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Bog Child

(2008, Fiction - Historical Fiction, Written by Siobhan Dowd)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 14; suggested age 13.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    Lyrical but realistic; teens may need Irish history lesson.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 13–14

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Not an issue.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    A woman is stabbed by a friend before she can be hung, death through hunger-strikes, a bomb blows up a car and soldiers, a man is murdered by being hit in the head with a rock, a man kicks a boy in the ribs.

  • Sex:

    Kissing and making out; condoms; two teens are in bed together in a sexual situation; but do not actually have sex; reference to "screwing."

  • Language:

    "S--t," "feck," "f--k," "bitch."

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Smoking of cigarettes (called "fags" in British slang), drinking and drunkenness are part of the culture.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Bog Child

Parents need to know that teens smoke, drink, get drunk, make out, and come close to having sex. The story takes place during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and there are bombings and suicidal hunger strikes.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the Troubles. The story assumes knowledge of them, but American teens may need some context (see the Other Choices section for a place to start). What do you know about the Troubles? Why would people starve themselves to death over prison uniforms and accommodations? Why is Fergus so angry when he discovers the truth about the packages he's been carrying?
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