VC Andrews Series any readers ? Would you let a 12 yr old read?

[Muushka]

With all of the wonderful literature out there,
for the life of me I can't understand why a parent would allow a child/teen to read VC Andrews.

Same goes for certain movies.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

i read VC Andrews at 10, started on star trek at 11, was reading romace novels by 12. I was way ahead of my reading level

 

[mamacatnv]

I read Forever in 6th grade, it was still in our schools library at that time.

I also read the VC Andrews series sometime around middle school. I loved that series when I was that age. DD is 11 and in 5th grade and while I might not run out an buy it for her now I know if she picked it up in the next few years I would be okay with that.

 

[wdwfan16]

My 12 year old dd is getting bored of reading and I want to introduce her to a series which will keep her reading interest up. I remember when I was young VC Andrews Flowers in the Attic was popular but I do not even remember when i read it and know just the basics that 4 kids up in the attic story.

Do you think it is appropriate for a 12 year old to start reading the series of her books?

Also anything else except the twilight series you can recommend? I tried to get her to read Nancy Drew series but she is not the least interested in that

I would not let a 12 year old read that series. I read them as an adult.

The story is of children born of incest who are locked away. Eventually the brother and sister start doing it. The younger twins starve to death.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

Here is a site you can use for books, etc. Gives you a good idea about age appropriateness. Click on the book tab.
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/

Here is a good movie review site
http://www.pluggedin.com/

 

[lovetoscrap]

I read Flowers in the Attic in Middle School also when they were popular. I am pretty sensitive to what I read and after reading the first book I had no desire to read the rest of them.


What disturbed me wasn't so much with the incest but just how horrible these kids were treated by their mother and grandmother, and the mom poisoning them. The concept of them being locked in the attic was horrific to me.


Occasionally I will still have nightmares about this book. And I read it about 26 years ago. Tonight will now be one of them! Even today I won't read or watch movies that involve horrible situations with children. This is the number one book on my list of things that I wish I had never read.

 

[The Orchid]

I read the book when I was ten and enjoyed it. I would have no problem letting my daughter read it.

 

[Just Jan]

That was pretty much me too. I'm sure I was about 12/13 when I read Flowers in the Attic. It was one of those books that was passed around like "Forever", "Go Ask Alice" and "Looking For Mr. Goodbar". I was about 11 when I started reading horror, it was John Saul's "Suffer the Children". I've read every single book he has written, purchased as soon as they're released.

I'm pretty free with my 13 yr old DD with her reading choices. She loves to read and like me devours books, all kinds. We try to discuss some of the more adult themes. She recently read Billie Letts "Where the Heart is", a book I read when she was about 2yrs old. We had an great conversation about it in the car while waiting for her sister to finish soccer practice.

I read Suffer the Children when I was a freshman in high school. It scared the Bejebbers out of me. A teen girl the next town over from me was kidnapped and found dead. I looked under my bed every night for a long time. I haven't read a scary book since!

 

[Stinasmom]

Oh, I remember those books... yes, I read most of them around 12 years old. Any I remember getting my hands on Forever too!

My DD12 has recently devoured the House of Night series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (mother/daughter writing team). The newest one is expected soon. It has a teen vampire theme set in a boarding school just for vampires but still within the "real world."

I enjoyed them too!

 

[clarabelle]

OP -I would wait on VC Andrews. There are so many things written for tweens and teens out there.

Do you need some suggestions?
My daughter liked the Lauren Myracle books as PP mentioned.
There is also a series of books called Camp Confidential that she likes.
Star Girl by Jerry Spinelli

Does she like fantasy?
My DD enjoys Angie Sage (first book is called Magyk)
P.B. Kerr (Children of the Lamp series)
Rick Riordan ( Percy Jackson series)

 

[gm]

thanks for all recommendations. I will pass of the VC andrews books. I am not starting her on those.

She has read all the clique series,stephanie plum books and I wish wish she would read nancy drew but she did not enjoy some that i got for her. She has also read all the american girl books.

Thank you for all the suggestions

 

[Boxley]

I would pass on those books for a while. Maybe if a teenager decided to read them later, sure. I think it depends on the teen, I had a friend who at the age of 13 read everything, adult stuff, fine literature and VC Andrews, she grew up fine. It all just depends on the maturity of the teen. As an adult I do sometimes read the VC Andrews, sure it is trash but after doing nothing but reading Tolstoy, you need the fluffy stuff sometimes.

 

[clarabelle]

Hey Gm it sounds like she likes 'grown up" mysteries?

My DD likes mysteries by Joanne Fluke -the first one is called "The Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery"

My other DD at that age read some "Cat Who" mysteries by Lillian Jackson Braun the first one is called "The Cat who could read Backwards"

While these are not written for children -they may have some adult references and language -but not much. They are the kind of books you could pass on to your Grandma.

