 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
- By Ransom Riggs
- Genre: Fantasy
Common Sense Media says
Eerie gothic fantasy a satisfying creep fest for teens.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this New York Times bestseller is unique, intriguing, and meant for older readers, who will find it hard to put down. Not only is the storyline a bit complex, but the dark tone and violent acts also blend realism with fantasy to a point that might be confusing to impressionable kids. The language is a bit rough for younger readers; there's also mention of adultery and incest, as well as drinking too much to cover pain. Still, the book is fascinating, especially because the vintage photos make all the weirdness seem even eerier, and quite authentic.
What's the story?
Sixteen-year-old Jacob grew up on his grandfather’s weird but fascinating stories about his past. Were they true or not? It was hard to tell. When Grandpa dies from a mysterious mauling, Jacob falls apart, and he begins his search for something that will help make some sense of things. With his father, he goes to an island off the coast of Wales to find the orphanage where his grandfather had been sent as a boy, before WWII. There he ventures into a fantastical world of Peculiars, monsters, and time loops, where he uncovers a world stranger and more dangerous than any he could have imagined. Actual vintage photographs, starting with the levitating girl on the cover, are scattered throughout the book, introducing various Peculiars, and moving the story along through several haunting adventures toward its chilling end.
Is it any good?
Just picking up this book, holding it, feeling its heft, and looking at its cover will entice older YA readers to read it. And they won't be disappointed, especially if they like gothic fantasy sprinkled with a little time-traveling adventure, quirky characters, and spine-tingling action. The use of more than 40 unusual but authentic vintage photographs makes the story all the better by lending a sense of eerie realism to its almost absurd, shadowy atmosphere. How the author uses each photo to develop his characters and their story truly is inspiring.
The ending may leave the reader a little unsatisfied and awaiting more adventures from Jacob and his peculiar friends, but those are sure to come. Also, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is headed for the big screen.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the way Ransom Riggs develops his characters and stories from the photographs. How do you think the photos were made in the first place? What did he see, and how do you think he came up with his ideas? What kinds of stories would you come up with to explain what you are looking at? What did you think about the way he weaves it all together to create the larger story?
At times this story seems very real, and at other times it is definitely a fantasy adventure. What effect does that blending of the real with the fantastic have on the tone of the story? How do the photos fit into that blend? How does this technique compare with what you may have encountered in other fantasy novels, especially those with a gothic tone?
In this story, the misfits become the heroes. What other books have you read that follow that same theme? Why do you think that is such a popular theme?
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Kid, 11 years old
October 16, 2011
AGE
I LOVE THIS!
I am ten years old am in love with this book!! Sure it has some swears, but very mild, and ones that kids ages 9 and up would already know about. The kissing is rare, and when they do kiss, they don't slobber each other, just a good night kiss. I think this is perfect for kids ages 10 and up. It has some violence, but no gore, or a ton of blood.
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AGE
ASK
Make sure your kids aren't afraid of monsters and such.
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AGE
Pretty Good!
This talks about things that kids that are 9 or 10 may not get. But otherwise it is a great book and it is only $7.99 on my kindle but it was worth more :]
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AGE
An eerie book with amazing use of old pictures.
I loved this. I loved the characters. I love what Jacob has to go through to become the man he is at the end of the book. It is very moving. I worked to figure out the mystery along with Jacob and delighted when I finally made the connection. And the seamless incorporation of the pictures enriches the story.
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AGE
let them read
kind of creepy but 14+ is ridiculous, commonsense........
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy |
| Author: | Ransom Riggs |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Publisher: | Quirk Books |
| Publication date: | June 7, 2011 |
| Number of pages: | 352 |
| Hardcover price: | $17.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 13 |
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