Twilight Series - Appropriate for 10 1/2 Year Old?

Hi J.,

I read the series and I loved it...that being said, I don't think I would let my 10 1/2 year old read it. Very sensual and lots of innuendo. Also, they spend a lot of time sneaking around and hiding their relationship from her father, sneak him in at night to spend the night, that kind of thing. I suggest you read it before you make a decision.

Have a great weekend,
A.

I'll give my opinion that it is not appropriate for younger girls or younger teens. For a full review of specifics, I recommend you read the review of the movie and the book at Plugged In Online website. It details the objectionable content beyond the language/nudity items to also help you look at things such as how the main character defies her parents in her obsession to be with this vampire-boy.

J.,

I am a big Twilight fan, but I think the last two books are a little too spicy for a 10 year old. The first two are totally fine, but not the last two. It would be ok for a 15 year old. The movie is totally fine as well, as it is based on the first novel only.
Hope this helps.

A. H.

J., the book is appropriate for a preteen. The series is amazing. I teach English; it took me 2 days to finish the 600 page follow up to "Twilight", "New Moon". Anyway, this is one of those stories good for "all ages", literally. There is a lot of chemistry between the characters, but it isn't consemated-- nothing more than an occasional kiss-- until book 4. My oldest daughter is 8, and I can't wait until she shows interest in reading a book of this length.
Oh-- you will LOVE it too!!
In response to those who said "no", 11 year olds are having these feelings whether we want them to are not. That is exactly when a confusing rush of changing hormones overwhelms us. Books are a fantastic outlet for those feelings. Also, it is a great teaching tool for parents about relationships and the difference between "real" ones and "fairytale" ones. Yes, Edward does sneak into her window at night (he is a vampire, we must keep in mind), but they never do anything inappropriate when he is there-- which is a great lesson in and of itself. They are satisfied just to be NEAR one another. Remember your preteen/teenage years... WOW! If only I had this book to fall into back then!!
It also, as some said, depends on your kid and how mature she is for her age. I was quite mature at that age; some girls have already hit puberty, but some kids are still "babies" at 11. However, if she's asking to read it, then something in her must be sparking some desire to understand the intensity of relationships. If not now, then soon, tell her.
That being said, I don't think that most books are inappropriate... books should be read. They are our escape-- and if a kid shows interest in a book, no matter what it is, they should be encouraged to read it. Read with them, discuss it... make it a bonding experience! Never deny anyone the power of a great story.

My girls have all read them at least 30 times. The fourth one is a little risque, but it is after marriage and how can you let them read the first 3 but say no to the 4th?

It's READING people. Be HAPPY that your child WANTS to read in this day and age! Encourage it; find what they like and go with it.

Or, you can make a big deal out of it and make her want to read it even more. The more people overprotect, the more children often see something wrong and want it more. Just my opinion.

The Twilight book series is targeted towards young adults. I consider young adult to be with the 11-16 age group.

I read all four parts and saw the movie. There is nothing inappropriate until part 4 once they have graduated high school. The movie is only based on part 1.

The fact that there is a high school girl who falls in love with a vampire is honestly no different than the little mermaid falling in love with the human prince. Twilight is a cute book. Part 4 is the one that depends on the maturity level of your daughter. There is sex involved in part 4, but they were married first and the content is not graphic.

Someone mentioned that you shouldnt let your daughter read or watch something with kids who are older than her...I don't neccessarily agree with that. My cousins are 8 and 9 and watch Saved By The Bell reruns. And what about the ever popular Hannah Montana??? Isnt she in high school? And High School Musical?? The Babysitter club book series? Nancy Drew?? Hilary Duff in Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen?

Also, reading a book does not mean it will make your daughter act like the characters in the book once she reads it. That is ridiculous. Yes, the main character in Twilight lied to her father, but once he found out, she was in big trouble.
The book is NOT all about a high school girl who lies and sneaks around. And you have to understand the relationship between the father and the daughter. They hadn't seen in each other in years and she was raised by her mother.

There are many positive subjects in the book: family bonds,loyal friendships, good vs evil, abstinence,etc.

