Comments on: Books, kids and sex

By: stormy

stormy — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 07:09:56 +0000

I do agree that there’s a message wrapped around the bad behavior. But I still felt like there were scenes that just didn’t need to involve drinking. Like two girls taking a bottle of peach schnapps into the woods – and talking about how it didn’t have much alcohol.
I also agree that there are a lot of good books in the Young Adult section now – I find myself reading quite a few of them!

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 01:52:14 +0000

Think I’ve read at least one book where sex would further the plot, it was “The Day of the Jackal” by Frederick Forsyth. Then again I was young enough back then to not actually suspect it would happen.

By: Sandy

Sandy — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:28:32 +0000

So I’ve actually read the Vampire Academy books (my wife has basically every vampire book you can imagine floating around the house), and I really liked them. I’m thinking back to the issues your bring up, and trying to imagine what I would consider appropriate for a 12 year old. Considering popular television, I think it’s a safe bet that the kid has been exposed to the idea of drinking for fun and using sex as a casual weapon. So getting that out of the way, there were at least these positive notes on drugs/sex in the Vampire Academy books:
1) The main character is presented as a partier who reforms in order to protect the people she loves.
2) There is usually a fair amount of shame associated with being drunk.
3) The “good” characters are critical of the “bad” characters who trade sex for favors.
So while the concepts *are* present, I think that in the end a mature and responsible viewpoint is conveyed. But I don’t have kids, so clearly my thinking is a bit different…
Personally, I’m impressed with the quality of the so-called “young adult” novels I have read in the past year or two. I feel like authors (publishers?) are putting books in that genre because that is the age group that is spending money right now. I’m just glad that kids are interested in reading again.

By: Carl

Carl — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 01:41:31 +0000

I don’t think I’ve read a single book in which the sex actually furthers the plot. Most often it feels like it was added just to attract readers…
I also believe that 12 years is young-adult. I read Lord of the Rings at age 10, all of Louis L’Amour’s books and most of Jack London’s before age 12. I even read James Clavells Shogun at age 14. It has more to do with how mature you reading has become than a certain age.
Many of the books they recommended when I was in school felt too simple and dumbed down. But, like Odd-rationale said, the classics are a good choice when you start to feel that way: they are both engaging, informational and really well written (often without the explicit sex).
I think the same rationale can be applied to excessive use of violence, alcohol and drug abuse (unless that is a specific theme for the story)…

By: stormy

stormy — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:07:07 +0000

I think they need exposure but not the message that it’s ok.
If anything, I’d say I’m more anti-violence than anti-sex for kids. And it’s not the sex I have a problem with but the sex for favors.

By: stormy

stormy — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:03:16 +0000

It’s a friend’s daughter who is 12.
I don’t think the book is fit for 16 year olds. It’s not behavior I would encourage in any age and I think kids still in school are more open to influence – that it’s “ok”.
I know they are exposed to it but being exposed to it and having an adult say it’s ok are two very different things.

By: nona

nona — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:33:43 +0000

I’m not a parent, and I haven’t formed a well-defined opinion yet as to what is and isn’t OK for kids of that age to be exposed to. I tend to agree with Janne – you can’t shield children from eventually being exposed to sex, drinking, etc. I’d rather they develop the mental tools to deal with these issues before they encounter it in real life.
I do wonder though if you apply the same standards for violence as you do for sex and drinking?

By: Janne

Janne — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:10:03 +0000

Your daughter is 12? And the book is targeted for “teen” and “young adult”? But 12 is not yet even teen; it most certainly isn’t young adult. Seems you’re looking at books targeted at a different age group altogether. Sounds kind of unfair to criticize the book for not be fit for a 12-year old when it isn’t targeting such a young reader to begin with. Perhaps revisit this book when your daughter’s 16 or so?
Meanwhile, and this is more of a personal reflection, anyone is inevitably going to encounter casual sex, drug use and drinking, religious fundamentalism, racism and so on at some point in their lives. Most people encounter it at a young age. You can’t really protect anyone from ever doing so. The question then rather becomes in what setting and through what medium they’ll do so.
And a 13 or 14-year old is going to be receptive to your point of view on it when talking it over in the context of a book; an 18-year old very much less so. That is, unless they’ve encountered it all by themselves, with no context of guidance from you, already at that point.

By: Odd-rationale

Odd-rationale — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 15:28:53 +0000

Why not just pick up some classics? Books like “The Scarlet Pimpernel” (Baroness Orczy), “The Last of the Mohicans” (James F. Cooper), “Around the World in 80 days” (Julius Verne), etc. These do not often contain inappropriate materials. And are very enjoyable to read and, perhaps, more worthwhile. They became “classics” for a reason!
I know “classics” are sometimes hard to define… But at least I enjoyed reading those books when I was an adolescent, and I still enjoy reading them.
Just my two cents…

By: Jean Azzopardi

Jean Azzopardi — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 15:07:59 +0000

Try The Saga of Darren Shan, by..err, Darren Shan himself
It’s a vampire story, but no sex. There is a very small hint of romance, but it remains chaste. There is a fair amount of gore described in the book, but bearable, and overall quite entertaining. No drink either.
I haven’t read Twilight, but this should be good either way. Or else, try and get the kids into Lord of the Rings..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Saga_of_Darren_Shan