With readers of all ages thumbing the pages of the books and having a hard time putting it down once they pick it up, the Twilight series has definitely taken the world by storm. However, with talk of romance, vampires and violence, is the book appropriate for our children, and if so, at what age should they be able to read it.
What’s it about?
The Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer consists of four books: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn; and is essentially a romantic novel, which includes a love triangle between a vampire, a werewolf and a human. It describes the struggles of the protagonist Bella Swan (the human) as a teenager who falls in love with the vampire, and after that the werewolf, and subsequently their fight to keep alive as the 'Volturi' (the elders in the vampire world) want to kill them and their family. The books are easy to read, and are descriptive enough to let our imagination run wild, so to speak.
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Who’s it for?
Children above the age of 11 should be able to easily read and comprehend the first two books in the series. However, I think the third and fourth book should only be read by those who are 14 and above, as it has a graphic description of birth, and quite a lot more violence as compared to the other two books.
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Mothers' reactions
Hannah, 40, a mother of a 10-year-old girl says, "If my daughter wanted to read it, I would let her especially since it tells me she is interested in reading! The book also holds a strong, independent female character in the name of Bella Swan. She is a smart, independent girl who had actually refrained from the teen drama scene and finally fell in love with the right person for her. They also wait until their wedding night for sex, an anomaly in most teen dramas."
Farrah, 35, a mother of a five-year-old girl says, "Personally I'm a fan of the Twilight series. I've read it multiple times and I would probably let my child read the book if she shows an interest in it. The books I believe are more tame than the movie versions, especially the first two books. But I'll let me child decide when she is nine or ten."
More good than bad?
Parents who are still unsure if their children should be reading the Twilight series books, should go out, and try reading it for themselves, and then decide if they think it's appropriate for their kids. On the other hand, use your child’s interest in the book as an opportunity to read the book together with them. This allows you to discuss any ‘inappropriate’ or ‘suggestive’ information in the book with your child, which helps to foster an open communication between your child and you.
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What age you would allow your child to read about the exploits of Bella Swan, Edward Cullen and Jacob Black of the Twilight series? We'd love to hear from you! Here's a sneak peek of the Twilight series movie trailer: