How old do you need to be??

[Leala Sedai]

I began reading it when I was a very naive little 14 year-old. I was going to a very strict church that judged me for stuff like that, but I had already gone through some religious stuff with my parents and Harry Potter. I fully understood that it was fiction and was very firm in my beliefs. I still am. I was just naive about everything else, I guess. My point being, it varies depending on the individual.

[Kwom Masbag]

Well...I started reading it during my Sophomore year, so I think around fifteen... I'm seventeen now. I don't know how this relates to your situation...wait. I started reading The Lord of the Rings back in fourth grade, and I'm rather confident that I understood what was going on. I guess the point of this was to reiterate the fact that it depends upon the level of the child.

[MashiraSedai]

Didn't read all of the response, so sorry if I'm glazing over what others have said.

I think it depends on the maturity of the child.

I personally have thought about this as I would love for my (eventual) kids to read WoT, but I've

decided that I'm going to wait until they hit around 12 or 13. I think this is an age at which

it would be appropriate for them to read and even talk to me about all of the more.... detailed...

information.

[LisaMetzelBonnet]

Strangely enough, I kinda want him to experience some of the stuff at school (vicariously of course) before reading the books. I think that maybe part of my issue is that there aren't really any bad consequences for some of the more, uh, "mature" stuff. Like seriously. In what universe is it completely OK for some guy to be sleeping with three different women? And in what universe are they all friends? All the warder rehab stuff? I think that I want him to see what the real consequences of being a player are. And the real consequences of manipulating people and situations. I think it's better maybe to experience a little bit of life (which, let's all admit, high school isn't the real world, but sometimes on a personal level it hurts worse) before some of the other stuff. I don't know.

 

On the up side, he's become completely obsessed with Doctor Who. So we have something to share and we skip episodes that I know will be "too much" for him.

[Al Jenn Mael]

Well the 'old Mormons', various middle easterners/western asia, and several characters in the old testament seemed to do alright by it. But that seems perfectly fine and who knows what will happen with rand.

 

Jordan didn't invent much of it up out of thin air, he took a lot from various cultures, historical figures, and older myths/tales.

 

Either way there are plenty of great things to read in the meantime, after all one of my favorite series is a 'young adult' trilogy. Abhorsen.

[Moon Sedai]

I didn't pick up the series until I was in my early 20s.

 

I don't think I would have appreciated the books when I was 9. I was an avid reader even at that young age, but the many layers of the books would have bored me that young. [i know because that was when I read [i]A Wrinkle in Time[/i] a book I've heard that many people enjoy. I hated it so much that now, *( years later, I still haven't reread it.]

I would say wait until he's 10 or 11. Or, read the books with him. [i'm #@ and still enjoy being read to.]

 

Beyond just 'warder rehab' and the 3 wives, there are some strong references to our mythological and historical past throughout the series that a 9 year old might not catch, unless they've heard Norse, Greek, and Arthurian legends on a nightly basis for bedtime stories [totally possible, that bit].

 

Forgetting the later books, I'm just thinking of EoTW. What about how three teenage boys and a teenage girl just glomph across the world with a pair of relative strangers, one of whom looks like he chews bricks? [something I would not want my 9 year old to do, if I had one]. Even if Nynaeve runs after them and joins their journey, initially, the kids go without any adults from their home town.

There is also an aspect in that first book where none of the parents seem to believe the boys saw the 'man in the black cloak.' Do you want your kid getting a subtle and unintended message that YOU won't believe him if he starts thinking he's being stalked?

 

You are the parent, however, and know what he can handle.

 

I also seem to remember that at one point there was a children's edition of the first book published [like a part one and a part two to EoTW, I don't remember what they were called, but they were advertised as child versions of the full book]. Perhaps that might suit him.

 

The Belgariad would be a good 9 year old series, if I remember the series correctly. The hero is a young boy, I can't remember his age.

[Liitha]

um plenty of us have to wait for the books its not like the series even done just yet

 

let him have the first few books now, and then pending how he comprehend that and how old he is as he progress evaluate when you want too give him the more advanced books

 

its not like you have to let him read all 13 books right now if you dont feel he is ready for it

 

HP grew with the kids which is where many parents error, some kids are mature enough to read them in one go even if they start young, but the series really advanced and matured along with the first set of readers, and the books as such are tailored for different age groups, same way you can let him progress in the series as he age if you feel that is right for wot

 

you know your son and what he is ready for best though, kids mature differently but be carefull baning books outrigth too someone loving to read, without really talking it over and make sure you got them on board or i can promise you it will get read behind your back, my mom tried with one book, she was right, she too this day still dont know i snuck behind her back and got the nightmares she figured i would get but her just saying i was too young without really geting me to agree more then just saying no with a reason just made the grass greener on the other side and the book even more tempting