Read the books yourself and then decide. It won't take you long.

It's relative to each individual.

Are her friends reading the books?

The movie is rated PG-13 but not because of sexual innuendo. It is b/c the movie is supposed to be a "thriller".

Summit Entertainment is currently making part 2 into the movie.

No way would I let my young daughter read these books. And I loved them. They are filled with sensual longing and sexual overtones. They make you long for the two to have sex even when they aren't. They are also full of deceiving the poor parent who doesn't know what is going on and is kept in the dark because he couldn't possibly understand. Lots of sneaking the vampire in the bedroom window at night and sleeping intwined in the bed wishing for more then making out. It is an amazingly sensual read. I highly recommend you taking the time to read the books before you let your daughter read them.

VickiS

No this book is not appropriate for a 10 1/2 year old. I haven't been on for awhile and have just returned. My daughter and I both have read this series and saw the movie. I would not let a 10 1/2 year old read these books. There are too many adult themes going on. The characters in the book are HS age. My advice is take a cue from the characters in the book. Would you let your daughter hang out with HS age crowd? So if you would not do that, then that answers your question right there. Younger kids want to be "in the know" and on top of things and they hear a lot of talk about the series and the movies etc... But we should use caution when letting them participate in things that are too old for them. Children are open to everything and anything and very curiousit is up to us to guide them and these are situations that they should not have to deal with for some years. Do not let your desire to have someone to share with let it cloud your judgement. It is fun to have something in commong with our daughters and children but better for you to come down to their level than to ask them to come up to yours. There is a lot of age appropriate litature out there. Check out Madeline L'Engle series of books which are just as good today as when my daughter was in grade school some years ago.

J.,
My personal opinion is that there is nothing wrong with her reading these books. I say that because you do not want to hender her if she is reading books. Personally I would encourage almost any reading, with exception, such as true crime or x rated books. Let her read what interest her, because that is how I started reading when i was younger. I know that had my mother restricted the types of books that I could read, I would NEVER have been that interested in reading. I read all types of books now, since I was givin the opportunity to explore all the different styles when i was younger. I hope this helps to ease your mind. good luck

I have not seen nor read the Twilight series personally but I highly recommend the website Common Sense Media (www.commonsensemedia.org) - they have GREAT, in-depth reviews on all things from tv shows to movies to games - you should definitely check them out!

You should look at the maturity level of your 10 year old and decide. I am half way through the book now and took my daughter to see the movie. She wants to read it after I am done. I haven't come across anything that I feel is sexual. My sister-n-law has read them all and agrees they are are safe for pre-teens.
I don't think there is a right or wrong...it's just what you are comfortable with.

I am about 1/2 way through the last book of the series (breaking dawn), and so far I think it would be fine for your daughter. My dd is 13 and I wanted to read them all before I let her read them and I am really surprised and pleased at the way the author handles the romance in the story. The movie is also very clean, it leaves most sexual inuendoes to the imagination. I would just suggest that you read over them first to make sure that you are okay with it. At least she's reading! lol

My 19 year old daughter has read the series and says that anything past book one would not be appropriate for a 10 1/2!

Book 2 depicts the very dark side of suicidal nature and there is a vampire/child birth that is fairly graphic.

How about Harry Potter?

You have to know your dd maturity level. My 12 year old just read the series and she can't wait until I take her to the movie - it was less about sex than the extreme sensuality of the books. I read each book first and had a open dialoque with her the whole time she was reading them. I hesitated to let her read books 3 and 4 - it is certainly a coming of age tale - and while there is sexual content, I did not think it was graphic until they actually have sex in book 3- but again it is very sensual - and provocative. 10 would be a little young for some of the content. I think these were targeted to High School aged girls.

There are good messages to communicate - waiting for sex until marriage. Honesty, integrity, following your heart vs following your head. Making right choices for yourself, young love can be all consuming - finding yourself and being content without a boy (not saying Bella figured some of these out)

We did talk a lot about secrets in relationships - having a boyfriend that you have to lie to your parents about etc. and this was a good way to open the lines of communication.

