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AnaB
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Hi There,
I'm looking to assign my children some independent reading on Roman HIstory since this is the time period we'll be studying. I've come across 3 books by Rosemary Sutcliff on this time period.
I usually pre-read or read with them any nonChristian books that I don't know about. But I just can't keep up!! Is there anything inappropriate in Rosemary Sutcliff books? My children's ages are 10,10, and 12. What age would you recommend these books for?
Many Thanks!
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doris
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I know that Kathryn UK recommends them very highly and as a trained historian, she should know!
I offered one to my nearly 8yo who is a very confident reader, and she said they were too hard. So as a very very rough guess, I imagine they'd be fine, or a little easy, for your age of children, depending on how they like their books.
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CKwasniewski
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The only Rosemary Sutcliff book I have read is the Lantern Bearers and I was disturbed by it. After all the praise for her books--I was very disappointed! It was well written but...
In the story, the main character's sister is captured as a slave. When he finally finds her again she is "married"(?) and has a son with her captor. She's attached and won't leave with her brother. If I remember rightly, he is upset about this. But later, he goes and does the same thing--steals a girl from another tribe and when he returns, they have a child -- Surprise! Of course, he is happy about the boy, but how does he feel about his "wife"??? Is she just some slave? Her character is never developed and I got the impression she was just chattel to him.
  is how i felt at the end of this book.
However historically accurate this may be, it is still a very wrong picture of marriage, and I would not give it to a child who was not mature in his understanding of Christian marriage, and I would surely discuss it with them.
From what I have heard, there are NOT issues like this in her other books. Maybe others can fill in the rest, to be sure.
hth
ck
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Kristie 4
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We love Rosemary Sutcliff. That being said, I don't think off the cuff I would hand it to a very young student. My son devoured them at age 12 and at that point I felt he was ready. I read a couple aloud to my 9 and 11 year olds and we loved them.
Think 10 and up age bracket...
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Kristie 4
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I should also add that I haven't read most of them. So maybe my comment isn't too helpful  We did read Tristan and Isault aloud and there was plenty in there for me to discuss with the kids.
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Erin
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There are a couple of shorter books that would be fine for the younger ones but mostly I would say 12+. Having said that my ds11 is fine but he is an advanced reader.
There are some that are definitely not for even children of this age group. Flowers of Adonis is not for young teens. Very adult themes there.
I would recommend trying to pre-read or even skim if possible. I always pray that if there is anything unsuitable I would find it when skimming.
If you share your titles I'll check with dd14 whether they are fine. She is bound to have read them and is very discriminating.
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Kathryn UK
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doris wrote:
| I know that Kathryn UK recommends them very highly and as a trained historian, she should know! |
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Not my period . She did write some very good books, but I agree with the other comments - they are for older children. Some books definitely 12 and up, others probably 10 and up. Some can be quite dark as she was writing about violent times - her book on Boudicca, for example (after losing their final battle with the Romans Boudicca poisons her daughters and then commits suicide).
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SallyT
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We have read The Eagle of the Ninth and The Silver Branch -- there is certainly an element of violence and danger in both, but only as reflects the darkness of the time. And in both, the protagonists are definitely noble and heroic, and The Silver Branch has brave Christian characters (sort of on the order of The Ides of April by Mary Ray). There is a far more positive and character-building portrayal of love and courtship in Eagle of the Ninth than the one mentioned here.
I think we read these aloud when my older kids were 9 and (I'm a little embarrassed to admit it) 5 or 6. Now I think I'd save them for at least 9 or 10, and at that age it went down better as a read-aloud. I could also filter out anything I thought was too intense, though I can't remember now precisely what I filtered out of those books. It's been a while since we read them.
My kids were already very interested in Roman Britain, and those books definitely have been favorites. Haven't read The Lantern Bearers, however.
Sally
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AnaB
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I just discovered the Mary Ray books. How do the Sutcliff books compare with the Ides of April and Ray's other books?
This is so helpful!
Blessings,
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CKwasniewski
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I loved the Mary Ray books! They really give you a feel for the period and the early Christian element is a beautiful addition.
They are for older kids, psychological--12 and up. The first one is a murder mystery--not gory, but intense.
There is also City of the Golden House. Just got it, but haven't read it yet.
