truly children of the mind, and involve no physical contact, just as Athena was born fully formed from Zeus's head.) Having said that, she suggests The "Goddess girls" series first-they're also Greek gods/goddesses in a more modern, teen view, but much lighter and not nearly as violent and "more fun". She really enjoys comparing the characters-for example, Athena in the Odyessy and myths, vs Athena in Goddess girls, vs Annabell as Athena's daughter in Percy Jackson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 I ignored my own no-twaddle policy and gave my Greek-myth-loving dd8 the Percy Jackson series for Christmas. She read them all and started Harry Potter today. Hopefully she'll go back to true British classics when our jaunt into pop-culture brain candy ends.:tongue_smilie: I broke my own rule and borrowed the Kane Chronicles for DD. Within one week, she started to speak with a teenage slang, which is very disturbing and annoying coming from a 6-year old. We don't have a TV so I know the books were influential. I let her read them on the Kindle as well, which I think might be better. The books have been returned as of last week, but she has been reading over and over Green's Tales of Ancient Egypt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in SW WA Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 My (Late November birthday) 7 yr old mythology lover enjoys them-but having said that, she read the Padric Colum versions of the Iliad, Odyssey and a lot of other Greek mythology last year, We're heading to the library in a bit. I will look for more Padric Colum books. Thanks for the tip! I own the Golden Fleece. I forgot I had that on my bookshelf from when my older dc did ancients years ago. I wonder what else I have on my shelves. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 We're heading to the library in a bit. I will look for more Padric Colum books. Thanks for the tip! I own the Golden Fleece. I forgot I had that on my bookshelf from when my older dc did ancients years ago. I wonder what else I have on my shelves. :) If you have something that can do a Kindle app, a lot of them are available free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acurtis75 Posted January 3, 2012 Author Share Posted January 3, 2012 I will check the new suggestions out. Now that I have the ipad with the free Kindle app I'm finding it a little easier to read more and preview some stuff for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camdunson Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 I had also been wondering about this series. thanks so much, folks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jillian Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 I'm reading "Lightening Thief" to my 4 year old. She's enjoying it. Then again she also asked us to read LOTR to her when she was 2-ish lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black_midori Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 I got the whole series as a surprise Christmas present for my advanced reading 7yo, because he was finishing up reading all I will let him of Harry Potter (for now!) and the series was highly recommended by some friends. He read a couple chapters in the first book and then HE told ME that they were too violent and he didn't like them and maybe he'd read them again in a few years. This from the boy who recently finished book 5 of Harry Potter and is devastated that I won't allow him to read the last ones. He insists that he can handle it & that he should be allowed to finish them up!! :001_huh: [side note - I then got him 2 books of Lemony Snicket to try & started the first one as a read-aloud with him. It felt a bit "off" to me, so I flipped through the rest of the first book and thought it was very inappropriate!! If I'm going to have him read THAT, we might as well just do HP! Sigh. So, another bunch of books goes into my bedroom bookshelf...] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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