Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Classic, still-powerful story of futuristic censorship.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 10 parent reviews
Based on 70 kid reviews
Kids say the book features a dystopian world that warns against censorship and technology addiction, though many feel it contains too much inappropriate content for younger readers. While some find it engaging and profound, others criticize it for being confusing, slow-paced, and overrated, making it more suitable for mature audiences who can appreciate its deeper themes.
- thought-provoking
- mature audience
- confusing narrative
- themes of censorship
- violence and swearing
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Sometime in the near future, Guy Montag works as a fireman -- starting fires, rather than putting them out, burning the last few books in a society that views reading as dangerous. After his wife half-heartedly attempts suicide and an inquisitive young neighbor is killed, Montag begins to question his life's work. He keeps a stash of volumes away from the flames, and before he quite knows what is happening, he's taking huge risks to save what he once destroyed.
Is It Any Good?
FAHRENHEIT 451 is a classic science fiction novel and a powerful commentary on humankind's urge to suppress what it doesn't understand. The shadow of the Cold War looms over the plot, which may confuse some younger readers, but the truths Ray Bradbury unearths are timeless. The novel won the National Book Award and has been adapted for film, radio, stage, and graphic novel, and it's likely to be read widely for a long time to come.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why people feel the need to censor -- or even burn -- books. Are there recent examples of this behavior in the United States or elsewhere?
Ray Bradbury has said that the novel is less about censorship and more about the effects of television on our society. What aspects of Fahrenheit 451 support this interpretation?
Did the threat of war mean something different to Bradbury's audience when the novel was first published in 1953?
Why do you think attempts are made to ban Fahrenheit 451 from schools and libraries?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Topics : Arts
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Simon & Schuster
- Publication date : February 1, 1953
- Number of pages : 176
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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