Do you think children can read Stephen King novels?

Question

Why or why not?

Answer 1

I'm sure some CAN. However, there are few who have the emotional maturity to deal with the subject matter. I wouldn't think that many under 16 should. Even 16 to 20 year olds may not have the maturity.

Answer 2

Well, that would certainly depend on the intellectual and emotional maturity of the child in question. Some children mature faster in those aspects than others, and so may be ready to read Stephen King than some of their own peers. Just to be safe, though, ask the child why he or she wants to read Stephen King, and then introduce the child to writers whose works are similar to Stephen King's, but perhaps not as "dark." This should not be a problem, given that there are a lot of Young Adult novels out there that are written in more or less the same vein as Stephen King (scary reading), but are not as disturbing. I would suggest finding a copy of Paul Zindel's "The Doom Stone:" sufficiently frightening and gruesome without some of the more disturbing aspects of King's works.

If, however, the child in question still finds such reading childish and insists on picking up Stephen King, then there should be nothing wrong with it. In the meantime, though, you may want to recognize that you may have a potential prodigy on your hands, so you may want to start slipping in copies of the classics and other, more substansive reading in amongst the King novels.

Answer 3

I started reading them when I was around 9 years old - maybe 8.

There's nothing inherently wrong with them - sure, they do often have graphic depictions of violence, naughty language, and sexual scenes - but that describes about 90% of what's on TV - including cartoons.

Plus, King often has child protagonists who are put in very real danger in his novels - which is a good thing for children to understand. It shows them that yes, even they could get hurt or killed, but at the same time that they have the power within themselves to overcome obstacles.

So, I think his books can be good for the children - as long as they're mature enough to handle it, of course.

Answer 4

Forget children, I don't even think adults should read his novels! I mean, the stories are just so twisted and some of them are plain gross. Like in the end of Pet Semetary (well the movie anyway, I don't know about the book) Where the dad kills his own toddler. That is just sick and disturbing. And It, Oh my God! I already hated clowns, that just put me off for life.

I am not a fan of him.

Answer 5

Depends at what age you consider someone to stop being a child. Also depends on the child, I suppose.

But a real child (less than 11 years old) will be scared out of his/her pants. And really, the language isn't for kids either.

Anyway, the way children go about these days, do they still read? You might have to inform them that books are not written in chat language, and that would probably turn them off...

Answer 6

I read some of his non-horror stuff when I was around 10--Eyes of the Dragon is one I remember distinctly reading. He's got a lot of stuff that isn't scary, and while some of it may be "deep" for a kid, I enjoyed the story when I read it and got the depth when I reread it later. (Heck, I did the same thing with Pullman's His Dark Materials series, a set which was at least originally aimed at the YA set when it has enormous philosophical ideas.)

Answer 7

My daughter now aged 19, started reading Stephen King novels when she was 9. She just picked one up off my bookshelf and said can I read this please dad, I asked her why and she said the books at school are all childish and I can read grown ups now.

What can you say to that? To date she has read most of his novels if not all.

Answer 8

I think they can read them
I dont think that they necessarily should read all of stephens books but some of them arent horror or very serious.

I cant say I would suggest giving a kid "the stand" to read or "it" they are a big to big for a kid plus a bit to scary or mature reading.

Answer 9

yes. i think children can read stephen king novels. i'm only a teenager, but i started to read and understand his stories when i was eight years old. maybe start by reading desperation, or christine

Answer 10

If a child wants to read a book (whatever that book may be) let them read - why should we stop people from reading a certain book? If they don't understand something, or if they don't enjoy it, they won't finish it. Most children have a short attention span.