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The 13 Clocks

(1950, Fiction - Fairy Tale, Written by James Thurber, Illustrated by Marc Simont)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 7, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 8.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    Classic reprint full of wordplay and silly humor.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 8 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Not an issue.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Mentions of a boy's eye put out by a bird, people killed by sword and fed to geese.

  • Sex:

    Not an issue.

  • Language:

    Not an issue.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The 13 Clocks

Parents need to know that there is little to be concerned about here, aside from some non-graphic references to people being killed and fed to geese.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the extensive wordplay. Can you find hidden rhymes? Which words did the author make up? Do they sound like they fit the situation and meaning? Can you find some of his weirder similes and metaphors?
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