Customer Reviews

Stories for Seven Year Olds (Kingfisher Treasury of Stories)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is an anthology which includes 19 stories from countries around the world. I thought because of the small print and density of text (lots of words on a page and few pictures) that it would be a book for us to read to our 7 year old, rather than a book she'd read on her own. She got a hold of it at bedtime and read it herself. About half way through the book she read a story in which a beautiful, smart, nice child (who is called "Little Stupid") is taken into the woods and killed by her two older sisters. I found the violent details of the murder and all of the events that follow the death extremely (and eerily) graphic for a child.

This was not even the story in the anthology by the Brothers Grimm--the only one I was really worried about her reading alone.

I know some parents have no problem exposing their children to stories like these, and don't like the "sugar coated" endings of some modernized fairy tales, but I MUST tell you that this story caused my daughter a great deal of distress--sleepless and tearful nights. I would not recommend this "Stories for 7 Year Olds" for a seven year old, and if you do read it, I'd highly recommend reading it together and talking about the stories as you go. I could suggest an alternate title for the book: "Stories for 7 year olds who want to grow up to be sociopaths." Really, Blishen, what WERE you thinking?!?

I bought this book yesterday for an upcoming trip, thinking it would be a space-saver with 19 stories in one small paperback. (We read to our kiddos before bedtime every night, even when we travel.) Then I read the previous review today. The reviewer was right on. The story in the middle of the book, The Tale of the Silver Saucer and the Transparent Apple by Arthur Ransome, is much too graphic and frightening for almost any seven year old. Let's put it this way: I would be worried if a child wasn't upset by this story. It's too bad, because most of the rest of the book is excellent, (although I admit that I haven't yet read the Bros. Grimm tale -- I generally find them either too frightening or too downright depressing for my taste). I still gave it 4 stars because I think most of the collection is very good and it includes many stories we have not read before, but we will be reading these aloud and not let our daughter, the voracious reader in family, get her hands on it. Thanks to the previous reviewer for the heads-up.

On the other hand, when I was a little boy "The Silver Saucer and the Transparent Apple" was one of my very, very favourite stories. So there you go.

have loved the previous "stories for X year olds". this is again a great collection of stories. thought provoking and fun.