Is there a right age to read a book?

Reading is so much more than being able to 'read' the words on a page and how you experience a book depends on which age you pick it up.

Recently, I was in a discussion about the right age to read Harry Potter. Over time, reading Harry Potter has turned into a rite of passage, a benchmark to determine how well the child can read.

It is worn like a badge of honour and has resulted in oneupmanship: “My child has already read Harry Potter. Has yours?” As a result, children as young as six are reading Harry Potter. But, is that okay?

Reading is much more than just the mechanical process of reading words on a page. For example, I am quite capable of reading a book on quantum mechanics from cover to cover. But, will I understand or appreciate it? Highly unlikely.

I know, I know. In fiction, you discover different layers each time you read a book. Children will definitely get more from the story with each re-read.

As my daughter once said about a book she read multiple times: “The first time, I just read it. The second time, I understood it, and then, I appreciated it!” Of course, it didn’t hurt that she was older (and wiser!) during each re-read. For the purpose of this discussion, let’s set aside books with obviously adult themes and passages that are just not meant for children’s eyes. But, other than that, is there a right age to read a particular book? How you experience a book does depend on the age at which you read it, but I don’t believe there is a correct age to read a book.

For one, the maturity, reading levels, sensibilities and experiences of children vary hugely. So, one can never accurately assign an age group to a book. Besides, children, just like adults, approach life differently, and so, reading a book too early might come with disadvantages. One child might pick up a book she’s too young for, give up on it halfway, or read it through without understanding it; but then, she might come back to it again when she’s older. But, another might be so put off that she might not bother to seek it out again later and she’ll miss out on what the book has to offer. This holds true especially for the classics, in which it is not just the story, but the language and insights that make them what they are.

And then there are those who do not like to re-read. Every book gets only one chance to impress them. Then, it would make sense for the child to wait a few years before reading a book that is targeted towards an older reader.

There is no right answer here. As long as the child is intrigued enough to want to try a book (with the choice to read it, drop it, or re-read it) and as long as we’re conscious not to push books on the child just to show off to the world how well they can read, it should be good enough.

The author got a master’s degree in energy engineering and worked in the IT industry until her daughter dragged out the writer lurking inside her. She has written eight books for children and can be reached at www.shruthi-rao.com

GobbledyBook is a fortnightly column that gives a peek into the wondrous world of children’s books. Hop on! Or as Alice did, plunge into the rabbit hole.