Saying all that, my 9 year old niece saw it with her mom???

then definitely do not take her to see the movie, the movie is rated pg13 so that there tells you what age is appropriate to view the movie and read the series good for you for being concerned

Yeah, it may be a bit too mature for her. I suggest that you read it first & judge for yourself.

I am now reading the fourth book in the Twilight Saga and I believe it is too much for a 10 year old. Maybe not the first book, but the outcome of the books is intercourse, child bearing, etc.

My dgtrs are 14 and (almost) 10, my older dgtr read twilight at the end of 6th grade, so she was 12 at the time. She LOVED the book and even asked for them for her 13th bday. I read the books after she wanted them as a gift to see what the excitement was all about. They are really good books, well written, good character development (good vs. evil, personal sacrifice for someone you love..that kind of thing). I will admit though, I would not allow my 10 year old to read them, yet. The emotions are very deep and Edward and Bella's love is very intense. They obviously have to keep a certain physical boundary, it is definitely expressed that both characters wish they could explore more passionately. There is no foul language and the violence is more insinuated than actually described. Let her wait until she is a little older, she will have something to look forward to. BTW, the movie is rated PG13, so there is another hint to what age the books and movie were created to entertain.
Good Luck!

I don't think I'd let my 10-11 yr old daughter read it. I agree it is more for high school aged kids. I think you should read the books and decide for yourself.

The final book "New Moon" has some inappropriate material. The movie has one scene of sensuality. My 11 year old is mature enough to handle it and we talk. Your decision.

I'm a grandmother and have read the Twilight series and would not let my granddaughter of this age read it. You might check out a House of Night series by a mother/daughter team P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast; I think these are a little more on level with this age group.

It really depends on the kid. I let my 11 yo read the first 3 books in the series, but have held off on the fourth because I felt it was a little too adult. The books are very chaste for the most part, only kissing occasionally and the vaguest hints at any thing more. What I found a little worrisome was the main character's absolute dependence on her relationship with Edward. However none of my friends who have read the book agree with that worry. So again, depends on your kid. My daughter is pretty mature and does read at a college level. However, I have friends who's children weren't readers at all before reading the book, and now are really getting into reading even beyond the books. Also, read the book first, I think the movie is more enjoyable that way.

I've read all 4 books. There really was no sex in the book. I would be OK with it. I found the books really preached abstinence and even in the last book where they got married there was no details, just laying in the bed and then boom, waking up happy. If you are concerned check out the last book before you read them, but for the most part, I think there is very little sexual content of any kind besides kissing. The main characters do "spend the night" with each other, but there isn't any sex.

I read the whole series and there isn't any sex in the books until after they're married. The woman who wrote the series is a very moral person. The story is about a teenager who falls in love with a vampire. Even though I like the movie, it might be a little dark, even a little scary, for a 10 1/2 year old.

I have not read these books myself, but my 15 year old son read them and was then passing them onto my daughter who is 11. When he was done with book three he would not let her have it because he said there was a sex scene in it and some other graphic things...he told me about it and I am now reading the series to see if I will let my 11 year old read the rest of the series.....
did not see the movie, but my husband went with our son and his friends and he said it was ok...one make out scene but nothing to bad....
hope this helps.

Hi J. - I read your "So What Happened" and am so glad you drew what you did from all of the responses. I didn't know alot about Twilight except it was about vampires and targeted towards teens. My 1st reaction was to google "Christian input on Twilight series".

I came up with the wesite below which was VERY informative and gave all of the pros and cons. I was very surprised that there were many Pros. It is a blessing that your daughter has an interest in reading and not just watching tv! :)

The thing for a parent to consider here is the level of maturity and the values that have been instilled in the young adult.

I am believing God's BEST for you! D. O

http://christianteens.about.com/od/christianentertainment...

I read the first Twilight book trying to answer this same questions for a friend of mine. I have a 12 year old son, so luckily, he is not interested in these books. He would have absolutely understood the sexual innuendos at the age of ten. There are many underlying sexual inferences that many people do not feel are appropriate for their children. The most disturbing theme in the book for me, was the forbidden love being so romanticized. The main character hides her relationship from her father, sneaks out, lies about where she is going and the boyfriend spends the night in her room every night. The sneaking and lying was as disturbing or more disturbing to me than the sexual implications. That being said, only you can decide what is appropriate for your child. Read the book, it took me a long afternoon, and decide if that is a way you want your daughter to behave in a few years.

