Age for The River,Brian's Winter, Brian's Return?

[Rachel]

My nearly 8 year old really enjoyed Hatchet, I've seen it recommended for 10-14 year olds, but our librarian had listened to the audiobook recently and recommended it for my son. I trust her judgment that it wasn't too mature for my son. Now he wants to read the rest of the series. As the main character is 13, I want to make sure the rest of the series isn't too mature for him. The hunting scenes in Hatchet did not bother him.

 

My son has enjoyed other Gary Paulsen books, he has read all 5 books in the Mr. Tucket series.

 

What do you think?

[Kathryn]

I don't know anything about them really, but my son read the series last summer at 9. I always look into series that he reads and I didn't find anything worrisome. I just don't recall much besides that one book is an alternate ending so that was kind of weird.

[Farrar]

I think they're fine. I keep seeing where 8 yos are reading them... they're one of those series where it's not inappropriate, but because some of the themes are a little more mature, I think it's worth waiting on. But, again, not inappropriate. I also waited on recommending A Wrinkle in Time to my kids for similar reasons, but wouldn't have stopped them reading it earlier if they were interested and found it.

[Southern Ivy]

When I taught 3rd, my boys loved them. My 4th graders have read them too, no problems. 


ETA: I don't know about The River. Just Hatchet, Brian's Winter, and Brian's Return. 

[Miss Tick]

It has been a while since I read them, but I seem to recall that if the sudden, descriptive death of the pilot in the beginning, and the thought of him eating fish that had eaten the pilot, all in the first book were ok, then the rest of the series should be good. In one, the author imagined what would happen if he had stayed through the winter, one has the CIA talk him into a live demonstration and the chaperone gets hit by lightning (recovers at the end). I don't think I finished Brian's return.

[Rachel]

I think they're fine. I keep seeing where 8 yos are reading them... they're one of those series where it's not inappropriate, but because some of the themes are a little more mature, I think it's worth waiting on. But, again, not inappropriate. I also waited on recommending A Wrinkle in Time to my kids for similar reasons, but wouldn't have stopped them reading it earlier if they were interested and found it.

That is helpful, thanks!  My son is such a voracious and quick reader that it is difficult to keep up with appropriate material that he will also find interesting.  He's also become somewhat picky and I'm not always able to guess what he will or won't like.