I struggle with this, as a budding educator. I've seen Twilight books in third grade classrooms and thought to myself, "That's way too young." But it wasn't my classroom.

So I asked myself, but what if it was my classroom? Despite everything people say about Twilight, nobody can denied that it gets kids reading again. They said it about Harry Potter, but it's just as true of Twilight.

I think if a student brought the book in from home, I'd be OK with it. But I don't think I would offer it as a book in my classroom. I think elementary age children, and even (in some cases) beginning middle school children in sixth grade are not quite ready to read a book with those kind of messages on romance, sexuality and male/female roles.

I'd much rather they read books like the Giver, Holes, or even (as I saw in one class) Of Mice and Men or To Kill A Mockingbird. These books have intense themes, to be sure, but they also have characters that set excellent examples for students, as well as moving plot points and truthes about the human experience.

I agree. It's too young, and personally, I don't think it teaches good messages, even to age appropriate girls.

I don't think the series is suitable for the 5th or 6th grade. Take the messages on sexuality in Breaking Dawn for example.

There are so many other books that can be used in the classrooms. Twilight isn't one that I would suggest.

Like how to abuse a thesaurus to make you seem smart.Or that its okay to have a stalker for a boyfriend who sneaks into your room at night or refuses to let you see your friends.Then theres the marriage and pregnancy thing.
Also,Bella just isnt a good female role model

The messages it sends are a very close second reason, but I strongly think these books aren't right for 10 year olds.

This may sound like a stupid question, but the British education system uses different terms. What age group would this be exactly?

Perfectly valid question, Katie. 10-12 years of age is the fifth-sixth grade spread.

In that case, no. That's a little too young in my opinion. Maybe 13/14 +. I think at that age they're more aware and hopefully can see that Edward & Jacob are not perfect and for the girls, they don't need a man. Though I guess a lot of people that age might not see that.

I actually read Twilight in the sixth grade, but I certainly wouldn't put it in the classroom library or school library. Someone without the same level of maturity (or common sense, for that matter) might pick it up and get the wrong ideas. And you'd obviously have to have the full series there, too, and Breaking Dawn is NOT something I'd want a sixth grader to read.

i read it in fifth, and though there are bad messages in Breaking Dawn, at least they're married first

I wouldnt want my students to be obsessed with a creepy stalker at a young age. lol

I read it in 6th grade and I had the common sense to put the book down as soon as it got, you know what I mean, and pick it up again later on that week.
But if a kid brought it from home I wouldn't take it from him/her.

I read all 4 books in 7th grade and my school libray has all 4 of the books. Any kid below 9th grade shouldn't read the book.

Since the moral status of the world is getting worse, letting children read Twilight will make the moral status in their generation much more worse. I would suggest Lord of the Flies, Artemis Fowl, and several other good books that would give good examples and learn what is right and wrong, and for them to be morally capable.

I would start a club for the Twilight fans and they can discuss Twilight whenever they please in the clasroom. I started reading the books in fifth grade. As long as they understand. And of course, I'd ask the parent's permission first. And @ Enchantedfan: Most people who read the books are in eighth grade to fourth. Theres no sexual language of any kind. No real innapropraite things that have to prevent the child from reading.

And it's inappropriate for their age group.

I'd only have series with a huge plot, major twist, adventure, fantasy, & imagination!

The Twilight Saga has no plot, no twist, no adventure, the fantasy is way to cheesy & over-rated & the imagination is poor & a deadly health hazard!

plus twilight is on A 4TH GRADE LEVEL

What makes you say that? I teach fourth grade right now, and I don't think that the content is appropriate for them at all.

They sell it at the elementary school book fairs, which I think is interesting.

The teachers order a few copies.
They only permit them for the less impressionable students or those they find mature enough to handle them properly.

I would probably do something similar.. Though it would be difficult to decide which students to allow and which students not to.

5th graders should reach Goosebumps, books by Barbara Brooks Wallace, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Frindle, Loser, books like that which are meant for kids.

Seriously, Twilight is crap, bella is so annoying and ugly who lives out of Edward saving her all the friggen time! edward is a f**k ugly, creepy stalker, watching people sleeping simply because you can't sleep isn't romantic, it's creepy!!! and jacob is just as ugly who gets angry cuz he doesn't get the girl, suck it up! don't try to steal the girl away from her boyfriend and don't get angry if she doesn't want to leave him....right, I'm going to stop now and leave you all to it lol

Hey, let's be civil. This isn't a place to bash Twilight. How can a literary character be ugly, unless the author describes the character as such? And why does everyone being ugly make for a bad story, necessarily?

Please, keep your criticism respectful. Rule number one of CAT. And if you could, edit your answer accordingly. I feel awkward deleting it, but I think I think that the expletives are unnecessary, and the answer feels slightly redundant, as there's already an option for "not liking the books because they teach bad messages."

I just don't think ten year olds should be reading it. I don't think they'll understand that some of those messages not not good.

Luckily for me though, this won't be much of a conflict, as I'll be teaching high school level children :)

ha lol. What advice.

I just think that it isn't appropiate for that age. I'm not sure what age fifth or sixth grade is, but I'm assuming it's around 10. Aside from the messages, some of the content is a bit mature.

I am opposed to censorship. I would just perhaps give commentary on the books to make sure students understand the context of the books.

One hour detention of reading Twilight.