Can somebody tell me if it's okay for a twelve year old to read adult books?

Question

i read books by jane austen, james patterson (some including maximum ride), stephen king, and now i'm working on reading books by jonathan keller? i think his last name is keller....he and his wife are mystery writers.

and does anybody besides me read books by jane austen? currently working on emma.

Answer 1

i think it depends how mature you are. but Jane Austen is a classic and then i guess it's OK. but i dunno, plus do you read anything else by other authors.  

Answer 2

Every young woman reads Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott...

when i was your age, we moved on to jackie collins, danielle steel, and sidney sheldon.....

Answer 3

I loved Emma! It was fantastic. My favorite Jane Austen so far. You're going to love it :D

Anyways. I don't think Jane Austen's books are technically for adults. A 12-year old could read them, but they'd need a dictionary next to them.

As for James Patterson, Stephen King, and Jonothan Keller, you'll have to be the judge of that. I don't know those authors. But if the books have mild swearing, that's fine. If the books have sexual content, I wouldn't let a 12-year old read them.

Answer 4

Of course it's ok. Your age doesn't matter as long as you are being mature about it. Meaning that you can understand what your reading and you are genuinely interested in the stories. (not just reading for sexually scenes or anything).

Answer 5

Hey,

Yes when I was 12 i thoroughly enjoyed reading books for adults, it gave me more maturity and improved my vocabulary. Carry on reading :)

xxxx

Answer 6

I read Jane Eyre at the age of 9 and Emma at 10.  I loved the classics at your age, keep at it!  

Answer 7

I was reading Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters by the time I was eleven, and Tolstoy and Dickens when I was twelve. Plus I enjoyed Doctor Zhivago, The Great Gatsby and Rebecca at your age. It's nothing special. I read those books because people had told me they were good and I wanted to read them. I hated Emma. I found it to be amazingly dull. If you enjoy reading 'adult' books, then by all means, go ahead and read them.

Edit: Wanted to add that the best Jane Austen book EVAR is Persuasion, you should really read it if you haven't already.

Answer 8

Yes, it's okay and good to read anything you understand -- adult books, kids books, young adult books, pornography, and the labels on the food packaging that show the Nutrition Facts about what you're eating.

You go, girl.

Answer 9

I was reading very similar authors at 12. I loved Stephen King and Jonathan Kellerman!

A lot of the more adult themes I didn't get until I reread them as a later teen and adult. And I don't think that any of the language, violence, or sexual situations were any worse than those I heard about from kids at school.  

A lot of the books directed at young adults are just as bad, as far as the s*x and drug situations go. I'm so surprised as what YA literature can get away with now.

Venture off into other authors too. There is so much great literature out there. And high fives to you for reading!

Answer 10

hello, I read Pride and Prejudice when I was 11 and I loved it. I found it a bit challenging the first time I read it but it was no big deal. As for other adult books, it depends on your maturity level. I have read some pretty....graphic....stuff and I am only 13. Some of the English classics might prove difficult but, like I said, it isn't that hard. I reccomend looking up words you don't know the meaning of. I did and I have a wider vocabulary because of it and it helps when you read other classics too.  

Answer 11

It sort of depends on what you mean by "adult" books.  Some are rather... graphic in detail.  My 13 year old sister picked up a modern day romance and stopped after the first few chapters.  I'd be more cautious with some books versus others.  From the above authors listed, I think you're pretty safe.

I absolutely love Jane Austen!  Definitely one of my favorite authors.  I love how you're not exactly sure who's bad and who's good at the beginning.  My new year's resolution was to read all of her books by the end of the year.  I was done in a few months.    

If you like mystery books, you will probably like Agatha Christie.  She writes really good mysteries.  

Answer 12

Depends on the twelve-year-old. I personally read many adult books at that age. One of my earliest adult books I read at age nine.

You seem like a mature person. I think it's okay for you to read them.

And yes. I do read Jane Austen. I love her books. She's a fantastic writer. Enjoy!

♥M♥

Answer 13

It's not only okay, it's brilliant, because you gain intelectual superiority. I myself never really started with children's books. The first novels I read at the age of 7 were Great Expectations, David Copperfield and Uncle Tom's Cabin(unabridged). I finished Gone With The Wind at 9 and loved it. Reading helped me tremendously to evolve as a writer.

And as to the other question, I also greatly admire Miss Austen and all her work. I've read all her six novels, my favorite being, of course the incomparable Pride and Prejudice, closely followed by Persuasion and Mansfield Park. Emma didn't impress me as much, but it's nonetheless a great read. And the best thing about reading Jane Austen is that you also get to improve your speaking and writing skills.

Thumbs up.