Well, being a 21-year-old who's read them...I would say she's almost 11 years old (and we're assuming she's had the sex talk) she SHOULD be fine. There are sexual innuendos, but that might make it easier for you to talk about things like that together as I'm sure she'll have questions. Anyway, in the first three books there is no sex at all, so I think they'd be safe. *shrugs*

I am 28 and have read it. There is a lot of talk about sex in it and a lot more in the 4th book. I would say okay for a 14-15 yr old. It is aimed for HS girls. That is why I read it. My 15 yr old cousin told me to. Keep them young! I am with Heather B.

I know this is a little late...if you as her mother feel she is mature enough to read it..go for it! Your mother's intuition is always right! I have a 10 year old, who is mature and has had the sex/puberty talk many times...I would feel comfortable letting her read books 1 & 2...I don't know about 3&4--because I haven't read them yet...but I would let my 10 year old read them...

I have read all 4, this summer, and I think that these are much too mature for a 10 1/2 year old! I am a mother of grown children and would not want my granddaughters to read this at that tender age. It's a great story, but contains much sexual metaphor, and to me, would inevitably engender sophistication and precocious-ness in your young daughter, something that's happening too much these days.
Sensual and compelling, almost addictive, I would not wish the obsession that this seems to inflict on some 'tween and high school girls, even those a bit older. No, there's no actual sex until the last book, within marriage at that point, and tastefully done, but in a sense it's nonstop intrigue about sexual desire from beginning to end. Run run run.
That said, I loved it as an adult-read, with deeply developed characters, and an interesting exploration of innovative ideas related to relationships, societal mores, and the nature of good and evil. Later on, it could provide a rich springboard for mother-daughter discussions about maturity in relationships.
Stephenie Meyer's adult novel, The Host, is also unique in that respect. But my input is to keep those Twilight books away from your little girl until she's older, and the movie as well, unless you're looking for her to grow up very fast!

My daughter will be 14 on 12/27. She is on the last of the books already and is online reading what Stephanie Meyer is doing next. My kid is one of those who had a ticket as soon as possible for the midnight premiere and LOVED it. I can't say much for productivity at school the next day....other than a lot of girls in a rotten mood due to no sleep. I plan to see the movie ASAP.

Of course, the age group of middle school+ is pretty much the age group into the book series. It depends on the maturity of your daughter and what you "ok" for her to read.

Personally, I do not have an issue with it. My daughter is in honors classes and never has been so interested in a book or book series. She is glued to the books and reading like she never has before so I see a benefit for her reading. I am reading the books as she finishes them...and they are very interesting. It is hard to put the book down when you are into it. She told me last week, "I can't believe you are just starting the 2nd book in the series when I am on the last". HA HA I told her I would have plenty of time to read the series if she took care of my chores and errands around the house and let me sit back and read!!!!

If anything, this series has made a positive impact on my daughter with her higher interest of reading. I am finished with the first book "Twilight" and there was nothing there that I was uncomfortable with my daughter reading.

HOWEVER, we do have a very open minded, open commnunications line at our home where nothing is off limits to talk about.

If nothing else, go read the book yourself first and I guarantee....you will want to see the movie!!! It is a great series.

Happy Holidays!

What in the world is going on? Is "maturity" of a 10 year old the only criteria for choosing books? How about values, self-esteem, and common sense? Did anyone tell you that by book four the couple in the series is having sex, getting married and having a baby? Did anyone tell you that in the book the girl decides that the love of this vampire is more important to her than her own soul? Where is the strong, confident woman that we want our girls to grow into if we present them with these heroines that are so willing to give up their life, identity, their very soul for a man? I gaurantee your girl will dream of being the girl in the book. Is that the dreams you want her to have? Please everyone, rethink the hype that has swirled around these books and get your girls into books about strong and productive women.