To tell or not to tell

I have a dilemma. My little sister and I love reading Harry Potter together. However around a year ago (when she was eight) we got onto book five, Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix. For those of you who’ve read it you know something devastating happens in this book. I told my little sister that it was her choice if she read on to the end but it might be too upsetting. She is still content to not know the sad ending and has given me the almighty decision of letting her know when she should read to the end.

I don’t want to be overly protective or try to control what she reads. However if I do tell her she’s ready when she’s not then I don’t think she’ll forgive me easily.

Thinking about this brought to mind the issue of when is the right time for children to read certain books. I am a strong believer that age restrictions on video games and films should be adhered to. In fact when I worked in the Library I could have been fined a phenomenal amount of money if I allowed a 14 year old to borrow a 15 rated film, even if their parents were present. 

There is no similar law for books.  When looking at the latest library reading scheme website story lab I saw the Book Sorter which recommended books depending on gender, age, and taste. when looking for a nine year old girl I was shocked to see that Hunger Games  was suggested. The Hunger Games trilogy is fantastic, but I have to say I was more than a little traumatised and I’m 23! It was rated as a 12A when released at the cinema and although I’d be fined giving this as a film to a nine year old it is not the case with the book (which is a lot more gruesome and graphic than the film.)

 I don’t have an answer to this question, but my gut tells me that if a child wants to read the book then they are probably ready for said book. I imagine when her curiosity gets too much she’ll read the end by torch light beneath bed covers.