Would flowers for algernon be appropiate for an 11 year old?

It doesn't contain any innapropriate material, so yes. But they would have to be a generally mature eleven to be able to really grasp the ideas in the book and handle the sad moments.





It's a very good story, but very sad also :)

Would flowers for algernon be appropiate for an 11 year old?
It depends on how mature this 11 year old is and what their reading level is. Flowers for Algernon is a really depressing book. I read it when I was 17, and I definitely could have read it when I was much younger, but my reading level was always really high for my age. It just depends on if they can handle a book that is really sad. Other than the sadness, there isn't anything too bad for an eleven year old.
Reply:I think that I read it when I was eleven. It should be ok.
Reply:I think so, if the 11 year old can handle 'sad' as well as some pretty striking changes in the protagonist of this story...


It really depends on the kid's reading level.
Reply:Yes: there's no blood, swearing, etc.
Reply:I'm going to go against everyone here and say that it's really not. There is inappropriate material for an eleven year old in that there is drinking, swearing, and sex...although that's not why I don't think a youngish kid should read the work.





Unless your eleven year old is incredibly mature and has a really high reading level they will miss the importance of the work. It would be very difficult for them to grasp the nature of society in the way they treat Charlie. Charlie's anger at having been on (what he believes) to be the top of the world when he sees his inevitable downfall. The sociological, academic, religious, and moralistic issues of attempting to alter the natural conditions of humanity. Now, very few people grasp everything a novel has to offer the first time they read it, but the book is incredibly sad and even reading it every year with my senior English class, I still cry. Not everyone is willing to re-read a book that pulls this strong of an emotion from them so waiting until they are mentally capable of processing the majority of the meaning of the novel is a good idea.
Reply:It would be. It is a touching story of a mentally retarted person who, when being in the presence of an experimental mouse, begins to see a different perspective on life especially since he is part of an experiment that the mouse is going through. I think you would really enjoy it. It's very touching, and so sweet.
Reply:What the heck is algernon?????