Suggestions for tween? Esp short stories.

[Rollergirl]

My daughter is 12 and she loves horror. She's an advanced reader but a fairly innocent kid... I know there's eye rolling but she is homeschooled so I am semi-aware of what she has been exposed to. She doesn't scare easily and we just watched 1408 and now she (finally) has asked to read some King.

I don't care about violence or language but I would prefer to avoid explicit sexual content. I've read almost everything King has written but I can't remember everything in super detail.

I was thinking of one of his short story collections... Anyone have advice?

Thanks!

 

[Spideyman]

Eyes of the Dragon
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon.
The Talisman
Shawshank Redemption
Salem's Lot
Cycle of the Werewolf

 

[doowopgirl]

Welcome.See Spideyman suggestions. Perfect.

 

[AchtungBaby]

Firestarter!

 

[Doc Creed]

The Eyes of the Dragon was what first came to my mind.

 

[GNTLGNT]

....Spidey offers a nice assortment of suggestions....and as your daughter gets older, you can slowly introduce the rest of the canon.....

 

[César Hernández-Meraz]

I am reading the "Night Shift" collection and, so far, it has been high in the horror and low in the sex. Loved "Graveyard Shift" and "The Mangler" (which is the latest I have read from that collection).

I am also reading the Percy Jackson books. Not horror, but good for a tween (and everyone, really). They have great adventure with Greek gods, monsters and heroes. They are easy to read, not too long, and feature situations and dialogue that can entertain a young kid (like a mechanical dragon who likes to eat motor oil with Tabasco sauce).

 

[Rollergirl]

Thank you all!

I was just thinking about finding my copy of Night Shift so thank you for that. And we actually have all of the Percy Jackson books but I hadn't thought about them so thanks for the reminder!

 

[mal]

I was 13 and my first book was 'Salems Lot. It didn't psychologically affect me at all. It didn't psychologically affect me at all. All the best, mal

 

[stephcarson]

Unfortunately, Stephen King writes so much about life, a lot of casual sex is in there. You forget it was in the story because it wasn't crucial, but it's often fairly vivid. I say this because I have a student reading King and I reread some stories I thought would be ok and yikes! Here and there, no! Just as a warning. Eyes of the Dragon was the only one written with children in mind.

And there is no need to apologize for your child's innocence! Keep it while you can. They have their whole life to be a boring adult! My son loved Percy Jackson too. Does she like Science Fiction? Has she tried Orson Scott Card?

 

[Rollergirl]

Thank you! I kind of feel the same way... Like, I know there's sex mixed in but it's mixed in so well it doesn't stand out in my mind! Unless it's super-overt like the end of It, haha. I know I can't shield her forever but I'm not quite ready.

I don't know if she's into sci-fi but she loves Doctor Who so she might be a good candidate! She's going to try Percy Jackson after she finishes Deathly Hallows.

It's hard to keep a tween scared! We have a late 1800's cemetery in our backyard and she and I were out there last night goofing around with her ouija board and the only things she was scared of were the fire ants. <3

 

[skimom2]

Mr. King writes for adults, really. For an innocent 12 year old, my best suggestions are Eyes of the Dragon and The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. The Talisman is such a good book, and most of it is not totally inappropriate for a child, but I remember the scenes where Jack was working in the Oatley Tavern really disturbed me when I first read it, and I was older than 12. 'Salem's Lot has one brief sexual situation, but a few other references that your child might or might not be ready for.

 

[Rollergirl]

I started reading King when I was 12. I wasn't scandalized but I was also a different kid than my kid. I realize he writes for adults... which is why I asked for recommendations rather than just chuck her my copy of Carrie.

 

[Tery]

My Pretty Pony in Nightmares & Dreamscapes.

 

[Arcadevere]

I was in my tweenager days when i read the Short story version of 1408. So i recomend (Not fully, because yeah) the whole short story collection of Everything's eventual Becuase yeah! Let her read the short story version of it

 

[skimom2]

I started reading King when I was 12. I wasn't scandalized but I was also a different kid than my kid. I realize he writes for adults... which is why I asked for recommendations rather than just chuck her my copy of Carrie.

Same-I was 12 or 13, but I wasn't particularly sensitive. Carrie or The Shining (my first King novel) aren't particularly sexual, either. I think what unnerved me with the Oatley section of The Talisman was that it put Jack, a kid like me, in sexual danger.

 

[muskrat]

Suggestions for tweens? Here's mine: Turn that stupid music DOWN, yeesh, God forbid you listen to something with a guitar solo in it. Turn off the damn X-Box while yer at it. Get out in the sunlight. What the hell are you wearing? Pull yer pants up, boy, I swear...

 

[Neesy]

Unfortunately, Stephen King writes so much about life, a lot of casual sex is in there. You forget it was in the story because it wasn't crucial, but it's often fairly vivid. I say this because I have a student reading King and I reread some stories I thought would be ok and yikes! Here and there, no! Just as a warning. Eyes of the Dragon was the only one written with children in mind.

And there is no need to apologize for your child's innocence! Keep it while you can. They have their whole life to be a boring adult! My son loved Percy Jackson too. Does she like Science Fiction? Has she tried Orson Scott Card?

Casual sex?

I think gory violence is worse than that, but to each his own.

Welcome to SKMB - I agree with protecting children and staying innocent as long as possible, by the way.

I read The Eyes of the Dragon as an adult for the first time and I thought it was enchanting.

Spoiler

 

[The Nameless]

I couldn't say with regards to a whole collection because I pick at short stories, but from everything's eventual I have read autopsy room 4, the man in the black suit, the road virus heads north, 1408 and I think I have read riding the bullet. I can't remember much sex in that lot, maybe a touch in autopsy room 4.

The thing with Stephen is that he's pretty awful at wring sex scenes (sorry Steve). It's mostly quickies with king. 11.22.63 for example, most sex scenes in that consist of

Spoiler

we had some pound cake

The langoliers is an awesome novella but it's part of 4 past midnight which has the library policeman in it, and that does contain a bit of sex including child molestation. Not exactly reading material for a 12 year old.

Welcome by the way.

 

[Mynxie]

Yeah i started with SK from about 12 - the goth chick in the library recommended him (and subsequently let me loan from the adult section earlier than rules allowed). I was also watching horror from way before this age. Neither did me any harm at all. Gotta say its totally awesome that you and your kid have a special bond which allows you to share so much - my horror and alt side appears to be mine and mine alone...... but im fine with that.

Welcome to the sanctuary