City of the Golden house
Hillside has a study guide for it too.
ck
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SallyT
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My 10yo LOVED City of the Golden House. He also liked Henry Winterfeld's Detectives in Togas, which he read at about 9. That one was fun -- it felt sort of like an historical, non-supernatural-in-any-way, dog-free Scooby Doo episode (if that makes any sense), but was well-written and definitely good for the mid-older-elementary set. Winterfeld did write many other books, but we haven't read them.
And I second Mary Ray for 12 and up. Excellent reading.
Sally
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doris
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I'm blushing here, literally. Think I must have been suffering from Eagerness to Comment Despite Knowing Nothing Syndrome. Glad other, wiser people have now chimed in.
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Erin
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Ana
We have just finished reading Roman History 33AD to 300AD
Some of the following are in the time of Christ or just after, some are set in Rome and some Roman Briton, I found it all tied in.
For the ten yr olds up we read;
Detectives in Togas- Henry Winterfield
Tiger, Tiger- Lynne Reid Banks
The Bronze Bow - Elizabeth George Speare
The Golden House - Madeleine Polland
Legions of the Eagle - Henry Treece
War Dog- Henry Treece
The Thieves of Ostia (The Roman Mysteries)- Caroline Lawrence
Galen and the Gateway to Medicine- Jeanne Bendick
Nor Life nor Death - John O'Neil
The Man Who Never Died -Brennan Rev Gerald
The First Christians - Marigold Hunt
Vinegar Boy- Alberta Hawse
* Non-Fiction 'City' - David Macaulay
Famous Men of Rome - Poland & Haaren
***A Triumph for Flavius
The White Isle
The Forgotten Daughter (12+) all by Caroline Dale Snedeker
We haven't read these but they are in Emmanuel Books Catalogue.
For the over 14's
Ben Hur -Lew Wallace
Beyond the Desert Gate- Mary Ray
The Ides of April - Mary Ray
Between the Forest and the Hills - Ann Lawrence
The Young Cathaginian - G A Henty
Beric the Briton, A story of the Roman Invasion - GA Henty
The Fall of Jerusalem - GA Henty
The Restles Flame - Louis deWohl
The Spear - Louis deWohl
The Robe-Llyod Douglas
The Silver Chalice - Thomas Costain
*GA Henty may be fine for a serious younger reader, for your 12yr old they are just 'meaty'.
Plus of course there are the Rosemary Sutcliff books
Eagle of the Ninth
The Silver Branch
The Outcast
and of course The Lantern Bearers (thanks for the heads up there)
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Kathryn UK
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I'm pretty sure The Eagle of the Ninth would be good for both 10 and 12yos. It is the first - and best? - of a trilogy with The Silver Branch and The Lantern Bearers.
The Capricorn Bracelet would also be fine for 10yos, I think. This is a collection of short stories covering 300 years of Roman British history, and is one of Rosemary Sutcliff's simpler books.
Song for a Dark Queen is the book about Boudicca which is definitely for older children / teens.
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missionfamily
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Okay, well while we're talking about Rosemary Sutcliff...we're doing a unit of Greek myths and epic poems nuext year. Black Ships Before Troy was on my list for 10yo ds and I was also considering the wanderings of Odysseus. We are listening to the Odds Bodkin audio as a family....would the other be overkill? Also, anyone have any opinions of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series or the Jane Yolen chapter books? Sorry I can't link...baby screaming for breakfast.
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AnaB
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Wow! This has been a great discussion. I am indebted to you all for your help and suggestions. Thank you so much!!
Blessings to you!
Colleen,
One thing we did when studying Greece was listen to Alfred Church's The Iliad for Boys and Girls on Librivox. To tell you the truth, we got tired of it. I'm not much into mythology, especially the way the kept referring to them as "gods" all the time. Even the kids tired of it. What we did get into were the Persian Wars. Those are exciting!! We read H.A. Guerber's Story of Greece and it was awesome!! Hope this helps!
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SuzanneG
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While searching for something else tonight, I found this thread in the archives about Rosemary Sutcliff.
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CKwasniewski
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Hey ladies,
even though I was the negative one up there, I want to tell you since this thread, I've turned into a big Sutcliff fan.... She IS really awesome! 
In particular, I want to mention 3 books
The Shield Ring
Dawn Wind
and
The Mark of the Horse Lord
What a story! it's really for high school age kids though, and the end should be discussed.
ck
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4Real Forums : Living Literature
Topic: Rosemary Sutcliff books, what age?
