When I was in the 5th grade I tried to read Pride & Prejudice. Took it in the backyard, sat on the swing. Read a page and a half then closed it, went inside, and didnโt pick it up again for another 10 years. Kids are capable of deciding whatโs too much for them.
I met Judy Blume in Key West recently (she owns an excellent bookstore there!) and her philosophy about whether books are age-appropriate is this:
If a kid isn't ready for the book, she will put it down!
Peace to the things you left undone
the book abandoned, scarf half-knit
The call you meant to make
the friendship never rekindled
The time you did your hair
& then stayed home
Peace to things
that made no difference
in the end
& those
that may have
Peace to the never knowing
I get that Whitney is a legend, but imo the correct response to this is Chaka Khan. She literally has a song titled โIโm Every Womanโ! ๐๐ผโโ๏ธ๐