 

[RitaE]

I just started a really good book last night that is classified as young adult. There is a 2nd book in the series too that was just released.


http://www.amazon.com/Graceling-ebook/dp/B001KR0BDI/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

Graceling
Starred Review. Grade 8 Up—In this debut fantasy novel, Cashore treats readers to compelling and eminently likable characters and a story that draws them in from the first paragraph. In Katsa's world, the "Graced," those gifted in a particular way, are marked by eyes that are different colors. Katsa's Grace is that she is a gifted fighter, and, as such, she is virtually invincible. She is in the service of her tyrannical uncle, king of one of the seven kingdoms, and she is forced to torture people for infractions against him. She has secretly formed the Council, which acts in the service of justice and fairness for those who have been accused and abused. Readers meet her as she is rescuing the father of the Lienid king, who has been abducted. The reasons for his capture are part of a tightening plot that Katsa unravels and resolves, with the help of Prince Po, the captive's grandson. He has his own particular Grace, and he becomes Katsa's lover and partner in what becomes a mortally dangerous mission. Cashore's style is exemplary: while each detail helps to paint a picture, the description is always in the service of the story, always helping readers to a greater understanding of what is happening and why. This is gorgeous storytelling: exciting, stirring, and accessible. Fantasy and romance readers will be thrilled.

 

[Kallista]

There's great YA out there if you know what to look for

Stuff that I read around and liked:

Chris Crutcher "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes"

Terry Davis "Vision Quest" and "If Rock and Roll were a Machine"

Lois Duncan "Killing Mr. Griffin"

Patricia McKillip "The Changeling Sea"

Robin McKinley "Sunshine," "Beauty," "Spindle's Inn" and
"The Hero and the Crown"

Harper Lee "To Kill a Mockingbird"

Anne McCaffrey "Dragonsong" and "Dragonsinger"

Orson Scott Card "Ender's Game"

Richard Adams "Watership Down"

William Sleator "House of Stairs"

J.R.R. Tolkein "The Hobbit"

Scott Westerfield "Uglies"

Neil Gaiman "Coraline"

Louisa May Alcott "Little Women"

 

[Boxley]

I loved the Flowers In The Attic series, but even as a young teen I noticed that incest was a BIG theme in almost all her books. I stopped reading her books because I was tired of the same running theme.

Well, technically ( and I am pulling this out from what I remember) VC Andrews herself wrote the first three books in the Flower in the Attic, two books from the Casteel series when she died. Technically the last three books of the Casteel series were summarized by her, the rest of the books that are still going on are written by her ghostwriter who from what I understand has recycled VC Andrews's plots and mannerisms.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I read Suffer the Children when I was a freshman in high school. It scared the Bejebbers out of me. A teen girl the next town over from me was kidnapped and found dead. I looked under my bed every night for a long time. I haven't read a scary book since!

Yep, I remember reading Suffer the Children in high school and it scared the bejebbers out of me too. A few years later I read a few more John Saul books, his earlier books were better than later ones IMHO.

My niece is 14 and there is no way I'd say it's okay for her to read VC Andrews, I read the first 4 or 5 in college and thought they were beyond disturbing. One of those kinds of book that make you want to go take a shower after you are done reading.

 

[WaltD4Me]

thanks for all recommendations. I will pass of the VC andrews books. I am not starting her on those.

She has read all the clique series,stephanie plum books and I wish wish she would read nancy drew but she did not enjoy some that i got for her. She has also read all the american girl books.

Thank you for all the suggestions

If she liked the Stephanie Plum books, there is another series that is similiar. It is the Bubbles series of books by Sarah Strohmeyer. Bubbles is a hairdresser who solves mysteries. Also a mystery series that I LOVE is the Myron Bolitar series by Harlan Coben. He also has several stand alone mysteries that are really good too, but I started with his Myron books. Good stories, interesting mysteries with some funny.

 

[kaseyC]

thanks for all recommendations. I will pass of the VC andrews books. I am not starting her on those.

She has read all the clique series,stephanie plum books and I wish wish she would read nancy drew but she did not enjoy some that i got for her. She has also read all the american girl books.

Thank you for all the suggestions

See if she would be interested in some of Lois Duncan's YA Suspense/Horror books. I read many of them in Junior High and High School. My eldest DD read most of them last year when she was in 7th grade. A few of our favorites are:

I Know What You Did Last Summer
Daughters of Eve
Summer of Fear
Killing Mr. Griffin
Stranger With My Face

 

[Missy1961]

See if she would be interested in some of Lois Duncan's YA Suspense/Horror books. I read many of them in Junior High and High School. My eldest DD read most of them last year when she was in 7th grade. A few of our favorites are:

I Know What You Did Last Summer
Daughters of Eve
Summer of Fear
Killing Mr. Griffin
Stranger With My Face

Lois Duncan was great. I loved those books.

OP, how about Harry Potter? My nieces love them, they've read them all & we discuss them all the time.