I've started student teaching at a high school, and am really surprised at how many kids are reading this. Not only reading it, but at the encouragement of teachers.
Now, if it gets kids reading, fine. I'm for that no matter the material (unless it is hate-filled or something along those lines). But it seems like an awfully brutal book to encourage kids to read. I really don't get this country (USA) when it comes to what is and is not appropriate. It's perfectly fine for a kids to read A Child Called It, but God forbid they read what I find to be an excellent young adult novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, because it contains . . . *queue ominous music* . . . masturbation!
I haven't read A Child Called It, and I have no desire to. I've read about the book, and don't want to read what is essentially an account of torture with no discernible redemption. I may read it, just so I can see what the big deal is about first hand, but I'm currently looking into young adult novels with a little more depth, like The Giver.
Your thoughts?